Vector-borne diseases, including malaria and a range of neglected tropical diseases, continue to cause substantial illness, disability and death worldwide. Effective vector control is an essential component of efforts to prevent and control these diseases and, where feasible, interrupt transmission and achieve elimination.
WHO is establishing a Guideline Development Group (GDG) to support the development and updating of its recommendations on vector control, within an integrated guideline. The GDG will consider evidence relating to vector control interventions across malaria and other vector-borne diseases and advise WHO in developing recommendations that are evidence-informed, transparent and responsive to the needs of affected populations and disease-control programmes.
Following a open call for experts and a structured review and selection process, WHO has identified a proposed group of experts with relevant knowledge and experience across a range of disciplines. These include vector biology and control, epidemiology, public health, disease-control programme implementation, evidence assessment, economics, environmental considerations, ethics, social and behavioural sciences, and the perspectives of communities, end users and those with lived experience. The proposed composition also seeks to ensure appropriate representation across geographical regions, genders and disease areas.
The names and brief biographies of the individuals being considered for membership of the GDG are provided for public notice and comment [here/at the link below].
Comments and information brought to the attention of WHO through this process are an integral component of WHO’s assessment of declarations and potential conflicts of interest. This process is intended to strengthen transparency and public trust in WHO meetings involving the provision of technical and normative advice.
WHO invites comments concerning any circumstances that may affect an individual’s suitability to participate in the GDG, including any potential conflicts of interest relevant to the work of the group. Submissions should be factual and should provide sufficient information to allow WHO to assess the matter raised.
Comments received will be carefully reviewed, treated confidentially and retained on record. They will not be published. WHO reserves the right to discuss information received through this process with the relevant proposed member, without attribution to the person or organization providing the information. Following its review and assessment, WHO may, at its sole discretion, take appropriate action in accordance with its applicable policies and procedures.
Publication of an individual’s name as a proposed member does not confirm their appointment to the GDG. Furthermore, participation in a WHO meeting does not imply that the individual is endorsed or recommended by WHO, nor does it create a binding relationship between the individual and the Organization.
For comments and inquiries
Comments should be submitted by email to carringtonl@who.int, with the subject line: “Comments on the proposed membership of the Vector Control Guideline Development Group.”
Please include the name, affiliation or nature of the submitting individual or organization, and relevant contact details. Receipt of comments will be acknowledged through a standard email notification to the sender.
The deadline for submitting public comments is 11 August 2026, 17:00 CEST (UTC+2).
Proposed members
Aniyom Gift
Doctor Aniyom Gift, CEO/Founder Gift Aniyom Foundation (GAF), Abuja, Nigeria
Biography
Gift Aniyom is a public health researcher and lead investigator at the Department of Public Health, University of Calabar, and the Founder/CEO of the Gift Aniyom Foundation. My research bridges the gap between localized evidence and global health security policy, focusing on architecting resilient health facilities, institutional waste management, microbiological water safety and WASH. Over the past five years, i have has held several influential positions in global health leadership: Principal Technical Officer at Africa CDC (2023–2025): Coordinated continental immunization and health security strategies for all 55 AU Member States. WHO Technical Expert: Served as WHO External Review Group for the Global Consultation on the Emergency Ready Primary Health Care framework, shaping frontline pandemic defense guidelines. Global Yellow Fever Expert Consultation Group: Member contributing to the development of global yellow fever surveillance standards. Regional Consultation on Root Cause Analysis for VPDs: Expert contributor to regional strategies for addressing the underlying drivers of vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks. I remain an active contributor to global scientific discourse and funding oversight: Reviewer: For the Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, Observer for the Wellcome Fund, WHO GOARN Expert/Epidemiologist: Led surveillance /RCCE for yellow fever outbreak. My educational background is anchored by a PhD in Public Health.
