George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre celebrates 25 years

Many gathered recently at a gala dinner for a dual celebration as they celebrated the 25th anniversary of the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre (CDRC), as well as to honour the works of the founding director, Sir Henry Fraser, who founded the CDRC in 1992.

Speaking at the momentous occasion, which was held at The Crane Resort, Christianne Walcott revealed that it was an incredible milestone for the Chronic Disease Research Centre, now the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre, to have reached 25 years of existence.

“The George Alleyne CDRC in Barbados is one of the four units in the Caribbean Institute for health research that is overseen by the office of the Vice Chancellor,” she said.

“As time has gone on, the centre has undertaken an ever-widening scope, which has seen the recent functional merger with the public health group within the Faculty of Medical Sciences, to facilitate the comprehensive translation of research.”

She expressed that the centre was a testimony of embodied excellence as each of the Directors that would have taken over for a period of time, would have been elevated to the rank of professor during their respective tenures. She deems this as an enviable yet incredibly commendable feat.

“This trajectory of greatness evidently continues as Professor Fraser went on to be knighted and become a Barbados senator, Professor Anselm Hennis went on to become the Director of the Department of Non-Communicable Diseases and Mental Health at the Pan American Health Organisation, and Professor Clive Landis went on to become the Deputy Principal of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus,” she said. She went on to reveal that the renaming of the CDRC to the George Alleyne CDRC was done as a part of their 25th anniversary celebrations, as well as in honour of the outgoing chancellor, Chancellor Emeritus, Sir George Alleyne.