Spokespeople
ACEME
Principal Investigator, African Center for Excellence in Molecular Engineering (ACEME)
Dr. Amadou Guindo is Principal Investigator at the African Center for Excellence in Molecular Engineering (ACEME). Established at University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), in Mali, ACEME serves as a regional research and training center designed to strengthen African scientific leadership and contribute to global efforts to develop innovative, responsible, and locally driven approaches to vector control. Dr. Guindo is a Medical Doctor and Medical Entomologist with over 20 years of experience in malaria research, with research in medical entomology and malaria vector surveillance, including publications on mosquito ecology, insecticide resistance, and genetic vector control strategies. Under Dr. Guindo’s leadership, ACEME is working to provide a setting for African scientists to learn and develop advanced skills in genetic engineering, including those related to the development of genetically modified mosquitoes. Dr. Guindo’s research journey began under the mentorship of the late Dr. Mamadou B. Coulibaly, in a laboratory dedicated to the study of vectors of major diseases such as malaria, dengue, and yellow fever – a foundational experience that deeply influenced the direction of his scientific career.
Selected works and publications:
Transmission Zero
Senior Research Scientist, Transmission Zero, Ifakara Health Institute (IHI)
Dr. Brian Tarimo is a Senior Research Scientist and deputy Head in the Department of Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences (EHES) at Ifakara Health Institute in Tanzania. Dr. Tarimo also leads the entomology related molecular biology activities at IHI and aids communication and outreach activities for the Transmission Zero Program. His research interests focus on host-pathogen interactions between malaria vector (i.e. Anopheles mosquito) and malaria parasite (i.e. Plasmodium parasite) using cutting-edge technologies in molecular biology and bioinformatics to identify genes that are essential in this interaction and how best to genetically manipulate them to develop novel interventions that will reduce vector competence and prevent transmission of malaria. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from University of Dar es Salaam, a Master of Science degree in Bioinformatics from University of Glasgow and a PhD in Life Sciences (focus on Molecular Microbiology) from Nelson Mandela Africa-Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST).
Media mentions and appearances:
KEMRI
Senior Principal Research Scientist, Kenya Medical Research Institute
Dr. Damaris Matoke-Muhia is a molecular biology research scientist, and Ag. Deputy Director Biotechnology Research Programme at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). Her research interest is on utilizing genomics in the understanding and control of human health diseases. She currently heads the genomics and sequencing facility at KEMRI, and is a national Precision Medicine task force member. She holds a PhD in Molecular Medicine, MSc in Biotechnology, BSc in Biochemistry and Advanced Healthcare Management programme from Strathmore University. Dr. Matoke-Muhia has over 15 years’ field and laboratory experience working on vector-borne diseases mainly on malaria and leishmaniasis. She has received research grant awards as a PI/co-PI from Gates foundation, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Wellcome Trust, National Research Fund (NRF) and other funding agents. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals, local and international reports. She mentors and supervises PhD and MSc students and has passion in mentoring young women in STEM. Alongside her research, she is a leading global advocate and activist for increasing the role of women, particularly from Africa, in the fight against malaria and other VBDs. Dr. Matoke-Muhia is a member of global and local technical working groups including WHO VBDs pre-qualification advisory committee, Outreach Network for Gene Drive Research, National malaria and Leishmaniasis Technical Working Groups, etc. Her work has been recognized and awarded in various platforms including the Kofi Annan Global Health Leader Fellowship, 2020 Aspen New Voices in Global Health Fellowship, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation “Heroes in the Field”.
Program Director, Transmission Zero, Ifakara Health Institute (IHI)
Dr. Dickson Wilson Lwetoijera is Principal Research Scientist at the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), where he is also the Director of the Transmission Zero Program at the institution. He is an adjunct Professor at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), and a Wellcome Trust International Intermediate Fellow (2020-2026). Dr. Lwetoijera graduated with a PhD in Medical entomology from Liverpool school of Tropical Medicine in 2016, and a Diploma in Advanced Studies in International Health from University of Basel in 2023. Dr. Lwetoijera’s research interest focuses on alternative vector control tools with the potential to target mosquitoes outdoors. Specifically, he is focused on genetic based technologies, such as gene drive for mosquito control, innovative solutions for malaria control through designing surveillance and control platforms and managing arboviruses and malaria-transmitting mosquitoes in urban settings. He aspires to establish local and international collaboration around these research themes and to catalyze the development of data-driven solutions. He oversees the implementation of the Transmission Zero program in Tanzania, including regulatory pathways and local collaborations.