Enayati Ahmadali
Professor Enayati Ahmadali, University Professor, School of Public Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Iran Sari, Iran
Biography
Prof. Ahmadali Enayati, PhD, is Professor and Head of the Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Iran, and currently serves as Vice-Chancellor for Research and Technology. He received his BSc in Biology (1988) and MSc in Medical Entomology (1992) from credible Universities in Iran, and PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Insecticide Resistance in Malaria Vectors (2002) from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK. He also completed a fellowship in malaria control at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and the University of Liverpool during 2007-2011. Prof. Enayati has over 25 years of experience in medical entomology, vector surveillance and control, malaria, Aedes-borne diseases control, insecticide resistance, and public health policy. His secondary affiliations include membership of the WHO Malaria Guidelines Development Group (since 2020), WHO technical consultation groups on vector control and insecticide resistance, advisory roles to WHO/EMRO, membership of the Board of Medical Entomology and Vector Control of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran, and membership of the Independent National Malaria Elimination Advisory Committee. He has authored more than 200 scientific publications and over 15 books and technical guidelines and has led numerous national and international research, training, and policy initiatives in vector-borne disease control
Lin Zhu
Assistant Professor Lin Zhu Assistant Professor University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Miami, USA
Biography
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. I received my Bachelor of Medicine from Peking University in Beijing, China, followed by a Master of Science in Medicine with a focus on infectious disease epidemiology. I then pursued doctoral training in Epidemiology at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL focusing on malaria elimination. Following my doctoral studies, I completed a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in the Department of Global Health and Population at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where I was trained in social network analysis and decision modeling. I subsequently served as a Research Engineer and then Senior Research Engineer in the Department of Health Policy at Stanford University School of Medicine, where my work focused on decision science, policy analysis, and economic evaluation, including the development of a novel agent-based network model of hepatitis C transmission and control among people who inject drugs.
Wondji Charles Sinclair
Professor of Vector Biology and Genetics, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM, UK)/Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID, Cameroon) Liverpool, United Kingdom
Biography
I am a Professor of Vector Biology and Genetics at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (UK) and the Executive Director of the Center for Infectious Diseases Research (Cameroon). I obtained a PhD in Vector Genetics in Cameroon (2003), before moving to LSTM (UK) where I became a full Professor in 2018. For 25 years, my research has focused on understanding the biology, genetics of mosquitoes, vectors of tropical diseases such as Malaria, Lymphatic Filariasis and arboviral diseases such as dengue. I have received several Wellcome Trust Fellowships investigating mechanisms of pyrethroid resistance in malaria vectors in Africa and to improve vector control by developing new molecular diagnostic tools, understanding the evolution of resistance and its impacts on intervention measures. I have been awarded several research grants spanning basic research to implementation (Wellcome Trust, Gates foundation, NIH) and from Unitaid for implementation of spatial emanators for integrated vector control. I have trained a dozen masters and PhD students at LSTM and in Africa, while mentoring several research fellows (Wellcome Trust, FLAIR) Africa, consequently be awarded the Chalmers medal by RSTMH in 2021. I am a member of several international bodies e.g WHO GDG for Vector Control, the external scientific advisory committee (ESAC) of IVCC and of several other research consortiums. I sit on many international funding review committees and act as editor for several scientific journals.
Faccini-Martínez Álvaro A.
Doctor, Tropical medicine physician Hospital Militar Central / Universidad Militar Nueva Granada Bogotá, Colombia
Biography
Álvaro Adolfo Faccini Martínez, MD, MSc, PhD, DTMH, is a physician, infectious diseases researcher, and university lecturer with expertise in infectious diseases, tropical medicine, travel medicine, vector-borne diseases, zoonoses, and One Health. He earned his MD from Universidad Militar Nueva Granada (Colombia), an MSc in Biological Sciences (Infectious Diseases) from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Colombia), and a PhD in Infectious Diseases from Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Brazil). He also completed a postdoctoral fellowship as an International Visiting Researcher at the University of Texas Medical Branch (USA) and holds a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTMH). Currently, he serves as a Mission Medical Officer in the Infectious Diseases Service at Hospital Militar Central, Bogotá, and as an Adjunct Lecturer at Universidad Militar Nueva Granada. His secondary affiliations include Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Medicine of Colombia, Junior Researcher (Minciencias), and External Consultant to the Brazilian Ministry of Health for the National Surveillance System for Brazilian spotted fever and other rickettsioses. During the past five years, he has also held academic, clinical, and research positions at Servicios y Asesorias en Infectologia (Bogotá, 2022-2024), Fundacion Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud (Bogotá, 2022-2023), the University of Texas Medical Branch (USA, 2021-2022), and Universidad de Córdoba (Córdoba, 2020)..
