The Fellows

The 2024 Fellows

Cristian Alvarez

Cristian Alvarez (Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile & Complejo Hospitalario de Miraflores, Bolivia), a veterinary parasitologist, will be investigating parasitic diseases in Bolivia where rural communities face significant challenges with neglected diseases such as cystic echinococcosis and taeniasis/cysticercosis. These diseases are prevalent in areas where humans and livestock closely interact, and sanitation infrastructure is inadequate. The conditions lead to severe health issues, including organ cysts and neurological symptoms.

Working closely with medical colleagues in Bolivia, Cristian’s project aims to understand the spread and impact of these diseases in human and animal populations. By collecting data on disease prevalence and conducting interviews within communities, he will evaluate awareness and risk-related behaviours. Cristian says his findings “will guide the development of targeted prevention and control strategies, aiming to enhance health outcomes for Bolivia’s most vulnerable populations. By employing a One Health approach, my project integrates human, animal, and environmental health considerations, ensuring that the solutions are comprehensive and sustainable”.

Cusi Ferradas

Cusi Ferradas (University of California, Davis USA & Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Peru) will be exploring the role of dogs and rodents as potential sentinels of human rickettsial diseases in ecotones of Madre de Dios in her home country of Peru. Pathogenic rickettsiae, transmitted by ectoparasites, cause febrile illnesses with non-specific symptoms, associated with high morbidity and mortality in Latin America. Diagnosis in humans is challenging, but dogs and rodents, which often have more ectoparasites and higher levels of rickettsiae in their blood, may offer higher potential for detection.

Cusi, a fourth year doctoral student, says “My goal is to validate a strong surveillance method which can be used by others as a foundation for implementing more accessible and effective surveillance systems for rickettsial diseases among humans. My secondary objective is to raise awareness among the public and healthcare providers about rickettsial diseases, which will correlate with better health outcomes in the population”.

Mathew Kung’u

Mathew Kung’u (Kenya Zoonotic Disease Unit, Nairobi & Freie University, Berlin). Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an important disease of humans, livestock, and wildlife in Kenya. The disease is transmitted to livestock through mosquito bites, while humans are primarily infected through contact with sick livestock. The disease causes significant socio-economic losses in Sub-Saharan Africa and is linked to high rates of illness in both humans and livestock during outbreak periods. RVF outbreaks in East Africa occur in cycles of five to ten years, but information on how the disease is transmitted and maintained in the period between outbreaks is limited.

Mathew, a veterinary epidemiologist studying for a PhD, says “My project aims to generate data that will support a better understanding of RVF transmission dynamics in Kenya by conducting surveillance in humans, animals, and mosquito vectors in different regions of the country. Better predictive models will contribute to more effective disease preparedness and response strategies”.

Justice Odoi

Justice Odoi (Animal Research Institute, Accra, Ghana & Research Unit of Food Safety and AMR, Bangkok, Thailand) will investigate genomic insights in Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and virulence factors in E. coli and Salmonella from Nile Tilapia in Thailand. By conducting genomic analysis, he aims to shed light on potential risks to public health and aquaculture sustainability. As part of his project, he will also consider the implications for aquaculture and the environment to inform policy makers, guide antibiotic use in aquaculture, and promote responsible practices.

Justice, a veterinarian from Ghana, says “With the rapid growth of aquaculture and the increasing use of antimicrobials, understanding AMR in aquatic settings is crucial. By addressing this issue, I aim to contribute to global efforts in safeguarding public health and promoting sustainable food production. Further, this Fellowship is a transformative opportunity to amplify my impact as a One Health leader”.

Chrishma Perera

Chrishma Perera (Virginia Polytechnic, USA; Universidad Peruana Cayetano Herendia, Peru & Indigenous Peoples Observatory Network) will explore pathways to enhancing indigenous participation to build climate resilient health systems. She will be conducting field work with indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon. Her project aims to understand health risks (e.g., spread of diseases and the health of biodiversity) and responses given by Peruvian indigenous communities. She will also conduct a participatory workshop in Peru which will bring together stakeholders (e.g. healthcare workers and policymakers) associated with health systems.

With a degree in Environmental Sciences, and a Masters in Environment Management earned in her native Sri Lanka, Chrishma says she believes “that human health is not only determined by biomedical or epidemiological conditions but also includes linkages between human and other species’ health. By visiting Peruvian Amazon indigenous peoples, I plan to identify and promote how the connections with mother nature help them to be resilient in facing climate-associated health challenges”.

