Professor Jean B. Nachega is a leading researcher in HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, with a strong focus on infectious diseases and global health in Africa. He became widely recognised during the COVID-19 pandemic for his work at the University of Cape Town, contributing to multi-country analyses of the pandemic and its interaction with other endemic infections.
His long-standing engagement with EDCTP includes an EDCTP Senior Fellowship awarded in 2010, which supported research on the prevention of TB-IRIS, a serious complication of antiretroviral therapy in patients co-infected with tuberculosis. This work contributed to improved understanding of immune responses during treatment and informed better clinical management approaches.
Beyond his fellowship, Professor Nachega has played a key role in strengthening research capacity across Africa through major collaborative initiatives. He is currently focusing on mpox research, continuing his commitment to addressing emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases across the continent.
EDCTP-supported global health leaders
Professor Abdoulaye Djimdé is one of Africa’s leading experts on malaria genomics and antimalarial drug resistance.
Professor Alexander Debrah is a leading researcher in neglected tropical diseases in Ghana and across West Africa.
Professor Blandina Mmbaga is Director of the Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute (KCRI) in Tanzania and a leading figure in clinical research and capacity development in East Africa.
Dr Christian Happi is a molecular biologist and genomic scientist internationally recognised for his work on infectious disease surveillance.
Dr Cissy Kityo is a physician and HIV researcher who played a pioneering role in introducing and scaling up antiretroviral therapy in Uganda.
Professor Collen Masimirembwa is one of Africa’s leading experts in pharmacogenomics and precision medicine.
Dr Delese Mimi Darko is a leading figure in medicines regulation in Africa.
Prof. Eleni Aklillu is Professor of Global Health Pharmacology at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and a leading expert in pharmacovigilance, clinical pharmacology and regulatory science.
Professor Francine Ntoumi is Executive Director of the Fondation Congolaise pour la Recherche Médicale and a leading figure in infectious disease research and capacity strengthening in Central Africa.
Professor Jean B. Nachega is a leading researcher in HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, with a strong focus on infectious diseases and global health in Africa.
Dr Joseph Fokam is a virologist and senior health scientist, serving as Chief of Service at the Virology Laboratory of the CIRCB in Cameroon.
Professor Keertan Dheda is a globally recognised researcher in tuberculosis (TB).
Professor Margaret Gyapong is a leading public health researcher and a strong advocate for equity in health research.
Professor Marieke van der Zalm is a paediatric clinical researcher and one of the world’s leading experts on the long-term impact of tuberculosis (TB) on children’s lung health.
Dr Nicaise Ndembi is a renowned virologist and global health leader working at the intersection of science and policy.
Professor Pauline Byakika is a physician and infectious disease specialist whose research focuses on malaria treatment and the interactions between antimalarial and antiretroviral medicines.
Professor Peter Olupot-Olupot is one of Uganda’s leading clinical and infectious disease epidemiologists.
Professor Salim Abdool Karim is one of Africa’s most prominent infectious disease epidemiologists.
Dr Stellah Mpagama is a leading tuberculosis (TB) researcher whose work focuses on improving TB treatment and understanding how other conditions, such as diabetes, affect TB outcomes.
Professor Tulio de Oliveira is a bioinformatician and global leader in genomic surveillance of infectious diseases.