Meet the programme team

Dr Kim Picozzi, BSc, PhD, SFHEA, FIBMS, FRBS, CSciTeach 
Programme Joint Director

Kim has worked at University of Edinburgh for over 25 years - joining the Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine (as was) as a junior post-doctoral scientist in 1998, to her current position as a Reader in Global Health and Infectious Disease.

"I find this topic utterly fascinating, and enjoy sharing my enthusiasm for the ever changing landscape of infectious diseases, and their impact on global health, with our student cohort."

Dr Jenna Fyfe, BSc, PhD, PgCertDigitalEd
Programme Joint Director and Cohort Lead

Jenna has worked at the University of Edinburgh for 20 years, starting as a PhD student and progressing to her current role as a Lecturer in Global Health and Infectious Disease. Jenna has a background in parasitology and a keen interest in an interdisciplinary approach to disease control.  

”Having a background in parasitology has meant that my research interests have always encompassed a one health approach to tackling infectious disease.  I enjoy the opportunity to work with our global cohort of students to consider solutions to complex disease problems in global context.”

Dr Emily O’Reilly BSc (Hons) BVMS MSc PhD FHEA
Lecturer

Emily qualified as a veterinarian from the University of Glasgow in 2008, later completing a PhD in broiler chicken immunity and undertaking postdoctoral positions researching milk biomarkers. She has been with the University of Edinburgh since 2016 becoming a FHEA in 2020. She delivers courses across the Biomedical Sciences’ postgraduate programmes in areas relating to immunology, vaccinology, AMR, diagnostics and food security. Emily is also a keen podcaster and has undertaken research into the role podcasts have in education.

“We’ve created with our students, a global learning environment that interweaves the students experiences of health & infectious disease with the academic knowledge, skills and research needed to understand global health and infectious disease. I'm very proud to be a part if this rich and accessible learning environment and online community”

Dr Aileen Jordan, BSc, MSc, PhD, BMid, FHEA, PgCAP. 
Lecturer

Aileen has a background in immunology and vaccine development, as well as clinical practice and research as a midwife. She has worked in her current position with the Global Health and Infectious Diseases team since 2019, leading courses related to zoonotic diseases, and the sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health continuum. She is highly motivated to improve global maternal and child health through education, and is continually inspired by the global cohort of students undertaking the GHID programme.

Susan Thompson, MBA, MSc, FHEA
Teaching Fellow 

Susan Thomson brings over 30 years of experience in financial services, having worked with major organisations like Scottish Widows and RBS. She has also dedicated more than a decade to small business and startups. With two Master's degrees, alongside teaching at the University of Edinburgh, Susan has also chaired the Open University Alumni in Scotland for 10 years. Since 2020, Long Covid has impacted her health, and in 2024, she joined the Board of Long Covid Scotland.

Dr Ewan Macleod, BSc, PhD, PgCert Academic Practice
Lecturer

Ewan’s research interests are mostly around vector borne diseases and he has published more than 50 papers, with the majority focusing on African trypanosomiasis. Ewan contributes to teaching on the Global Health and Infectious Disease programme in the diploma courses.  Since 2010 Ewan has been Programme Director for the International Animal Health MSc programme alongside contributing to a wide variety of infectious disease focused courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.  

Dr Anna Okello, BVSc, PG Dip, PhD
Teaching Fellow

After completing her PhD at the University of Edinburgh in 2012, Anna joined the Biomedical Teaching Organisation as a postdoctoral researcher, and since 2015 has worked as an adjunct teaching fellow for Global Health and Infectious Disease. Anna is also the Director of the Food Frontiers and Security Program at the CGIAR, the world’s largest global agricultural innovation network.

"Much of my career has been spent working at the interface of global agriculture and human health. As a result, I am passionate about encouraging students to think broadly about the drivers of global health outcomes through systems thinking approaches."