Click and drag image to right to see full photo
“By the age of 13 I knew that I would be a physician. Once I began to practise however, it quickly became evident that many questions did not have robust answers. I was extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to pursue doctoral studies at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. I want to be part of the group that develops the next generation of Caribbean clinicians and researchers; creating opportunities for them to function in the region while still having a global impact through their ideas and work. I have learned the art of perseverance by taking on major challenges while being ill-equipped and under-resourced, but having to ‘hang in there’ to the end…The support of many people has allowed me to pursue my dreams; especially my wife Heather and children, Edward and Arianne. I am grateful to my parents who nurtured the belief that all things are possible through God.”

Professor Anselm Hennis

DIRECTOR, CHRONIC DISEASE RESEARCH CENTRE AND
TROPICAL MEDICINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE (TMRI)
CAVE HILL CAMPUS, BARBADOS
Tel: (246) 426-6416 • Email: ahennis@uwichill.edu.bb

PROFILE

Anselm Hennis attended Harrison College, Barbados, where he became Head Boy. He won the Barbados Scholarship in 1982 and studied Medicine at the Mona Campus, (1982–1984) and Cave Hill, UWI, graduating in 1987 (Honours in Biochemistry, Community Health, Pharmacology, Pathology and Microbiology). In 1991, he was awarded a Wellcome Trust, Clinical Epidemiology Training Fellowship to the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, where he obtained his MSc (1992) and PhD (1997) degrees. He completed his MRCP (UK) in 1993, and also holds the FRCP (London, 2005) and FACP (2007) qualifications. Professor Hennis joined the Cave Hill Campus in 1996 and is Honorary Consultant Physician to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. He was appointed Senior Lecturer in 2002, Director of the Chronic Disease Research Centre (CDRC) in 2006, and was appointed to a chair in 2008. He is Research Associate Professor at Stony Brook University, New York. Professor Hennis was co-investigator with the Barbados Eye Studies which highlighted high rates of glaucoma in Barbados and identified new risk factors. He has collaborated on grants funded by the NIH, Wellcome Trust and Alliance for Lupus research, and has published nearly 70 peer-reviewed articles. Professor Hennis has won awards for his contribution to research including the Edward Kass Memorial prize and the inaugural Principal’s Award for Research Excellence at Cave Hill. He serves as Scientific Secretary to the Caribbean Health Research Council.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Professor Hennis is joint lead investigator with the Barbados National Cancer Study of breast and prostate cancer investigating the incidence and related environmental factors (including genetic factors). The CDRC is also presently collaborating with the Ministry of Health to establish the Barbados National Registry of stroke, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Professor Hennis continues to work on diabetes and related outcomes, and led the Barbados centre in the global study of Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome which included 25,000 pregnant women and their infants. He also leads research into SLE in collaboration with Dr. Cindy Flower (rheumatologist) and colleagues at Harvard Medical School and Alabama University.