The Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University and the Emory Global Diabetes Research Center will host the “Global Partnerships to Advance Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Research within the Agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals conference beginning August 8-9 at the Emory Conference Center Hotel. 

The conference was developed by researchers within the Hubert Department of Global Health at Rollins in collaboration with over 20 leading universities in the U.S. and abroad to ignite a dialogue about NCD research priorities in light of the United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDG) targets.

“This conference is important because it sparks a very relevant conversation that is vital to the global advancement of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) research in settings where the burden is high but the knowledge base is still in its infancy,” says Shivani Patel, PhD, research assistant professor of Global Health at Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health.  

The meeting will showcase research advances and programmatic innovations in global NCDs that cover a variety of topical areas relevant to meeting the health targets in SDG 3. SDG3 focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being for everyone at all ages. The goals provide a specific target on life expectancy, child and maternal mortality, global safe water, sanitation, HIV/AIDS, disease eradication and other emerging health issues.

“By bringing together such a diverse coalition of global researchers and public health organizations, we aim to make tremendous strides in the state of our work,” says Patel. "It is an opportunity for exchange of scientific ideas but also a forum for linking early-career and senior investigators and growing our collaborations beyond the walls of any single institution.”