Fiona Samuels

Dr Fiona Samuels is a Reader in Global Health and Inequalities and co-leads the Global Health Unit at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). She also holds an Honorary Associate Professor title at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). Her work bridges research and policy, focusing on social and political determinants of health in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean. She specializes in addressing poverty, gender disparities, vulnerability, and identity through an interdisciplinary lens.

Education:

• BA in Social Anthropology from the London School of Economics (LSE)
• MSc in Agricultural Economics from Oxford University
• PhD in Social Anthropology from Sussex University

Research Interests: Fiona’s research centers on three key areas: barriers to healthcare access, gendered social norms affecting health outcomes (e.g., child marriage, FGM/C), and health systems strengthening using multilevel approaches. She employs methods like quantitative analysis, qualitative research, ethnography, and co-production with communities. Her work intersects themes such as mental health, reproductive health, maternal and child health, and social protection, applying frameworks like gender, life-course, race, and equity.

Current Research Projects:

• A Botnar Foundation-funded study addressing adolescent mental health in Tanzania and Vietnam through co-created digital solutions.
• A Novo Nordisk Foundation-funded program on economic empowerment for Syrian refugee adolescent girls in Jordan.
• An exploration of bonded labor communities’ experiences during the pandemic in Nepal, funded by the Freedom Fund.

Advising & Grants: Fiona currently oversees doctoral supervision (3rd supervisor) for Iona Hindes’ research on the impact of lockdowns on maternal and neonatal health (NIHR-funded). Her research funding comes from diverse sources including FCDO/DFID, Gates Foundation, UNICEF, UNFPA, Wellcome Trust, and the Big Lottery Fund. She emphasizes collaborative, community-driven approaches to research and policy.

Labs/Teams: She is affiliated with the Centre for Public Health & Policy and co-leads the Global Health Unit within QMUL’s Wolfson Institute of Population Health. Her work also involves partnerships with global institutions like the ODI and LSHTM.