About Us

UWI SODECO Identity

UWI SODECO is an international research charity within The University of the West Indies. UWI SODECO is physically located on the UWI Mona Campus in Jamaica. It is comprised of two parts; Solutions for Medicine (SFM) which focuses on medical research and Solutions for Society (SFS) which is oriented towards solving socioeconomic problems. UWI SODECO is international in its outlook, strategies, networking and operations and leverages its global network to focus on research priorities in developing and poor countries in order to inform better treatments for major health problems, as well as providing solutions to socio-economic problems.

The objectives of UWI SODECO SFM and SFS are aligned with the strategic goals of the University of the West Indies and simultaneously also in line with the United Nations Sustainable Goals (SDGs) as follows

Objectives

Solutions for Medicine

  • Goal 1 No poverty
  • Goal 3 Good health and wellbeing
  • Goal 4 Quality education
  • Goal 10 Reduced inequalities

Solutions for Society

  • Goal 11 Sustainable cities and communities
  • Goal 13 Climate action
  • Goal 14 Life below water
  • Goal 15 Life on land
  • Goal 17 Partnerships to achieve the goal

Achieving the objectives of UWI SODECO brings benefit to poor populations in developing countries and enhances the reputation of The University of the West Indies.

Mission UWI SODECO

UWI SODECO through SFM uses scientific discoveries to prevent, cure or mitigate chronic cardiovascular and metabolic diseases caused by early life adversity arising from malnutrition, and through SFS applies the scientific method to solving significant socio economic problems.

Vision UWI SODECO

By 2025, UWI SODECO has used global scientific leadership of its network to inform new strategies to prevent and treat cardiovascular and metabolic diseases as well as to increase environmental resilience.  

Values UWI SODECO

UWI SODECO is peopled by professionals who are best in class internationally in scientific research, who work to discover the causes and remedies of human cardio-metabolic ill health as well as environmental problems. The UWI SODECO team collaborates to achieve research excellence through attention to training, mentorship and career development, drawing on resources within and from our international research network.

Goals

  1. UWI SODECO SFM aims to solve one big medical question: what are the molecular mechanisms underlying the greatly increased risk of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart attack and associated neurocognitive deficits affecting populations, poor for generations, who gain wealth and acquire lifestyles that promote obesity and its co morbidities.
  2. UWI SODECO SFM engages the appropriate stakeholders to ensure its research findings are used to create interventions to prevent or treat these chronic diseases. Interventions are designed to improve clinical management of cardio metabolic disease, reduce cardio metabolic risk, mitigate neurocognitive deficits and inform the design of nutritional supplements, drugs or behavioural change to reduce damage from early life malnutrition.
  3. UWI SODECO SFS approaches problem solving in the socio-economic domains, and convenes appropriately skilled partners to solve other societal problems whose solutions create improvements in society as a whole, especially human capital and economic gain. 
  4. UWI SODECO SFS currently has a singular current focus on rehabilitating and protecting coastal forests which contribute greatly to resilience to climate change as well as preservation and enhancement of livelihoods of individuals and communities.

Structure UWI SODECO

UWI SODECO is a research charity, a Limited Liability Company without share capital and registered under The Charities Act, 2013, embedded in UWI, which facilitates its work at national and international levels. The structure enables UWI SODECO to work across UWI Faculties and Departments nationally and regionally, as well as with diverse types of organisations, including academic, NGOs, and industry.

UWI SODECO is governed by a board which is chaired by the UWI Vice Chancellor or designate and includes the five Trustees of UWI SODECO.

UWI SODECO’s governance arrangements are deliberately flat to enable rapid, focused, informed and functional decisions to enable nimbleness in operations. It also presents an environment that facilitates the attracting of funds from both public and private sectors.

Members of the Board, UWI SODECO

  • Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, UWI Vice Chancellor
  • Chairman -  Dr. The Hon. Marshall Hall OJ, Jamaica Producers Ltd
  • The Hon. Dennis Lalor OJ, Chairman ICWI & Chairman UWIDEF
  • The Hon Earl Jarrett OJ, Chief Executive Officer,  The Jamaica National Group
  • Mr. Noel Levy, Myers Fletcher and Gordon, Attorneys at Law
  • Professor The Hon Terrence Forrester OJ, Chief Scientist and MD, UWI SODECO

Mrs. Sandra Boyne, Manager, UWI SODECO is Company Secretary

Science Advisory Committee

A Board sub-committee of international scientists provides scientific guidance to the Chief Scientist and Staff on the work of UWI SODECO. Such a sub-committee last met in Jamaica in February 2018 and will meet periodically (optimally every 3 years) coinciding with the UWI SODECO Strategic Science Meeting of its local and international network collaborators. Advice is provided on the SODECO scientific programme to the Chief Scientist and the Board. This panel is comprised of 7 members, Sir Peter Gluckman, University of Auckland (Medicine and Developmental Biology); Professor Mark Hanson, University of Southampton (Physiology and Developmental Biology); Professor Charles Nelson 3rd, (Neuropsychology, Harvard University); Professor Kirk Erickson, (University of Pittsburgh, Neuropsychology); Professor Guy Poppy, UK Food Standards Agency and University of Southampton (Food and Agriculture); Professor Jack Gilbert, University of California, San Diego, (Molecular Ecology).

People in UWI SODECO

Solutions for Medicine

Core Academic Staff

Chief Scientist                   Professor Terrence Forrester

Basic Scientist                   Dr. Curtis Green

Clinical Scientist                Dr. Patrice Francis (on study leave)

Clinical Scientist                Dr. Marie Williams

 

Collaborating Scientists

UWI

Professor Michael Boyne   Department of Medicine, UHWI

Dr. Ingrid Tennant             Section of Anaethesiology, UHWI

Miss. Gail Nelson              Department of Physiotherapy, UWI       

Dr. Ernest Pate                 PAHO Emeritus

Dr. Amza Ali                      Department of Medicine, KPH

 

Solutions for Society

Core Academic Staff

Chief Scientist                   Professor Terrence Forrester

Ecologist                           Miss Angeli Williams

Wetlands Ecologist            Dr Rahanna Juman, Deputy Director Institute of Marine Affairs, Trinidad and Tobago. (Honorary).

 

 

Collaborating Scientists

Professor John Agard                  UWI, St. Augustine

Professor Mona Webber              UWI, Mona

Mr. Camilo Trench                       UWI, Mona

Network Partners, Universities

  1. Professor Keith Godfrey, University of Southampton
  2. Professor Clive Osmond, University of Southampton
  3. Professor Karen Lillycrop, University of Southampton
  4. Professor Craig Hutton, University of Southampton
  5. Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, University of Auckland
  6. Professor Jack Gilbert, University of California, San Diego
  7. Professor Amy Luke, Loyola University Chicago
  8. Professor Richard Cooper, Loyola University Chicago
  9. Dr Lara Dugas, Loyola University of Chicago
  10. Professor Dale Schoeller, University of Wisconsin, Madison
  11. Professor Alice Ryan, University of Maryland
  12. Professor Richard Macko, University of Maryland
  13. Professor Kirk Erickson, University of Pittsburgh
  14. Professor Michelle Carlson, Johns Hopkins University
  15. Professor Jacqueline McGlade, University College London
  16. Dr Englebert Nonterah, Navrongo Heath Research Unit, Ghana

Administrative Staff

Sandra Boyne         UWI SODECO Manager