Dr Francis K. Poitier

Profile

I am an interdisciplinary teacher and researcher focusing on complex health issues using an intersectional and systems lens with experience working in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) and Caribbean island states. I have worked in the School of Politics and the School of Medicine at the University of Leeds.

My research includes examining gender and intersectionality as part of the multi-sectoral challenges in urban health systems; exploring food systems by dissecting health policies and the influence of sociocultural and political factors impacting nutritional health outcomes; and, developing a microplanning tool for maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health at the sub-district level to address equity issues.

My pedagogical and teaching scholarship includes decolonising the classroom, designing innovative student-teacher learning techniques, and developing programmes to support collegiate and supportive research cultures. I am co-developing an online course with the World Health Organization for Health Systems for Health Security. I co-developed an award-winning intervention to support a collegiate and supportive research culture environment in the School of Medicine that is currently being upscaled.

Responsibilities

• Lead for Curriculum Redefined, The Nuffield Centre
• Deputy Programme Director, Master of Public Health (International)

Research interests

I work on several research projects, including:

• Co-developing a microplanning tool for maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health at the sub-district level to address equity issues with reaching vulnerable and marginalised communities with the World Health Organisation’s Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing 
• Building resilience in urban health systems by addressing multi-sectoral challenges in four low- and middle-income countries in Africa and South Asia (Bangladesh, Ghana, Nepal,and Nigeria) with the CHORUS Research Consortium
• Exploring the makings of health in Small Island Developing States using the prevalence of obesity in The Bahamas as a case study

My teaching and pedagogical research focus include:

• Co-developing an online course, called Health Systems for Health Security, with the World Health Organization to explore ways to build resilient systems and healthier populations
• Developing a supportive and collegiate research culture for postgraduate researchers (i.e. PhD students)
• Designing innovative student-teacher learning techniques

Qualifications

• PhD in International Health - University of Leeds
• MSc. (Dist) in International Health - University of Leeds
• BSc in Biology - University of Richmond

Professional memberships

• Fellow - Higher Education Academy
• Board Director - Healthwatch Leeds

Student education

I teach a range of topics in the School of Medicine and School of Politics at the Bachelor and Masters levels, including:

• Gender, Equity and Health 
• Health systems in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
• Non-Communicable Disease control
• Sexual and Reproductive Health 
• Impact of colonisation on the making of the modern world
• Theories and concepts in global political economy
• Research ethics in global health
• Research projects in global health
• Introduction to research methods
• Advanced qualitative health research

Research groups and institutes

• Leeds Institute of Health Sciences
• Research at the Nuffield Centre of International Health and Development
• Nuffield Centre for International Health and Development