Professor of Infectious Diseases and Immunity, Director of the Vector Immunogenomics and Infection Laboratory, & Co-Director of Transmission Zero, Imperial College London
George is a Professor of Infectious Diseases and Immunity and the Director of the Vector Immunogenomics and Infection Laboratory at Imperial College London. He is also co-Director of the Transmission Zero programme. He earned his PhD from the University of Athens and began his research career at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory as a Marie Curie Fellow and later as a staff scientist. In 2005, he joined Imperial College as a Senior Lecturer, progressing to Reader and then Professor in 2011. Since 2013, he has also been an Adjunct Professor at the Cyprus Institute, where he served as Associate Dean and later as its President. Additionally, he has held visiting professorships at the State University of São Paulo and through a joint research initiative between Tsinghua University and the Shenzhen CDC. Throughout his career, he has made significant contributions to the fields of insect innate immunity and mosquito-microbe interactions, publishing a series of influential papers that have advanced these areas of study. He played a pioneering role in establishing the field of mosquito functional genomics and contributed to sequencing the genomes of several disease vector mosquitoes. His expertise has enabled him to coordinate numerous international research projects and advise prestigious global organizations. Currently, his work focuses on translating this knowledge into the genetic modification of malaria-resistant mosquitoes, supported by funding from the Gates Foundation. These modified mosquitoes are being developed for use in gene drive strategies aimed at vector population modification, contributing to the control and elimination of malaria.
Universidad de Pekín
Investigator, Universidad de Pekín
Prof. Jackson Champer is a faculty member in the School of Life Sciences at Peking University and a member of both the Center for Life Sciences and the Center for Bioinformatics. He leads a research lab focused on gene drive systems — genetic elements that can bias inheritance to spread rapidly through populations — with applications in controlling vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue, as well as in conservation biology. His research combines experimental work in multiple species of mosquitoes and the model organism Drosophila melanogaster together with computational modeling to design, test, and refine gene drive systems. The Champer lab aims to address key challenges in the field, including resistance development, efficiency, and achieving controlled, population-specific implementation of gene drives. Prof. Champer began his academic career in physics and mathematics, earning a B.S. from the University of Oregon and an M.S. from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), before transitioning to biology. He completed his Ph.D. at the City of Hope Beckman Research Institute in 2015, followed by postdoctoral research at Cornell University. In 2021, he established his lab at Peking University.
Target Malaria
Research and Outreach Associate, Target Malaria, Uganda Virus Research Institute
Krystal Mwesiga Birungi is an Entomologist and malaria advocate at Target Malaria. She is based at Target Malaria Uganda, headquartered at the Uganda Virus Research Institute, where she served as Field Entomology Coordinator from 2015 to 2024. In 2025, she took on her current role as a Research and Outreach Associate. Krystal holds a Double Major in Zoology and Botany from Makerere University and has been working with Target Malaria for the past decade. During this time, Krystal’s research focused on An. gambiae sl populations in Uganda, mostly population dynamics, behavior, and species composition. Community engagement is also at the heart of Krystal’s work. Her Entomology team works closely with local communities to ensure they understand entomological collection work and support malaria research. Beyond her scientific work, Krystal has been a malaria advocate for several years. In 2021, she was nominated by The Global Fund Advocates Network (GFAN) as part of their speakers’ bureau to take on global malaria advocacy. Through this role, she hopes to raise awareness of global audiences about the burden of malaria in Africa and in her home country, Uganda. In September 2022, she represented the Global Fund and spoke as a Malaria Ambassador at the Global Fund 7th Replenishment Conference in New York City. She joins regular advocacy delegations and missions in donor countries to raise awareness on the importance of investing in malaria prevention, treatment, and research. Krystal was named one of 10 Goalkeepers Champions for her work advancing health policy and equitable healthcare access across Africa through scientific innovation and leadership by the Gates Foundation. In 2026, Krystal Birungi was one of the five 2026 Global Citizen Prize winners. She also successfully completed the 2025-2026 Obama Foundation Africa Leader Program that same year. Krystal hopes to be part of a future where the roles and contributions of more African scientists are recognized. She believes in African leadership and innovation to tackle one of the most pressing public health challenges Africa is facing.
