Meet the MESA Correspondents that will cover the 8th PAMCA Annual Conference and Exhibition
The MESA Correspondents are volunteers who report on the latest malaria research from conferences worldwide. The synopses are shared online, enabling people who could not attend the meeting to read about the research discussed. The MESA Correspondents program is a collaboration between MESA and the conference organizers.
Lambert Nzungize, Eggrey Aisha Kambewa, Oyinkansola Fadiji and Jean Claude Ngirimana will cover in person the sessions at the 8th PAMCA Annual Conference & Exhibition, which will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, from 26 – 28 September 2022. Summaries will be cross-posted online on the MESA Correspondents page and MalariaWorld website.
Lambert Nzungize PhD, founder of Synbio Rwanda and Researcher at Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), Cameroon, working on a project that aims to identify molecular markers for metabolic resistance to insecticides in malaria vectors funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. His research interests are RNA biology in infectious diseases using NGS data to tackle resistance genes, markers and therapeutic candidate genes. Being a MESA Correspondent will be a fantastic opportunity to gain knowledge and research trends in malaria.
Eggrey Aisha Kambewa is a research assistant under the Shire Valley vector control project at Malawi Liverpool Wellcome trust (MLW). Eggrey is interested in vector biology, behavior and ecology in relation to the development and testing of novel malaria vector tools. Being a MESA correspondent will provide an opportunity to network with prominent vector scientists and will strengthen my communication skills.
Oyinkansola Suliat Fadiji PhD started off in microbiology and currently works at the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Ogun State in Nigeria. As a parasitologist, she has worked on mosquito surveillance and insecticide resistance testing where her responsibilities included facilitating community entry which relies extensively on communication skills. Working with MESA will help hone my skills in the simplification of science thereby promoting interest and understanding beyond the scientific community.
Jean Claude Ngirimana is a last-year student at the Biomedical Laboratory, University of Rwanda (UR). He has the knowledge and experience with malaria diagnosis as his career is lab scientist and he had the opportunity to practice for 10 months in the Gihundwe Hospital, a military referral hospital, and at the National Center of Blood Transfusion. Participating in the 8th PAMCA Conference is an opportunity to increase my educational background and extensive experience in malaria advanced future molecular diagnostic approaches and elimination strategies and encourage me to prepare for my future research.
The MESA Alliance would like to acknowledge also the support from past correspondents who are attending the PAMCA Conference and Exhibition and other volunteers.
Nkahe Diane Leslie is a PhD student at the University of Yaoundé I (Cameroon). She has a master’s degree in parasitology and ecology, and she is currently conducting her thesis works at the OCEAC/Cameroon malaria research laboratory. Her field of interest is the fitness cost of pyrethroid resistance on malaria vectors and the role of larviciding in the management of insecticide resistance. It was a pleasure for me to work as a MESA correspondent at the 8th PAMCA conference, as this commitment contributes to sharing knowledge and keeping abreast of the latest developments in the fight against vectors-borne diseases.
Mauro Pazmino Betancourth is a PhD student at University of Glasgow with a research focus on quantum cascade lasers and their application in spectroscopy for mosquito surveillance. PAMCA annual conference is one of the most important events related to vector-borne diseases and it is a great opportunity to communicate research to a wider audience. I believe it is my duty to serve the community by strengthening my public engagement skills, and I look forward to doing so as a MESA correspondent volunteer.
Patricia Doumbe Belisse is a trainee serving as a research assistant at OCEAC, a research Institute of the Central African Region based in Yaoundé, Cameroon. She will defend her PhD dissertation at University of Yaoundé I in the next couple of months and she is very much looking forward to furthering her career as a medical entomologist. She is also looking for opportunities to build her capacity in mosquito and parasite genomics and malaria drug resistance. Being a MESA correspondent at Keystone Symposia is a great opportunity to learn about the latest research on malaria drug resistance and discovery.
Nathalie Amvongo-Adjia is a Cameroonian. Nathalie read Animal Biology and Physiology in the University of Yaoundé 1, and specialized in Parasitology during her postgraduate studies. Ms Amvongo has over 10 years working experience in vector-borne disease epidemiology and control. Her current research focuses on the bionomics and molecular basis of insecticide resistance genes in malaria vectors from wetlands across the volcanic chain of Cameroon. Professionally, Ms Amvongo is a research officer at the Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plant Studies (IMPM), and a post-doctoral research assistant at the Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID-Cameroon) wherein she is mentored on the importance of applying novel genomic techniques to tackle insecticide resistance in Anopheles vectors. It was an honor to be invited to report for MESA during PAMCA 2019, BioMalPar 2020, ASTMH 2020 conferences and PAMCA 2022.
Otubea Owusu Akrofi is a Medical Entomologist with the National Malaria Control Programme, Ghana. She leads the vector control unit that implements vector control interventions such as the distribution of long-lasting insecticidal net (LLINs), indoor residual spraying (IRS), larviciding and entomological surveillance across the country. Her interest is in vector control, vector behaviour and insecticide resistance. It was a privilege for me to work as a MESA correspondent at PAMCA. This unearthed a knack in me that I almost forgot I had.
Caroline Kiuru (Barcelona Insitute for Global health РSpain and Centro de Investiga̤̣o em Sa̼de de Manhi̤a РMozambique) is an Entomologist currently undertaking post-doctoral training in the BOHEMIA project, a clinical trial evaluating the use of ivermectin for malaria control. Her research interests are in new vector control tools. Through the MESA reports I had the opportunity to be involved in the dissemination of the current research findings in vector-borne diseases presented at the PAMCA annual conference.
This program would not be possible without the editorial support from Jessy Goupeyou-Youmsi (WIVC Regional Coordinator for West Africa) and Idelphonse Bonaventure Ahogni (Centre for Research in Entomology of Cotonou – CREC, Ministry of Health, Benin).
