Palmer MasumbeNetongo (PhD): I completed my PhD in the University of Yaoundé I (UYI), Cameroon in 2009, and joined the same institution as permanent Lecturer in 2011 after working for close to three years in WHO/TDR, Geneva, Switzerland. I founded the Molecular Diagnostics Research Group (MDRG) within the Biotechnology Centre, UYI. This group specializes in interactions between co-infecting pathogens, particularly Plasmodium falciparum and Salmonella typhi as well as Plasmodium falciparum and Schistosoma spp. I completed a Post-Doctoral fellowship in the University of Utah, USA to learn animal models of malaria immunology and studied the effect of gammaherpesviruses on suppression of anti-malarial humoral immunity and how malaria predisposes mice to severe pneumococcal bacterial disease. I am Assistant Professor of Biology at the Navajo Technical University (NTU) in the USA since August 2020.  

Dr. John Amuasi: Dr. Amuasi leads the Secretariat of the African Research Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases (ARNTD) as Executive Director.He is a senior lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), where he is head of the Global Health Department of the School of Public Health. Dr. Amuasi is also Group Leader of the Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research Group at the Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR). Dr. Amuasi trained as a physician at KNUST and later graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, USA, with post-graduate degrees terminating in a PhD in Health Research and Policy. He also served as head of the R&D Unit at the 1,200-bed KomfoAnokye teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana for 3 years from 2007-2010. Dr. Amuasi has consulted for several international organizations and is passionate about research that focuses on improving health systems, services and outcomes, including policy analyses using both primary and secondary data in low and middle-income countries. His research currently involves field epidemiologic studies on malaria, snakebite and other neglected tropical diseases. Dr. Amuasi serves as an Executive Committee member of the African Coalition for Epidemic Research, Response and Training (ALERRT). Through ALERRT at KCCR, Dr. Amuasi is coordinating research on the clinical characterization of COVID-19 in Africa and is the PI for a number of studies on COVID-19 in Ghana, including some phase III clinical trials. Dr. Amuasi serves as a technical advisor to a number of academic institutions, governments and global health bodies, including the WHO, Africa CDC, IPBES and the World Bank on a wide range of global health subjects. Dr. Amuasi also co-chairs the Lancet One Health Commission and is at the forefront of global efforts towards addressing emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases using a One Health approach 

Dr. Elizabeth Allen: Elizabeth is a pharmacist with a master’s in public health and PhD Clinical Pharmacology who is Strategic Partnership Lead for The Global Health Network, which seeks to enable equity in health research by improving methods, building careers and sharing knowledge. She previously worked in the UK and South African pharmaceutical and contract research industries before moving into academic clinical research, and until recently led operations for the University of Cape Town’s MRC Collaborating Centre for Optimizing Antimalarial Therapy, overseeing clinical trials, individual patient, data meta-analyses, and methodology research related to participants’ experiences of clinical research. She is also co-lead for the UK MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership Global Health Working Group and teaches and supervises post-graduate students in the fields of pharmacovigilance and clinical trial conduct. 

Christine Kirima: Christine is a global health researcher and Knowledge Exchange Coordinator at The Global Health Network with a Master's in Global Health Science and Epidemiology. She has extensive experience tackling inequalities in health research, specifically working on research capacity strengthening programmes to promote access to skills and knowledge among underserved communities in resource-constrained settings.

Akindeh M. Nji, PhD: Akindeh is a senior lecturer of biostatistics in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon. As Head of the Clinical and Laboratory Data Management Unit at the Biotechnology Center of the University of Yaoundé I, Akindeh has played a major role in the design, running, Data management and analysis of more than 5 clinical trials on anti-malarial drugs. He has been a consultant Clinical data monitor for WHO sponsored clinical trial entitled "Fixed-dose combination therapy of four pulmonary tuberculosis drugs" with sites in Ethiopia and Nigeria. His expertise in study design, experimental studies, including KAP studies, and research methodology has lent him an opportunity to sit at the Biotechnology Center of the University Yaounde I ethics board. He is a member of the Society of Epidemiology Cameroon (CaSE) and the network of Modelers in infectious diseases. Akindeh is author/co-author of more than 40 peered reviewed articles. My research interest and focus is using mathematics/Statistics to model the control and elimination of diseases in Cameroon and other endemic countries with varying interventions and transmission patterns. I am a member of the Modeling and SimulationHubforAfricaofUniversityofCapetown, SA. I am currently a member of the international consortium for modeling of COVID-19 (CoMo consortium).