Co-Principal Investigator, African Center for Excellence in Molecular Engineering (ACEME), PhD Researcher, Keele University
Lakamy Sylla is a PhD Researcher at Keele University and Co-Investigator at the African Center for Excellence in Molecular Engineering (ACEME). His work is focused on the genetic manipulation of reproductive genes in Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes – one of the main vectors of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. He is investigating an approach which could be leveraged to reduce the number of these mosquitoes and therefore reduce malaria transmission. He currently shares his time between Keele University and the African Center of Excellence in Molecular Engineering (ACEME). Established at the University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), in Mali, ACEME serves as a regional research and training center designed to strengthen African scientific leadership and contribute to global efforts to develop innovative, responsible, and locally driven approaches to vector control. Sylla also previously worked as Insectary Lead at the Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC) in Bamako for Target Malaria, a not-for-profit international research consortium whose aim is to co-develop and share novel genetic technologies to help control malaria.
University of York
Chair in Genetics, University of York
Professor Luke Alphey is a leading researcher in genetic pest management, specializing in innovative approaches to controlling mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, and Zika. He pioneered the development of engineered sterile male mosquitoes and co-founded the biotechnology company Oxitec (now Flyttr) to translate this technology into successful field applications worldwide. The Alphey Lab at the University of York specializes in genetic pest management approaches, including engineered sterile male mosquitoes, gene drive systems, and genetic strategies that reduce mosquitoes’ ability to transmit disease. The lab aims to deliver sustainable, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible solutions to major global public health challenges, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where vector-borne diseases impose the greatest burden.
Senior Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Target Malaria, Imperial College London
Dr. Alexandre Quach is Senior Stakeholder Engagement Manager based at Imperial College, UK. He is a public health physician, with background in global health and epidemiology, having worked for a decade for African research and health programmes. Alex works for Target Malaria, a not-for-profit research consortium that aims to develop and share new, cost-effective and sustainable genetic technologies to modify mosquitoes and reduce malaria transmission. His role is to foster the design and adaptation of community agreement models for studying genetically modified mosquitoes and improve engagement practices across the consortium.
UCMI
Executive Director, University of California Malaria Initiative (UCMI)
Ana Kormos is the Executive Director for the University of California Malaria Initiative (UCMI). Ana has been working with UCMI since 2018 leading the development of the program model which centers on collaboration, transparency, and shared decision-making, ensuring that communities remain at the heart of the work. She has more than 20 years of experience working as an executive leader in public health with a focus on partnership and program development for populations with diverse social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. In 2025, she was awarded the UC Davis Chancellor’s Award for International Engagement. She holds a Master of Public Health from the University of California, Davis.
McMaster University, IEPI
Director, Program on Ethics & Policy for Innovation, McMaster University, IEPI
Professor Claudia Emerson is a bioethicist whose work focuses on identifying and addressing ethics issues and policy gaps that arise along the discovery-to-delivery pathway for novel health technologies and interventions. She is the founding director of McMaster’s Institute on Ethics & Policy for Innovation, which conducts applied ethics and policy research to help overcome barriers to innovation and advance life-saving interventions where they are needed most. She holds appointments in the Department of Medicine, the Mary Heersink School of Global Health and Social Medicine, and NexusHealth – McMaster’s health innovation accelerator – and is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS). Through more than 20 years of work with global health stakeholders and partners, she co-developed Ethical, Social and Cultural (ESC) Thinking – an ethics lens for science and innovation policy, informed by social and cultural nuances. The framework has supported more than 200 research programs and strategies, helping translate research into broad-reaching impact. Prof. Emerson has helped shape international policy on data governance, human challenge studies, responsible use of the life sciences, and AI ethics and safety. She is a leading global expert on the ethical considerations of using gene-drive technology to combat malaria. Professor Emerson holds a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Guelph, and a BA, MA, and PhD in Philosophy from McMaster University.
