Health Security and Cooperation: A Multilateral Perspective

This event will bring together researchers to explore how multilateral cooperation strengthens health security in an increasingly interconnected world. Discussions will examine lessons from recent global health crises, the role of international institutions, and strategies to enhance collaboration across borders to prevent, detect, and respond to emerging health threats. Particular attention will be given to perspectives from the Global South, highlighting how developing countries are shaping innovative responses through community health systems, regional surveillance networks, and South–South cooperation.

By attending, our audience will:

• Gain insights into how multilateral cooperation shapes global health security and pandemic preparedness.
• Understand the role and influence of philanthropic and private actors in global health governance.
• Explore innovative health strategies and collaboration emerging from the Global South.
• Learn about the South Atlantic as a growing space for cross-regional health cooperation.
• Connect with researchers and practitioners working on global health, governance, and international collaboration.

• Dr Maísa Edwards - Lecturer in Foreign Policy and Grand Strategy Education, Department of War Studies at King’s College London.
• Dr Maíra Fedatto - Global Health Consultant and Researcher | Joint PhD in International Relations from King’s College London and the University of São Paulo.
• Dewi Delf - PhD Candidate in Global Health and Social Medicine at King’s College London.
• Luiza Witzel Farias - Joint International Relations PhD Candidate at the University of São Paulo and at the Brazil Institute/King’s College London.
• Mariana Cabral Campos - Joint International Relations PhD Candidate at the University of São Paulo and at the Brazil Institute/King’s College London.
• Cristiane Pereira - Joint International Relations PhD Candidate at the University of São Paulo and at the Brazil Institute/King’s College London.

Dr Maísa Edwards holds a Joint PhD in International Relations from King’s College London and the University of São Paulo, an MSc in Global Perspectives from King’s College London, and a BA (Hons) in French and Spanish from University College London. She is currently a Lecturer in Foreign Policy and Grand Strategy Education in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London. Previously, she worked as a Senior Policy Researcher at the think tank ResPublica and at the Lifelong Education Institute, where she contributed to research and projects on education policy. Dr Edwards’ research sits at the intersection of foreign policy decision-making, diplomacy, cross-regionalism, and maritime security, with a particular focus on South America–Africa relations and the strategic politics of the South Atlantic. Her doctoral work examined Brazil’s engagement with the Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic (ZOPACAS), analysing how this maritime zone shapes regional security governance and informs debates on South–South cooperation.

Dr Maíra Fedatto holds a Joint PhD in International Relations from King’s College London and the University of São Paulo. She is a Global Health and International Development professional, with over a decade of experience working across research, advocacy, and implementation. Dr Fedatto has held leadership roles at the intersection of health systems strengthening children’s surgery, international development, and SDG-aligned advocacy. From leading field research in Latin America and overseeing multi-country data programmes in sub-Saharan Africa, to delivering evidence-based advocacy at the UK Parliament, Dr Fedatto bring deep, practical experience translating complex data into impactful action. She has worked directly with ministries of health, global NGOs, private sector partners, and multilateral agencies, navigating diverse sociopolitical realities to shape health policies and funding strategies.

Dewi Delf is a PhD Candidate in Global Health and Social Medicine from King’s College London. Her expertises encompasses global health security studies and international law. Her research focuses on access to vaccines during pandemics, particularly vaccine nationalism and equity in global health governance. She is currently a research assistant on a Wellcome Discovery Award project based at the Dickson Poon School of Law, entitled "Between Deception and Dissent". She holds a Bachelor’s Law degree from the University of Nantes (FR) and received an LLM in Public International Law from the University of Leiden (NL).

Luiza Witzel Farias is a Joint International Relations PhD Candidate at the University of São Paulo and at the Brazil Institute/King’s College London. She was also a visiting researcher at the Ibero-American Institute (IAI/Berlin). Luiza’s PhD research on philanthrocapitalism and community responses to health emergencies in the Global South is funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP/São Paulo). She is also a researcher at the Centre for Research and Practice in International Law (NPPDI-UFSM) and at the Centre for Studies and Research on Sanitary Law (CEPEDISA-USP). She holds a bachelor's and a master’s degree in International Relations from the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM). Previously, she studied topics related to South-South cooperation, international health cooperation and decolonial approaches to international law.

Mariana Cabral Campos is a PhD Candidate at the University of São Paulo's Institute of International Relations (IRI/USP) and at King's College London Brazil Institute, with funding from the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). She has a MA degree in International Relations from the San Tiago Dantas Postgraduate Programme (UNESP, UNICAMP, PUC-SP), a project partially funded by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), and a BA degree in International Relations from the Fluminense Federal University's Institute of Strategic Studies (Inest/UFF). Mariana is an associate researcher at the Centre for Research in Health Law (CEPEDISA/USP) and the IRP ALCOM group (USP/Paris 1-Sorbonne/Unifesp/Unisinos), as well as the Working Group on Pandemic Agreements and the IHR (Fiocruz/USP). Her areas of interest are: Global Health Governance; Critical Studies in Global Health; Emotions and International Relations; Death and Mourning Studies; Memory Studies; Iconographic and Ethnographic Methodologies.

Cristiane Pereira is a researcher in International Relations with a focus on health foreign policy. Since her undergraduate studies, she has conducted research on inequalities in access to health services during public health emergencies, including the Zika epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic. She is currently undertaking doctoral research examining the effects of public participation institutions on Brazilian foreign policy towards the pharmaceutical industry. Her research interests include development dynamics in the Global South, organised interests, public participation, historical institutionalism, Latin American dependency theory (including core–periphery relations), and global health. Her professional experience also includes work as a research consultant on projects developed for NGOs and International Organisations, such as PAHO, Oxfam, and Conectas Human Rights.

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Host or Publisher School of Security Studies