Lim Jue Tao
Assistant Professor, Infectious Disease Modelling Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Biography
Lim Jue Tao is an Assistant Professor of Infectious Disease Modelling in the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine at Nanyang Technological University. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Economics from Singapore Management University, as well as a Masters in Statistics from the National University of SIngapore. He obtained his PhD in Public Health from the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of SIngapore in 2021, where his work was focused on modelling the transmission dynamics of vector-borne diseases. He holds joint/ positions as a Senior Research Scientist at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases and as an Investigator at the A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs, Singapore. His laboratory is focused on infectious disease forecasting, transmission and control. His laboratory is focused on developing novel frameworks to (1) assess interventions in complex, large-scale field trials to stave vector-borne diseases and (2) forecast and project disease burdens over short and long temporal scales. He uses these tools to provide forward guidance on the future epidemiology of diseases and to advise and design disease control implementation and policy.
Knox Tessa B.
Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow & Director of PacMOSSI Consortium, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University Cairns, Australia
Biography
Assoc Prof Tessa Knox has extensive experience in policy and strategy development, communications, research and capacity building, with expertise in vector surveillance and control, outbreak and disaster preparedness and response, and risk communications. She has worked across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas and the Pacific, as WHO staff and through academic, private sector and local government roles. Assoc Prof Knox completed a PhD in Tropical Public Health through the University of Queensland and the Vietnam National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology focused on optimising surveillance for Aedes vectors. She was then a Postdoctoral Scholar at the University of California at Davis and in 2023 completed a Master of Health Communication. Recent roles with WHO include: Technical Officer at Headquarters (2014–2018) responsible for developing the Global Vector Control Response and Malaria Threats Map; Vanuatu Malaria Advisor and Pacific Focal Point on Vector Control (2018–2023); and Consultant (2023–2025) with outputs including malaria guideline revisions and operational manuals on IRS and LSM. Assoc Prof Knox is currently Principal Research Fellow at James Cook University and Director of the PacMOSSI consortium (www.pacmossi.org), a partnership strengthening vector surveillance and control capacity across the Pacific. She is workstream co-lead for RBM VCWG and is affiliated with the JCU WHO-CC, GOARN and other groups. See https://portfolio.jcu.edu.au/researchers/tessa.knox
Albuquerque e Silva Rafaella
Technical Consultant in Entomological Surveillance and Vector Control Brazilian Ministry of Health Brasília, Brasil
Biography
Rafaella Albuquerque e Silva is a veterinarian and specialist in medical entomology, with over a decade of experience as a technical consultant at the Brazilian Ministry of Health, where she serves as the national technical officer for entomological surveillance and vector control of sand flies and triatomines. She holds a Master's in Veterinary Sciences (UECE) and a PhD in Tropical Medicine (UnB). She is a faculty member at FIOCRUZ's Postgraduate Program in Vector Surveillance and Control, coordinating courses in diagnosis, vector control, and integrated vector management, and supervises master's students in projects on these same areas. Her international experience includes technical advisory roles with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), providing support for entomological investigation and monitoring of sand flies in border areas of Bolivia, Peru, and Uruguay, and also in Suriname and Panama. She has contributed to the development of international manuals and guidelines, including the Operational Manual on Leishmanioses Vector Control, Surveillance and Monitoring and Evaluation (WHO, 2022), the Manual of Procedures for Surveillance and Control of Leishmaniasis in the Americas (PAHO, 2023), and the Provisional Guidelines for Entomological Surveillance and Prevention Measures for Oropouche Virus Vectors (PAHO, 2024). Recently, she has been involved in the development of the Integrated Vector Management Guide for the Brazilian Ministry of Health.
Vazquez Prokopec Gonzalo Martin
Professor in Environmental Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
Biography
Dr. Vazquez-Prokopec is the Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor in Environmental Sciences at Emory University. He has earned a MSc and PhD from the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina) in Applied Ecology. His primary research areas are Vector Ecology and Control, with particular emphasis on: a) identifying the determinants of the transmission and geographic spread of vector-borne diseases; b) understanding the ecological interactions driving pathogen transmission dynamics; and c) applying evidence-based approaches to improve public health policy and practice. He has contributed to major advances in vector surveillance and control, including the invention of the Prokopack aspirator, the development of targeted indoor residual spraying for Aedes vectors and, in his capacity as PAHO Collaborating Center Director, the development of a risk stratification framework for Ae. aegypti control in the Americas. Over his 20-year career, Dr. Vazquez-Prokopec has published over 160 peer-reviewed publications and has led diverse research projects on the eco-epidemiology of vector-borne and parasitic diseases, particularly dengue, chikungunya, Zika, Chagas’ disease, West Nile virus and urban malaria. His methodological expertise includes Phase II and III trials, longitudinal cohort studies, and advanced statistical and mathematical approaches. He currently serves as member of WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on dengue vaccination.
