Bridging the gap between public health, academia and policy

Abstract

The use of advanced analytics in public health policy remains hindered by a disconnect between researchers, policymakers and technical experts. Bridging this gap requires intentional knowledge translation strategies that facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and real-world application of research findings. Hackathons, which bring together diverse stakeholders in a time-bound, solution-oriented format, offer an approach to address this challenge. In January 2025, the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis and the Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis at the University of Nairobi organised the Bridging the Gap Hackathon, designed to strengthen collaboration between academia, policy and public health practitioners in Kenya. The hackathon convened researchers, software engineers and policymakers to co-develop data-driven tools to tackle public health challenges identified by Kenya’s Ministry of Health and the Directorate of Veterinary Services. Over five days and using a structured multi-stage process, six interdisciplinary teams developed prototype solutions to improve outbreak surveillance, vaccine deployment, data quality monitoring and health workforce estimation. This paper reflects on the hackathon’s structure, participant experiences and project outcomes, highlighting key lessons for future knowledge translation initiatives. Our findings suggest that hackathons can serve as effective platforms for accelerating interdisciplinary research impact, fostering engagement between policymakers and researchers and promoting the development of solutions to public health issues.