Professor Kathryn Maitland, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Programme, Kilifi, Kenya
Professor of Paediatric Tropical Infectious Diseases and Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Infectious Disease Imperial College, London and Honorary Fellow at the MRC Clinical trials Unit, London

Over the last 11 years I have been based fulltime in East Africa where I lead a research group whose major research portfolio includes severe malaria, bacterial sepsis and severe malnutrition. My work focuses upon understanding the pathophysiology of severe malaria and severe malnutrition and includes clinical trials of emergency interventions to improve outcome. My research group has recently completed the largest trial of critically children ever undertaken in Africa (FEAST trial: http:www.feast-trial.org)- examining fluid resuscitation which is likely to lead to major changes in health policy in children with severe illness in sub-Saharan Africa.