Devine Angela
Principal Research Fellow, Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Australia
Biography
Associate Professor Angela Devine (BSc, MSc, PhD) is a health economist dedicated to improving health outcomes for those impacted by infectious diseases. Her research program focuses on evaluating the cost-effectiveness of interventions for malaria control and treatment, alongside vector-borne diseases of global significance. With over 15 years of expertise in economic evaluation, Dr Devine has conducted policy-relevant research across diverse geographical contexts—spanning Asia, Africa, South America, Europe, and Australia. Her work bridges rigorous applied research with methodological innovation in health economics, generating 50 peer-reviewed publications and securing over $40 million in research funding as an investigator since 2020. Her contributions have been recognised through the Vice Chancellor's Excellence Award for Exceptional Performance in Research – Industry Engagement (Charles Darwin University, 2024). She recently served as a member of the WHO Guidelines Development Group, where she contributed to developing the first evidence-based recommendations for near-patient G6PD testing to support radical cure of Plasmodium vivax (2023–24). Dr Devine holds leadership roles within the International Health Economics Association (Student Paper Prize Committee), Women in Global Health Australia Committee, and the American Society for Tropical Medicine & Hygiene. She has dual academic positions at Menzies School of Health Research and The University of Melbourne.
Kimera Isaac
Project manager, Malaria Consortium, Kampala, Uganda
Biography
Isaac Kimera is a Ugandan public health specialist with over 14 years of experience in public health entomology, vector-borne disease control, epidemiology, operational research, health systems strengthening, and programme management. He serves as Project Manager for the SUPAAT Project at Malaria Consortium, providing technical leadership in disease surveillance, vector control, research, monitoring and evaluation, and stakeholder engagement. Previously, he served as Technical Officer (SUMRES) and Entomology Specialist (SURMa), where he led the establishment of Uganda's community-based routine malaria entomological surveillance system across the Acholi, Lango, and Karamoja sub-regions, later integrated into the national primary health care system. Isaac has contributed to the Uganda National Arboviral Diseases Strategic Plan (2025–2030), arboviral disease training curricula, NTD manuals, and the Malaria Entomological Surveillance Framework. He holds a Master of Public Health, a Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion, and a Diploma in Medical Entomology and Parasitology, and is pursuing an MBA. He also serves as Secretary General of the PAMCA Uganda Chapter.
Lluberas Manuel
Independent consultant Mosquito Den LLC Puerto Rico
Biography
I am a public health entomologist recognized globally for nearly four decades of expertise shaping all components of the business architecture of public and private IVM initiatives in four continents in Spanish and English. I have a master’s degree in medical and veterinary entomology. I provide technical assistance on vector population management to public and private stakeholders as owner of Mosquito Den LLC. I designed and implemented the malaria vector control framework of the PMI and assist in disaster preparedness workshops and post-event vector control operations, published extensively about mosquito control matters, drafted WHO’s Operational Manual for IRS, wrote two books on vector control, and delivered multiple keynote addresses in English and Spanish. My contributions have been recognized with the Global Trade Award from the Global Trade Chamber, the Meritorious Service Award of the American Mosqui-to Control Association, and as finalist for the Rear Admiral Charles S. Stevenson Award for excellence in US Navy Preventive Medicine.
