The University, through the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) and in partnership with the Mohan Foundation, is aiming to develop research capacity and capability in India to better understand the facilitators and barriers to organ donation in the country and to improve organ donation rates.

As part of the project, Bedfordshire has invited PhD student Britzer Paul from India to undertake some of the research.

Professor Gurch Randhawa, Director of the University’s Institute for Public Health Research and an expert in organ donation said: “As part of our efforts to ensure that our world leading research on public engagement and organ donation has benefits for other countries, the University has invested its Global Challenges Research Fund in a PhD studentship with India.”

Britzer Paul who joined the University at the end of October explained: “I want to find the gap between knowledge and practice and to see if there is any type of intervention I can bring about to improve organ donation in India.”

The GCRF is a £1.5 billion fund supported by the UK Government to support cutting-edge research that addresses the challenges faced by developing countries.

Dr Sunil Shroff, Director of the Mohan Foundation said: “This opportunity for our students to study and research will help us to learn about the best practices in the UK and help us increase our organ donation rates in India.

“Most Commonwealth countries follow similar healthcare systems as the UK and are struggling to increase their organ donation rates. In the past 10 years there has been an upsurge of organ donation in the UK. It is important for us to learn the various strategies used to improve this rate and overcome some of the barriers in India.”