Fabian Reitzug

Fabian Reitzug (University of Oxford, Stanford University, & Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda) will build upon an existing collaborative study between the Uganda Ministry of Health and the University of Oxford to study the role of human-environment interactions in shaping the spread of water-borne parasites (schistosomes) in marginalised rural fishing villages on Lake Victoria and Lake Albert. Specifically, he will investigate the impacts of flooding and fishing regulations on human water contact behaviour, infection risk, and biodiversity.
Fabian, who has a background in epidemiology and social science and is finishing his doctoral studies this year, says his aims are “to understand the impact of extreme weather events on parasite transmission and to find novel approaches which could balance the health of people and ecosystems in the area. The Soulsby Fellowship will be critical for my journey to becoming a One Health leader, conducting research at the intersection of climate and health”.

Marc Yambayamba

Marc Yambayamba (University of Zurich & National Institute of Biomedical Research, Kinshasa, Congo). In recent years, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has faced outbreaks of infectious diseases like Ebola and Mpox (formerly Monkeypox). To tackle these, the country established a One Health platform in 2011, implementing a number of activities.

Marc, a medical graduate from Kinshasa University and now pursuing a PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, aims to use a framework which combines socio-ecological data with insights from stakeholder interviews. He will focus on six dimensions: Reflection, Planning, Working, Learning, Sharing, and Systematic Organisation. Through stakeholder workshops and interviews, he will develop socio-ecological maps to understand disease prevention.

“Through this project, I expect to better understand the level of implementation at national and subnational levels and to identify how different disciplines interact for disease prevention” says Marc. “The Fellowship will undoubtedly enhance my capacity to address complex health challenges from a One Health perspective”

The 2022 Fellows

Aliyu Ahmed

Aliyu Ahmed (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine) will be studying the increased human interaction with wild and domestic animals in the Gambia to better understand disease transmission. He will focus on rural communities and land use change, and will assess both known zoonotic diseases and emerging diseases.

Vet, Aliyu says he hopes ‘to promote sustainable agricultural practices that reduce zoonotic disease risks, preserve biodiversity, and contribute to food security’.

Gemma Bowsher

Gemma Bowsher (King’s College London) plans to build on existing collaborations with Brazilian researchers across One Health disciplines. She will explore the Pantanal Wetland System in Brazil, and as a doctor will use her inter-disciplinary background to investigate ways to assess the risks of new and emerging diseases in human and animal populations in the region.

Gemma plans to collaborate with local experts in ecology, veterinary and human medicine, social sciences and public policy ‘to explore how integrating diverse biological and social science approaches can improve early warnings for infectious disease emergence within the Pantanal ecosystem’.

Joannishka Dsani

Joannishka Dsani (University of Bonn) is a vet with a background in organisational development. Zoonoses are estimated to cause millions of deaths every year. She will explore current surveillance systems for zoonotic disease in her native Ghana and their potential for intersectoral collaboration.

Her aim is to ‘contribute to the much-needed knowledge on “how” One Health can be practically operationalized in zoonotic disease surveillance systems’.

Ben Ndayambaje

Ben Ndayambaje (University of Nebraska) will investigate the links between childhood stunting, livestock disease and water quality in Rwanda. Stunting, a multifactorial form of malnutrition, prevents children from reaching their physical and cognitive potential. Despite Rwanda’s progress in achieving most development goals, stunting levels remain high at 38 per cent.

Vet, Ben says, ‘New research approaches are therefore needed to explore interconnected factors associated with child stunting and zoonotic pathogen exposure. By enhancing understanding of this complex interplay, I aim to develop innovative interventions to manage malnutrition globally’.

Khadija Omar

Khadija Omar (University of Glasgow) will explore the public health threats of campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis transmitted to people through poultry in Tanzania. These important bacterial diseases cause gastroenteritis in people, but treatment can be challenging due to antimicrobial resistance. Data on the occurrence of resistance in bacteria in the poultry food chain are urgently needed in countries such as Tanzania due to the risks from these resistant bacteria.

Vet, Khadija’s study will assess the occurrence of resistant bacteria in Tanzanian poultry at slaughter, and, she says, ‘the evidence gathered will support interventions aimed at addressing practices associated with poultry production that could endanger people’s health’