Kutcher Simon Christopher
Consultant, Medellin, Colombia
Biography
Simon Kutcher is an experienced international development and public health leader with more than 20 years' experience delivering innovative vector control programs across Asia-Pacific and Latin America. He has led the implementation of novel mosquito-borne disease interventions, including Wolbachia and Mesocyclops programs, working closely with governments, researchers, donors and local communities to translate scientific innovation into practical, sustainable public health solutions. Simon combines strategic leadership with a collaborative, hands-on approach. He has extensive experience managing complex multi-country programs, building trusted partnerships, and leading multidisciplinary teams in diverse cultural and operational environments. His expertise spans program design and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, governance, stakeholder engagement, risk management and quality assurance, always with a focus on achieving lasting health outcomes. Passionate about improving the lives of communities affected by vector-borne diseases, Simon is committed to evidence-based decision-making, equity, gender equality, meaningful community participation and One Health principles. Having worked across 18 countries and programs funded by Wellcome Trust, DFAT, USAID, FCDO, the Gates Foundation and the Asian Development Bank, he brings both strategic insight and practical experience in delivering effective, scalable vector control programs.
Duru Ugochi Ngozi
Deputy Chief Laoboratory technologist, Federal University of Technology, Owerri,Ino State, Nigeria
Biography
I am Dr. Ugochi Ngozi Duru, MBBS, HND (Microbiology/Virology), AIMLS, PGD (Applied Microbiology), MSc (Medical Microbiology/Parasitology), a Nigerian Medical Doctor, Microbiologist, Parasitologist and Laboratory Scientist with over 20 years of experience in laboratory science, medical microbiology, parasitology, entomology, public health and biological sciences. I am a Deputy Chief Laboratory Technologist and Head of the Biology Laboratory at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, where I manage multidisciplinary teaching and research laboratories supporting microbiology, parasitology, entomology, zoology and botany. I also serve part-time as a Medical Officer following completion of my internship at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu. My professional interests include vector-borne diseases, particularly malaria, infectious diseases, environmental health, laboratory systems strengthening, and public health research and implementation. I have authored and co-authored peer-reviewed publications and a member of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSCN), the National Institute of Science Laboratory Technology (NISLT), Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT). I have completed professional training in environmental and social standards, which strengthens my expertise in integrating environmental, social and public health considerations into research and programme implementation.
Oyet William Sam
Research Associate Volunteer, Gulu University, Gulu City Northern Uganda
Biography
William Sam Oyet is a Public Health Entomologist and Vector Control Officer, currently serving as Research Associate Volunteer, Gulu university in Northern Uganda (Gulu/Agago). He holds an MPH and an MSc in Applied Tropical Entomology and Parasitology, with over 19 years of experience in entomological surveillance, integrated vector management, malaria and neglected tropical disease (NTD) programming, disease surveillance, outbreak response, and monitoring & evaluation. Current Position: Research Associate Volunteer, Gulu university,Northern Uganda. Recent Professional Positions (last 5 years): Technical Specialist District coordinator roles with Abt Associates Inc (USAID PMI VectorLink Project) Vector Control Entomologist NTD and Malaria programming, Pader District Local Government Monitoring and Evaluation officer, Global Fund-supported IRS programming, Adjumani District Ministry of Health Secondary Affiliations: Collaborative partnerships with The Carter Center, Sightsavers, Envision, APOC, and Africa CDC Prior affiliations with AVSI, Gulu University, and Dr. Ambrosoli Memorial Hospital I have received presidential-level recognition for contributions to Uganda's national NTD and malaria control programs, and brings a personal dimension to my work, having been supported as a beneficiary of the Mectizan Donation Program for onchocerciasis earlier in life.
Ekundayo Adebayo Abdulateef
Doctoral Researcher in Epidemiology, Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry (UGANC), Conakry, Guinea
Biography
Adebayo Abdulateef Ekundayo is an epidemiologist and public health specialist with experience in disease surveillance, health systems strengthening, emergency preparedness and regional health security. He is affiliated with Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry, Guinea, where his doctoral research focuses on climate-informed early warning systems for preventive chemotherapy neglected tropical diseases. He previously served with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s Western Africa Regional Coordinating Centre, supporting national public health institute strengthening, regional capacity development and cross-border health security. Prior to this, he held technical leadership roles at the Clinton Health Access Initiative, supporting disease-control programmes, integrated campaign digitisation and implementation. His earlier work includes the West African Health Organization and Nigeria’s National Programme on Immunization. He has postgraduate training in public health, epidemiology, health economics, tropical medicine and global health diplomacy through the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, the Pasteur Network and the University of Toronto. He was Vice President, Distance Learning, at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and holds Senior Collaborator status within the Global Burden of Disease research network. His interests include integrated vector management, One Health and climate-sensitive infectious diseases.
