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In a world with constantly shrinking borders , global health has become a growing concern . The Global Health Institute at UC San Diego is a campus-wide effort to facilitate research , education and public-private partnerships across diverse disciplines to address the many global health challenges of the 21st century . With 150 faculty , fellows , students and staff involved , the institute aims to make an international impact with research and healthcare programs that fight diseases , such as HIV / AIDS , tuberculosis , malaria and other debilitating conditions around the globe .
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT Steffanie Strathdee , Cliff Kapono , Rob Knight , Dr . Anita Raj , Ethan Bier ’ 78 ; Valentino Gantz , PhD ’ 15 ; Gentry Patrick
Led by Steffanie Strathdee , an infectious disease epidemiologist who has focused her career on HIV prevention in underserved , marginalized populations , the Institute strives to coordinate and synergize the collective efforts of UC San Diego to make the biggest possible impact for the benefit of humankind .
No one more than graduate student Cliff Kapono captures UC San Diego ’ s distinct spirit of scientific excellence and wave-catching cool . The chemistry doctoral student is currently sampling microbes from the bodies of surfers around the world to determine not only the health of our oceans , but the health of communities whose lives are dependent on them . Compound this student research with the preeminence of microbiome expert Rob Knight , and the advent of the microbiome age may very well change the future of healthcare the world over .
Dr . Anita Raj is the director of the Center on Gender Equity and Health and a professor in the School of Medicine ’ s Division of Global Public Health . Raj has approximately 20 years of experience conducting research on sexual and reproductive health , gender-based violence , substance abuse , and the intersection of how these issues play out in cultures around the world .
35 TRITON | SPRING 2017