Explore Global Health with Rob Murphy, MD

How can universities better prepare health professionals to work together and meet the needs of their communities? Recorded at the 2026 Stellenbosch University–Northwestern University Global Health Knowledge Hub Conference, Firdouza Waggie, associate professor and executive head of the Department of Health Professions Education at Stellenbosch University in South Africa talks with Robert Murphy, MD, about interprofessional education, community engagement and opportunities for international collaboration to strengthen health professions education.

Africa is home to extraordinary microbial diversity, yet much of it remains understudied, leaving critical gaps in our understanding of human health, disease and the environment. In this bonus episode recorded at the 2026 Stellenbosch University–Northwestern University Global Health Knowledge Hub Conference, Rob Murphy, MD, speaks with Thulani Makhalanyane, PhD, a professor at Stellenbosch University and leader of the African Microbiome Project. They explore how studying Africa's microbial communities could transform our understanding of health, why African scientists must lead research on the continent, and how equitable international partnerships can expand scientific infrastructure, training and opportunities for the next generation of researchers.

How can international research partnerships help solve some of the world's most pressing health challenges?

In this special episode of Explore Global Health, recorded at the 2026 Stellenbosch University–Northwestern University Global Health Knowledge Hub Conference in Chicago, host Dr. Rob Murphy sits down with Dr. Wim de Villiers, former Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University.

Together, they discuss how a two-decade collaboration between the two institutions evolved into a formal Global Health Knowledge Hub, the vital role African research institutions play in advancing health equity, and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. de Villiers also shares his vision for building sustainable, bi-directional international partnerships capable of addressing complex global health challenges that no single institution or country can tackle alone.

What does it take to build global health partnerships that truly last? Dévora Grynspan, Northwestern University's vice president for international relations, joins Dr. Rob Murphy to reflect on her career, the creation of Northwestern University's undergraduate global health studies program, and the importance of collaboration across cultures and disciplines. Recorded at the Stellenbosch University–Northwestern University Global Health Knowledge Hub Conference, their conversation explores the future of international research, the value of reciprocal partnerships, and why firsthand global experiences are essential for the next generation of health leaders.

What if the people best positioned to save lives aren't always healthcare professionals? Dr. Wagaki Gicheru shares how she helped Kenya train more than 11,000 motorcycle taxi drivers as first responders, her journey from anesthesiology to medical education, and her work advancing simulation and digital learning. She also discusses her partnership with Northwestern University and why global health often begins by addressing needs in your own community.

Neurological disease is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality around the world, yet many people in low and middle income countries have never had access to a neurologist. In this episode, Farrah Mateen, MD, PhD, the director of the new Center for Global Neurology at the Robert J. Havey, MD Institute for Global Health, talks about her career path to medicine and her passion for expanding access to neurological care worldwide.

Tracing a trajectory from her medical education in China through a masters degree and PhD in Japan and a fellowship at the National Cancer Institute, Lifang Hou, MD, PhD, has cultivated an international career which now includes spearheading global cancer prevention initiatives that span from Africa to South America. In this episode, she discusses her career journey and how her work in genetics, epigenetics, and early cancer detection is helping bring affordable screening and prevention strategies to underserved communities around the world.

Recorded at the Consortium of Universities for Global Health annual meeting in Washington, D.C., this special bonus episode of Explore Global Health features Jarbas Barbosa da Silva Jr., MD, MPH, Ph, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in conversation with Rob Murphy, MD. The discussion explores what it takes to build resilient health systems in an increasingly complex global landscape, drawing on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, the evolving role of primary health care, and the importance of regional collaboration, governance, and trust. Barbosa also shares insights on the future of global health, including the growing role of artificial intelligence and advice for the next generation entering the field.

Recorded at the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) annual meeting in Washington, D.C., this special bonus episode of Explore Global Health features physicist and former NOAA satellite director Stephen Volz, PhD, whose career spans NASA, Earth observation, and global environmental science. He explains how satellite data and Earth system science are transforming our understanding of planetary health—and why that matters for human health outcomes worldwide. From the "triple planetary crisis" to the critical role of finance, Volz explores how environmental data, global collaboration, and local action must come together to build a sustainable and healthier future.

The new Center for Global Pediatric Health, an initiative between the Robert J. Havey, MD Institute for Global Health and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, is building a global community committed to improving the health of children worldwide. In this episode, Drs. Colleen Fant and Sahera Dirajlal-Fargo, co-directors of the new center, discuss their goals for the center, their own journeys in global pediatric health as well as emerging trends and challenges in pediatric care worldwide.