Joseph Rosalia Nghitalesheni
Doctoral researcher, University of Greenwich, Natural Resource Institure, Chatham, United Kingdom
Biography
Rosalia Joseph is a doctoral researcher at the Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, United Kingdom, where her research examines how gender, power, and governance shape malaria policy and evidence-informed decision making. She has over seven years of experience spanning malaria research, vector control implementation, and public health policy. Previously, she worked as a Researcher and Medical Entomologist at the University of Namibia, supporting Namibia's National Vector-borne Disease Control Programme, where she supported nationwide vector surveillance, led insecticide resistance monitoring, and contributed to operational research that informed national vector control policy. She later served as a WHO AFRO consultant supporting vector control activities in Namibia. From 2022 to 2024, she was Regional Coordinator for Central and Southern Africa under the Women in Vector Control Initiative at the Pan-African Mosquito Control Association (PAMCA), supporting regional collaboration, capacity strengthening, and gender integration in vector control. Since 2024, she has served as a member of the WHO Guideline Development Group for Malaria Vector Control. She also mentors early career malaria professionals through the University of California, San Francisco Malaria Elimination Initiative. She holds an MSc in Medical Entomology from the University of Namibia.
Anders Katherine
Associate Professor (Research) and NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
Biography
Katie has 20 years international experience in epidemiological research and public health practice, with expertise in the design and implementation of field trials, disease surveillance, and clinical research. Until December 2024, Katie was Director of Impact Assessment at the World Mosquito Program (WMP), a Monash University translational research program and not-for-profit company, where she collaborated with partners in 14 countries in Asia-Pacific and the Americas to establish the evidence base for the effectiveness of Wolbachia mosquito replacement for the control of dengue and other Aedes-borne viruses. Katie previously spent six years (2009-2014) as an epidemiologist and PhD candidate at the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Katie gained her PhD from Monash University, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine (2015), a Masters in Control of Infectious Disease at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (2006) and Bachelor degrees in Arts and Science (honours) from the University of Melbourne.
Bomba Amougou Dominique Olivier
Head of Prevention Section, National Malaria Control Program, Yaounde, Cameroon
Biography
Dr. Dominique Olivier BOMBA AMOUGOU is a Cameroonian public health physician (MD, MPH) with 15 years of experience in malaria prevention and vector control in sub-Saharan Africa. He graduated with honors from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Yaoundé I (2012) and holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from the Catholic University of Central Africa. He began his career as a chief medical officer before coordinating the Regional Technical Group for Malaria Control in the Central Region. Since March 2021, he has served as Head of the Prevention Section at Cameroon’s National Malaria Control Program (PNLP), where he oversees national prevention strategies: ITNs, seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC), IPTp, Perennial Malaria Chemoprevention (PMC), and the rollout of the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine. He has also contributed to the fight against lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis. As a member of working groups for the RBM Partnership (Social and Behavioral Change, Case Management, Vector Control) and the Country Advisory Board of the Malaria in Pregnancy Working Group, he has contributed to WHO technical documents (SMC field guide…). Trained in field epidemiology (FELTP) and national program leadership (Strathmore University), he is the author of peer-reviewed scientific publications (Malaria Journal, BioMed Research International).
Fernandez Montoya Lucia
Senior Technical Advisor, Clinton Health Access Initiative, Santander, Spain
Biography
Lucia Fernandez Montoya is a Senior Technical Advisor for Vector Control at the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), with over 10 years' experience supporting malaria and dengue vector control accross the Americas, Africa and at global level. She holds a PhD in Entomology and Vector Control and an MSc in International Health Research (University of Barcelona), and a BSc/MSc in Physics (Universidad Complutense de Madrid). She has worked across different malaria transmission settings — including P. vivax and P. falciparum elimination contexts in Central America and P. falciparum settings in Africa. She has direct experience supporting countries considering emerging interventions ahead of formal WHO recommendations, including spatial repellents in Panama and Wolbachia in Guatemala, as well as supporting countries implementing core vector control interventions (LLINs/IRS). Her academic work includes peer-reviewed field research on vector control interventions and entomological surveillance in Panama, Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Mozambique. In her previous role at WHO's Global Malaria Programme (2018–2022), she led the writing of the WHO manual for monitoring insecticide resistance in mosquito vectors and the monitoring of the global status of insecticide resistance in malaria vectors. She serves as co-lead of Task Team 2 of the RBM Partnership's Vector Control Working Group.
