Landis to be installed as UWI’s sixth principal

Professor Robert Clive Landis is to be formally welcomed into his role as Pro-Vice-Chancellor and the sixth principal of the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill Campus at an Induction Ceremony on Saturday.

The immunologist currently at the centre of the UWI’s work in the fight against the coronavirus succeeds Professor the Most Honourable V. Eudine Barriteau who retired in July.

According to a statement on his new appointment, Professor Landis said:  “I have an optimistic vision for the Cave Hill Campus to be an outward-looking academy, that through innovation partnerships will create value for society while diversifying income streams.”

A professor of cardiovascular research who has lectured at Imperial College London, Professor Landis holds a PhD in immunology and has published over 100 peer-reviewed publications. Among his areas of research are the immune system and viruses, including established viruses like HIV and emerging viruses like COVID-19 and Zika.

His most recent research paper, Coronavirus and CARICOM: The Benefit of a Regional University in a Coherent Pandemic Response, examines the linkages between CARICOM and UWI on combatting the pandemic with “UWI providing pandemic modelling and surveillance data”.

A former Director of the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre, he is the current Chair of the university’s COVID-19 Task Force and has chaired its task force on the mosquito-borne Zika virus. He has also served as Honorary Director of the Barbados Government’s HIV laboratory.

The UWI said Professor Landis is to be joined in his induction by a few relatives, senior officials and other members of the university community, as well as regional public and private sector representatives.

The ceremony is to be held under the theme Journey to Economic Health through Innovation and Community Engagement.

Joining UWI Cave Hill in 2004, he previously served as Deputy Principal and Pro Vice-Chancellor, Board for Undergraduate Studies. (BT/PR)