HMG DEPT OF HEALTH CHIEF SCIENTIST TO ATTEND

UNCLAS LONDON 003824 SIPDIS SIPDIS OES/IHB FOR DANIEL MILLER AND PATRICIA MURPHY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID TBIO PINR GR UK SUBJECT: HMG DEPT OF HEALTH CHIEF SCIENTIST TO ATTEND MINISTERIAL FORUM "ALL AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS" IN BERLIN OCTOBER 22 REF: STATE 137323 ¶1. (U) Dr. David Harper, Chief Scientist and Director General of Health Protection, International Health and Scientific Development, at the Department of Health (DH) will represent HMG at the October 22 Ministerial forum "All Against Tuberculosis" in Berlin. ESTOff delivered reftel demarche to Dr. Nick Banatvala, DH Head of Global Affairs, on October 3, who said that Dr. Harper will be the only HMG representative at the meeting; the Department for International Development (DfID) does not plan to participate. However, DfID representatives Stewart Tyson, Head of Profession for Health, and Delna Ghandi plan to attend the STOPTB Board meeting in Berlin on October 23-24. Bio of Dr. Harper provided by DH at para 2. ¶2. (U) Begin HMG-provided bio of Dr. David Harper. Dr David Harper has been the Chief Scientist and Head of Profession for scientists in the Department of Health since 1996. He was appointed to his current post as Director General for Health Protection, International Health and Scientific Development in autumn 2003. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Biology and a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health of the Royal College of Physicians. He was awarded the CBE in 2002. David's disciplines are microbiology and biochemistry. He worked as Head of the Microbiology Unit at the Metropolitan Police Forensic Science Laboratory before joining the Department of Health in 1989 to lead the team working on dangerous pathogens and biotechnology. He has held a variety of science policy posts in areas such as food safety, environmental microbiology, toxicology and radiation. His present role is to protect the population of England against risks to health (including those from infectious diseases, chemicals, radiation and terrorist activity),to advance the international health agenda, and to develop areas of cutting-edge scientific development in order to optimize the benefits to human health. End bio of Dr. David Harper. Visit London's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/london/index. cfm Tuttle