Hawley William Anderson
Principal Expert, Malaria Policy and Evidence, Asia-Pacific Malaria Leaders' Alliance, Jakarta, Indonesia
Biography
William Hawley is a vector ecologist and epidemiologist with extensive field experience in Africa and the Asia-Pacific. Resident in Indonesia, he is a member of Indonesia’s Technical Working Group for Malaria and is the Principal Expert for Malaria Policy and Evidence for the Asia-Pacific Leaders’ Malaria Alliance which supports malaria elimination efforts regionally. He retired from the US CDC in 2022 after a 30-year career. He has recently worked as a consultant for WHO, UNICEF, URC, and PMI on malaria control and elimination in Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Vietnam, and Africa. He also served as a member of the WHO GDG for leishmaniasis vector control. While at CDC, he served for six years the Chief of the Entomology Branch in Atlanta, supporting malaria vector control globally. He served six years as Country Director for the US CDC in Indonesia and was seconded to UNICEF Indonesia for four years as its Malaria Program Officer. Prior to his time in Indonesia, he carried out operational research on malaria control in western Kenya with the Kenya Medical Research Institute where he led a randomized controlled trial on the efficacy of ITNs on child mortality. Hawley has PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Oregon and an MPH from Emory University. He has published more than 130 papers on malaria, Anopheles and Aedes mosquitoes, and vector control.
Garcia Juan Jose
Principal Investigation (Retired), CEPAVE (Center for Parasitological and Vector Studies( National University of La Plata-Conicet), La Plata, Argentina
Biography
Juan José García, PhD, is a medical entomologist from Argentina with over 40 years of experience in vector biology, vector control, and the biological control of disease vectors. He spent most of his career as a Principal Investigator at the Centre for Parasitological and Vector Studies (CEPAVE), a joint institute of CONICET and the National University of La Plata (UNLP), where he conducted research from 1987 until his retirement in August 2025. His work has focused on the biology, pathology, and control of insect vectors, particularly mosquitoes and blackflies, with emphasis on biological control strategies using fungi, bacteria, protozoa, nematodes, and other microbial agents. He has led laboratory and field studies evaluating vector control interventions, including approaches targeting Aedes aegypti and other vectors of public health importance. Dr García has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and led numerous nationally and internationally funded research projects. He has supervised PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, contributed to scientific review and evaluation panels, and provided technical advice on vector control and public health entomology. He is currently available for consulting, advisory, and expert panel roles.
Raamachandran Sathes
Chief Executive Officer Pesterminators Pvt Ltd Male, Republic of Maldives
Biography
I am the Chief Executive Officer of Pesterminators Pvt Ltd (Maldives), with over 12 years of experience in integrated pest management, vector surveillance, public health entomology and sustainable pest management. My work focuses on applying science and field experience to practical, evidence-based vector control programmes. I hold a B.Sc. in Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology from the University of Madras, an MBA from the University of Wales, and am a BRCGS Lead Auditor. My areas of expertise include Integrated Vector Management (IVM), Integrated Pest Management (IPM), vector surveillance, insecticide resistance management and environmental sustainability. I serve as a Corporate Board Member of the Global Pest Management Coalition (GPMC), a Special Expert Executive Committee Member of the Federation of Asian and Oceania Pest Managers' Associations (FAOPMA), and a member of Businesses Uniting to Guarantee Sustainability (B.U.G.S.), an international expert group that developed sustainability guidelines for the urban pest management sector. Over the past five years, I have delivered technical training and presentations for professional associations, government agencies and industry groups across Asia, Oceania and Africa, focusing on integrated vector management, sustainable pest management and operational best practices. My professional interest is advancing practical, science-based approaches that strengthen integrated vector control and improve public health outcomes.
