Linquan Ma

PhD title: Tropical Disease Experts in Communist China, 1949-66.

My research looks at the interaction between the Chinese government and medical experts in light of tropical disease threats in the post-1949 period. This project focuses on infectious disease specialists working in educational and research institutions, using private collections and hitherto unresearched oral histories to explore the actions they have taken as well as the response of the government. This project seeks to contribute a new perspective to the current scholarship about the history of public health in China and also to provide a comprehensive survey to the establishment of expertise and knowledge about tropical diseases in the PRC context.

1st Supervisor: Dr. Caitjan Gainty

2nd Supervisor: Prof. Guoqi Xu (University of Hong Kong)

Bio:

Before joining King’s, I completed my BA at the University of Essex and graduated from the MPhil in World History programme at the University of Cambridge. My MPhil dissertation explored the subtle connections between the Chinese diaspora and their home country, providing inspiration and context for my current research focusing on medical experts. I am particularly interested in exploring the interaction of people, groups, and institutions with governments and politics from the perspective of the history of science, technology, and medicine.

Awards:

KCL Joint PhD Scholarship