Mbacham F. Wilfred: Mbacham F. Wilfred is a Titular Prof of Public Health Biotechnology. He obtained a Doctorat de Specialité in Molecular Parasitology from the University of Yaoundé I (1989) and a Doctor of Science Degree in Tropical Public Health from Harvard (1997). He researches host and pathogen genomics and the interaction between communicable and non-communicable diseases. He has served in leadership positions in many national and international programs. He was the executive director of the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria Secretariat that promotes fundamental research on Malaria but also organizes a 2000-person capacity conference every 4 years. For 10 years, (2006-2016) he also coordinated the APALP (Assises Pan Africaines de Lutte contre le Paludisme) which brought together 35 National Malaria Control Program managers from Anglophone, Lusophone, and Francophone Africa, to discuss and exchange strategies for success in rolling out various anti-malarial interventions.

He has developed a philosophical approach to Professionalizing Planning Actions in Science & Technology Education & University-based Research (Pro-P.A.S.T.E.U.R.) that integrates platforms /technopoles for bioscience, hard core sciences, and research uptake. He won the prestigious TWAS prize in 2017 for the promotion of science and technology in sub-Saharan Africa. He is a member of the access and products management advisory group for MMV Geneva. He is the current coordinator of the graduate program unit in Life Sciences and the Biology of organisms at the University of Yaoundé I. He is a co-grantee of the DELTAS program of the AESA-African Academy of Science program MARCAD (the Malaria Research Capacity Development Consortium for West and Central Africa).

He was elected chair of the program management committee of the International Atomic Energy Agency-AFRA program of 41 African member states (2015- 2021). He has supervised more than 90 Masters and 10 MD level students, 25 Ph.D. and more under training. He has more than 200 publications including book chapters, books, manuals, and scientific articles in peered reviewed journals. He is a fellow of the Cameroon Academy of Sciences, the African Academy of Sciences and The World Academy of Sciences. He is the Founding President of the Fobang Institutes for Innovations in Science and Technology, for tertiary teaching and research in Cameroon

Dr. Valerie Makoge: Valerie Makoge is a Senior Research Officer (Maître de Recherche) in the Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies and the Head of the Epidemiology of Parasites and Clinical Research Laboratory. Her research is uniquely a blend of biological, and applied social sciences (public health). Valerie holds a PhD in Public Health and Society from Wageningen University and Research in The Netherlands. She is a mixed-method research scientist with experience in trans/multi-disciplinary research, a mentor in the African Academy of Sciences mentoring scheme, a mentor in the HIGHER women consortium, scientific conference organiser, grant winner etc. Her interests lie in disease trends and coping in poor communities, Salutogenesis and Health promotion. Valerie is the Secretary General of the Cameroon Academy of Young Scientists (CAYS), the vice-coordinator of the Central zone at the Cameroon Professional Research Oriented Women Network (CaPROWN), and a member of several learned societies (IUHPE, ETC-PHHP, STARS, etc). Valerie is also a fellow of the Africa Science Leadership programme (ASLP) and a Global Assessor for The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH). 

Prof Veronique N. Penlap Beng: Véronique Penlap Beng graduated in Biological Sciences and Health at the University of Rennes1 in France and is currently full Professor at the Biochemistry Department of the University of Yaoundé 1. She is the Head of the Laboratory for Tuberculosis Research and Pharmacology (Biotechnology Centre of Nkolbisson, University of Yaoundé 1, Cameroon), and is currently coordinating the Research Unit of Clinical Biology of Regional Doctorate School of Health Science (Central Africa Catholic University). She has over 25 years of experience in the area of Molecular Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases and Drug Development, has trained almost 120 MSc and 25 PhDs, and published more than 150 articles. She served as the Work Package Leader/TB expert, and Country Deputy Coordonnator within CANTAM (Central Africa Network for Clinical Research), an EDCTP (European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnerships) Network of Excellence, and also the Country PI representative within ALERRT (African Coalition for Epidemic Response, Research, and Training). She has been the Vice-Chair of the DCCC (Developing Countries Coordinating Committee of the EDCTP), TB expert consultant for EDCTP for many years, and for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA, Division for Africa). She is also Fellow of the Cameroon Academy of Science, the Vice President of the Cameroon Higher Institute for Growth in HEalth Research for Women in Cameroon (HIGHER Women Institute), and member of the Scientific Committee of the Foundation for Health Education and Research Inc. (AFHER) since 2015. 

Sylvie Kwedi Nolna, PhD: Dr. Kwedi Nolna is the holder of a PhD in Public Health and obtained Masters of Science degrees in Public Health and Biotechnology from the Bloomberg School of Public Health of Johns Hopkins University. After working in the biotechnology field in the USA for over 10 years, Dr. Kwedi Nolna returned to Cameroon in 2011. She is currently an Epidemiologist Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Yaoundé I.  Her research career is marked with spearheading internationally funded Epidemiology and Public Health projects in South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, India, Cambodia, Republic of Congo and Cameroon. She is the Founder of CLEAR, Inc. (Capacity for Leadership Excellence and Research), a consultancy firm that aims to build operational capacity of health programs and research activities in resource limited settings, particularly in Africa.  CLEAR, Inc. specializes in building major research systems in the areas of program set-up and management, ethics review, regulatory compliance and quality assurance, data management and information systems, as well as staff development and training.