Yukich Joshua Otto
Associate Professor, Tulane University Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, USA
Biography
Current position: Associate Professor of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, USA. Education and background: Dr. Yukich is an epidemiologist and health economist with over 15 years of experience in malaria, vector-borne disease, and neglected tropical disease research. His expertise includes epidemiology, clinical and field trial design, surveillance, health economics, mathematical modelling, evidence synthesis, and implementation research. Professional experience (last 5 years): At Tulane University, Dr. Yukich has led and collaborated on research evaluating malaria vector control interventions, surveillance systems, and health system strengthening across Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Eastern Mediterranean. He has worked closely with WHO, ministries of health, the Global Fund, PMI/USAID, Unitaid, and other international partners. His recent work has included systematic reviews, meta-analyses, economic evaluations, and policy-oriented evidence syntheses supporting WHO guideline development and international technical advisory processes for malaria prevention, surveillance, and vector control.
Robinson Leanne
Deputy Director Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
Biography
Professor Leanne Robinson (BScAdvHons, MPHTM, PhD), Deputy Director of Burnet Institute, is an internationally recognised global health leader and expert in malaria and NTD epidemiology, vector control, intervention trials and implementation research. A highly inter-disciplinary researcher, combining rigorously designed field studies and trials with novel approaches to make transformative contributions to the fields of malaria and NTD control and elimination. Research has produced >150 peer-reviewed manuscripts and 3 book chapters, 96% with international partners, >6650 citations, h-index of 42. Prioritises equitable, locally-led, co-designed research programs that deliver high quality evidence to inform global guidelines and local implementation, whilst simultaneously strengthening local leadership, capabilities and systems. Adjunct appointments at School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne; School of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine, Monash University; PNG Institute of Medical Research, PNG and WEHI. Strategic leadership roles on international advisory committees including WHO VCAG (until 2025), WHO NTD DTAG, TDR STAC, Access Advisory Committee, Medicines Development for Global Health and PNG Malaria TWG. Leadership of high-impact collaborative research programs recognized with Burnet’s 2025 Frank Fenner Award, 2019 Australia Eureka Prize for Infectious Disease Research, Burnet’s 2020 Gust McKenzie Medal and 2018 Gust-Translational Prize.
Churcher Thomas
Professor in Infectious Disease Dynamics, Imperial College London, London
Biography
Dr Tom Churcher is Professor of Infectious Disease Dynamics at Imperial College London. He is an epidemiologist, entomologist and mathematical modeller whose research focuses on understanding and controlling malaria and vector-borne diseases. His work combines field studies, clinical and entomological data, and mathematical models to understand transmission dynamics, predict intervention impact and support public health decision-making. Tom began his career working on neglected tropical diseases, including river blindness, lymphatic filariasis and schistosomiasis, before shifting his primary focus to malaria. Over the past two decades, he has co-developed one of the most widely used mathematical models of malaria transmission and led research to improve the design, evaluation and deployment of vector control interventions. He leads a multidisciplinary team of researchers evaluating control interventions across the product development pathway, from laboratory studies through to large-scale epidemiological trials. Working closely with control programmes, scientists from disease endemic countries and policy makers, he aims to optimise the use of vector control and produce practical, policy relevant research. He was co-developed https://mint.dide.ic.ac.uk/ an online interface to allow policy makers to explore the cost-effective vector control intervention in their epidemiological context.
Corbel Vincent
Research Professor, IRD Montpellier, France
Biography
Vincent Corbel is a medical entomologist and Research Director at IRD (French Research Institute for Sustainable Development). Since 2022, he has also been a Visiting Professor at Fiocruz, Brazil. He received a BSc in Applied Biology (1998), an MSc in Parasitology (2000), and a PhD in Medical Entomology (2003) from the University of Montpellier. His research focuses on insecticide resistance, integrated vector management, and innovative vector control tools. He has over 20 years of experience in vector-borne disease control worldwide and served on the WHO Pesticide Evaluation Scheme (WHOPES) Working Group (2004–2017). After joining IRD in 2004, he led the WHO Collaborating Centre for the Evaluation of New Insecticides before conducting operational research in Benin and Thailand, supported by the Gates Foundation, ANR, WHO, and the Wellcome Trust. In 2016, he founded the Worldwide Insecticide Resistance Network (WIN), supported by WHO-TDR, the US CDC, and IRD, and coordinated WHO-supervised multicountry studies to establish discriminating concentrations for insecticide resistance monitoring. Since 2022, he has coordinated the WINSA network and the Horizon Europe–MSCA INOVEC project, promoting innovative and community-based vector control. He has authored 158 peer-reviewed publications (H-index: 55) and led over 30 international research and capacity-building projects.
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