Mrs Sara Donovan

Sara Donovan works in tropical disease biology and is currently seconded to The University of Liverpool and The Pandemic Institute as an Operations Manager.

The Pandemic Institute is a medical, academic and civic partnership between The University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), Liverpool University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool City Council, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Knowledge Quarter Liverpool. Its aim is to help the world prevent, prepare, and respond more effectively to emerging infections and future pandemic threats. Sara was chosen for the secondment in 2021 following the launch of the partnership.

Sara previously worked as the Operations Manager on the Ascend West and Central Africa programme, which was a multi-million-pound grant funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office UK aid and managed by four leading development organisations: LSTM, Sightsavers International, The Schistosomiasis Control Initiative Foundation, and Mott MacDonald. Ascend West and Central Africa was a 3-year consortium programme working towards eliminating five neglected tropical diseases in 13 of the world’s poorest countries.

Sara has been employed by LSTM since 2005 originally within the Disease Control Strategy Group supporting the Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination programme and has 20 years of experience in high level support and management on large grants from funders such as UK Aid, Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office, GlaxoSmithKline and Gates foundation in partnership with government and non-governmental bodies across UK, Asia and Africa.