UCL Biosciences student wins prestigious award for her Philippines healthcare project

UCL Biosciences student Lia Bote is one of three UCL students (and 20 students worldwide) to win a prestigious award in this year’s global Schmidt Futures competition.

12 March 2021

The Schmidt Futures Reimagine Challenge 2020 recognises students who have developed innovative ways to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges, including those posed by COVID-19. The winners were chosen from hundreds of submissions worldwide, across 40 different countries and 86 nationalities.

Lia, who comes from the Philippines, was in the second year of her Biological Sciences degree when she won the award.

She suggested creating a two-part project to improve primary care access in her home country using telehealth services. Her idea included a website for physicians and volunteer researchers to list their services, and a phone hotline. Both are designed to connect patients with the healthcare system without the need for online mobile applications.

Lia said: “Primary care acts as a patient’s first point of contact to the healthcare system. It is essential for a robust and effective COVID-19 response. However, in the Philippines where I’m from, and in many low and middle-income countries, it is routinely neglected and overlooked, especially during the pandemic.”

Lia received support from UCL Innovation & Enterprise, who help students realise and develop their entrepreneurial ideas and apply for competitions such as the Reimagine Challenge.

Lia will receive more than £18,000 as a tuition scholarship, with additional prizes donated to UCL as a result of her work.

Other links
Global Schmidt Futures competition
UCL Biosciences
UCL Innovation & Enterprise