At CHRF, we firmly believe in the power of global collaborations to advance public health and save lives. For three decades, Prof. Gary Darmstadt from Stanford University School of Medicine has been a steadfast partner in this mission. His enduring friendship with our Executive Director, Prof. Dr. Samir Saha, began in the 1990s and has been instrumental in driving our shared vision forward.

Fast forward to June 2024, Prof. Darmstadt visited us to launch a groundbreaking study to predict developmental delays among Bangladesh children using Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology. During his visit, he toured our headquarters, hospital labs in Dhaka and Chittagong, and our demographic surveillance site in Mirzapur.

During his visit at CHRF, Prof. Darmstadt shared his stories of global collaborations with our multidisciplinary team. His work on optimized emollient therapy to enhance skin barrier function and reduce mortality risk factors was initially inspired by rural mothers in Bangladesh applying sunflower seed oil to newborns' skin. He is now focused on making this therapy affordable and widely accessible to improve global health. He also discussed his innovative use of developing biomarkers and predictive models using artificial intelligence to advance child and maternal health, focusing on low-cost tools for early detection of pre-term birth and eclampsia.

Beyond his scientific contributions, Prof. Darmstadt shared what drives him to be an active advocate for gender equality and how to navigate the balance between personal and professional life as a scientist. The discussion was moderated by our Deputy Executive Director, Dr. Senjuti Saha, who expressed her gratitude to Prof. Darmstadt for his mentorship and for writing her first recommendation letter, which helped her secure a research position in the lab where she would eventually complete her PhD.

The CHRF family is profoundly grateful to Prof. Darmstadt for his unwavering support and dedication over the past three decades. This year, Prof. Saha and Prof. Darmstadt celebrated 30 years of friendship by recreating a cherished photo from 1998, where Prof. Darmstadt gifted Prof. Saha a tie, which has been a treasured memento. In a heartfelt gesture, Prof. Saha reciprocated by gifting a similar tie to Prof. Darmstadt. Thank you, Prof. Darmstadt, for your friendship and partnership. Your commitment to being united in discovery from the global North to the global South has been instrumental in our mission to prevent infections and save lives.