St Andrews Launches New Global Research Centres Tackling Worldwide Challenges

In September 2025, the University of St Andrews announced the launch of two brand-new global research centres, focusing on two international issues: neonatal care and environmentalism. 

The Centre for Neonatal Sepsis, led by Professor Nicholas Feasey, aims to address neonatal sepsis in Scotland and Africa by creating a space for medical researchers across the world to come together and develop solutions that decrease infant mortality rate.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, neonatal sepsis is defined as “an infection involving the bloodstream in infants under 28 days old.” It is a leading cause of sickness and death in newborns, particularly in less developed countries. 

In a news update published on the University of St Andrews website, Professor Feasey said, “Collaborating with local healthcare providers and leveraging expertise across Schools including Medicine, Geography, Sustainable Development, Mathematics, Statistics, and Philosophy, this GRC (Global Research Centre) will foster sustainable solutions to the prevention of neonatal sepsis. This initiative aligns with St Andrews’ commitment to global health equity by creating equitable international partnerships that enhance knowledge and practice.”

The second research centre is the Global Research Centre for Changing Climates, led by Dr James Rae. As the climate crisis becomes increasingly urgent, Dr Rae noted that the centre seeks to address the effects of global warming and environmental degradation through a holistic approach.

“I was inspired to lead the centre because climate change is a problem that affects all different aspects of science and society, and so if you want to grapple with those climate impacts, you need to involve all of the different parts of the climate system,” Dr Rae said. “That’s a job for a combination of scientists and social scientists, and also the arts and humanities. I think it’s true to say that in some ways, climate change doesn’t need better facts. It needs better stories and ways of connecting with people, and the arts and humanities are great for that.”

The Global Research Centre for Changing Climates is an expanded community of PhD students and postdoctoral researchers working on climate topics across a wide variety of disciplines.

Dr Rae added that as climate change is “an inherently global challenge,” it is crucial that the centre has global partnerships. He said the centre has several contacts in South America who are investigating the effects of rainfall patterns on livelihoods, as well as the impact of extreme heatwaves on human health in tropical countries.

The centre includes several contributors to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a connection Dr Rae believes will strengthen its ability to shape policy.

“One of the key routes by which our work will continue to inform policy is through the IPCC reports,” he said. “Many of our members are very active contributing authors [...] and what we hope to do in the centre is bring more people into that fold because it’s a brilliant route to get research into policy.”

Dr Rae told The Saint he hopes the Global Research Centre for Changing Climates will facilitate not only solutions to the climate crisis, but also a sense of hope in the face of such a large-scale challenge.

“I want to create an atmosphere with this where people are excited to grapple with this problem, where we don’t feel the sense of despondency or despair that can often come from grappling with the enormity of it,” Dr Rae said. “Where we can do this and make it interesting, collaborative, collegial, and creative as well. Making working on climate change something that people are actually really motivated to do, and that’s really helped by having a vibrant community.”

Photo courtesy of The University of St Andrews