Yauba Saidu: Yauba Saidu is a physician by training and holds a post graduate degree in Vaccinology and Drug Development. He is currently the Country Representative for Clinton Health Access Initiative in Cameroon and a Medical Advisor at the Institute for Global Health at the University of Siena in Italy. He is also the Africa Editor for Global Health Press, an online Journal on Vaccinology. He also serves as member for several decision-making bodies in Cameroon, including the Inter-Agency Coordinating Committee, The Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism, the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group, the National Oxygen Task Force, and The Lancet Poverty Non-communicable disease and Injury task force amongst others. He is a member of the Cameroon Town Hall for Health professionals, a platform that regroups over 1,600 health professionals from Cameroon living in over 36 countries across the globe. Yauba also supervises students from the faculty of medicines of the University of Yaoundé 1 and the Faculty of Health sciences of the university of Buea. Prior to his current roles, Yauba worked as a Clinical Trial Manager at the Medical Research Council in The Gambia, where he successfully managed the designed and Conduct of 4 large scale industry sponsored clinical trials.  Yauba has co-authored 35 publications and 1 book chapter, which have received > 470 citations to date, with H-index of 10 (Source: Google Scholar). 

Dr. Anthony Afum-Adjei Awuah: Dr. Anthony Afum-Adjei Awuah is a lecturer at the School of Medicine and Dentistry and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Global Health and Infectious Disease Research Group at KCCR in KNUST. He is an early-career researcher with experience in clinical research and community-based studies. He is a co-Investigator for the CCP study run in several African countries, lab coordinator for the VAT COVID-19 vaccine trial, Principal Investigator for ANTICOV clinical trial, RECOVERY Clinical trial, Principal Investigator for the ANTICOV-IMMUNO study, and Co-PI on the SERCOV study, all investigating important research questions on COVID-19 in Africa. In addition to this, Anthony is a Co-PI on a study investigating dengue seroprevalence in Africa and a co-PI on a study investigating the prevalence of Aedes-borne arboviruses in Ghana in non-human primate sanctuaries. He is a former WHO/TDR clinical research and development fellow and is currently an affiliate member of the Africa Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is a steering committee member of the WHO/TDR Africa Regional Training Centre. 

Anthony started his career with a degree in Biochemistry from KNUST and joined KCCR for his Ph.D. in Immunology, investigating the role of immune modulatory molecules in the immunopathogenesis of tuberculosis. After his Ph.D., he started his first Postdoc with KCCR developing an inproved immunodiagnostic assay for detection of tuberculosis in children. He has since had other postdoc training with Centre Muraz in Burkina and GSK vaccine s.r.l in Siena, Italy. He was part of the 2017 cohort of the Next-Generation-Scientist program to train young emerging scientists in clinical research at the headquarter of Novartis Pharma in Basel. Anthony has extensive experience in the design, planning, and implementation of GCP-compliant clinical research in resource-limited settings. He is a co-convener for the skills for Excellence in Science Series (SEXISS) which designs and implements bespoke training using advanced pedagogy, problem-based and group-based learning for biomedical and health researchers, health professionals, and academia. He is currently the postgraduate coordinator for the Department of Molecular Medicine at the KNUST School of Medicine and Dentistry.

Leonard Numfor Nkah, MPH: Masters’ degree in Public Health (MPH) from the Catholic University of Central Africa-UCAC, and two other Masters in Monitoring and Evaluation and Sustainable Development (APDD) with the Université de Renne1 (France) and University of Yaounde-2 (Cameroon). Leonard is working with The Global Health Network (TGHN) as African Research Capacity and Knowledge Coordinator. He previously coordinated the Program on Immunization Leadership and Management Program (EPI_LAMP) Cohort 2. A Global Health Leadership Initiative (GHLI) in Yale, in partnership with PATH and the University of Yaoundé I as a consortium sponsored by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. The African Advanced Vaccinology course (Afro-ADVAC) which aims at decision-makers in the field of vaccinology, as well as the team implementing a Multi-country Randomized control Trial at FMBS with Fondation Merieux.  He assists as a project manager with the Central African Network on Clinical Trials (CANTAM) part of EDCTP Networks of Excellence (NoEs) and oversees the management and implementation activities within each work package. Leonard jointly manages the African coaLition for Epidemic Research, Response and Training (ALERRT) to reduce the public health and socio-economic impact of re-emerging and epidemic-prone infectious diseases through building a sustainable clinical and laboratory research preparedness and response network across sub-Saharan Africa with TGHN.