Media mentions:
Stakeholder Engagement Officer, Transmission Zero, Ifakara Health Institute (IHI)
Felista Tarimo is a stakeholder engagement officer at the Ifakara Health Institute, where she supports Transmission Zero’s cutting-edge research into genetic tools for malaria control. Felista’s academic and professional work has centered on understanding community perceptions of novel malaria control methods, such as autodissemination of pyriproxyfen, and on ensuring that community concerns are integrated into scientific interventions. She has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications on malaria control, gender-based violence, and health system challenges in Tanzania. In her current role, she applies advanced qualitative methods – including in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and ethnographic techniques – to engage communities in rural Tanzania, helping to align cutting-edge research with lived experience. Felista has received a specialized training in science communication, social innovation, and research ethics, and is fluent in both English and Swahili. She is also a member of the Tanzania Entomological Society and is passionate about bridging the gap between science and society – believing that community-driven approaches are key to sustainable health solutions in Africa. She holds a Master of Science in Public Health Research from the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Dodoma.
Global Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Target Malaria, Imperial College London
Naima Sykes is a strategic communications and stakeholder engagement specialist with ten years’ experience working with the Government of Tanzania and multinational organizations operating in East Africa, the US and the UK. Prior to joining Target Malaria, she was Senior Manager for Strategic Communications at Gatsby Africa, a philanthropic foundation set up by David Sainsbury to support East African governments to achieve economic growth in key sectors that offer opportunities for value addition, job creation and income generation. Previously, she was a Senior Manager for External Affairs at BlackIvy Group, where she managed strategic relationships with private and public sector stakeholders related to a large-scale investment project in Tanzania’s transportation sector. Earlier in her career, she led Africa Practice Tanzania’s stakeholder analysis and public affairs work, where she advised clients from various sectors including agri-business, extractives, logistics and trade. Naima Sykes holds a BA in History from Yale University.
J. Craig Venter Institute
Adjunct Faculty, J. Craig Venter Institute
Dr. Robert Friedman is adjunct faculty at the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI). Dr Friedman directed JCVI’s Policy Center, which examines the societal and policy implications of genomics, synthetic biology, and other areas of modern biology and biomedicine. Friedman was a member of the 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2023 Ad Hoc Technical Expert Groups on Synthetic Biology of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Prior to joining JCVI, Dr. Friedman was Vice President for Research at the H. John Heinz Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment, a nonprofit environmental policy research organization. Earlier, he was a Senior Associate at the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), a non-partisan advisory agency of the U.S. Congress, where he advised Congressional committees on issues involving environmental and natural resources policy. Dr Friedman received his PhD from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in Ecological Systems Analysis. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Stakeholder Engagement Support Officer, Target Malaria, Imperial College London
Dr Samantha O’Loughlin is a population geneticist and stakeholder engagement support officer for Target Malaria at Imperial College London. In 2006, she took on a post-doctoral research position in a new and exciting research project aiming to develop novel genetic gene drive methods for controlling the mosquito vectors of malaria. This project has since grown to become the Target Malaria research consortium, where she works closely with molecular biologists and modellers in the team, bringing them her extensive experience of Anopheles mosquito genetics and bionomics. Samantha’s working activities have grown and evolved along with the project, and in 2019 she took on a role in the global stakeholder engagement team. Samantha is a self-confessed perpetual student and has spent most of her adult life working and studying in academia. She has four degrees, including an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation (University of Leeds) and a Doctorate in mosquito population genetics (University of Manchester).
Island Conservation
Senior Director, Innovation & Impact, Island Conservation
David Will is Senior Director of Innovation & Impact at Island Conservation, where he leads the application of emerging technologies to improve the success and scalability of island restoration. With over 15 years of experience, he focuses on turning innovation into decision-relevant outcomes that guide restoration priorities, inform investment, and track ecosystem recovery. His work spans AI-enabled monitoring, remote sensing and NASA Earth observation frameworks, eradication decision-support systems, heavy-lift drones, eDNA detection, and emerging genetic tools. He has implemented technology across more than 25 island restoration projects worldwide and leads efforts to build scalable monitoring and decision systems that support conservation at global scale. David regularly advises funders, partners, and leadership on scientific risk, tradeoffs, and impact, and works to ensure that innovation translates into measurable outcomes for biodiversity and people. He holds a BS in Bioinformatics from UC Santa Cruz.
Advanced Conservation Strategies
Director of Global Conservation Initiatives, Advanced Conservation Strategies (ACS)
With over three decades of experience, Gregg Howald is a leading expert in the field of island restoration. He has been involved in the eradication of invasive species from more than 75 islands in eight countries. With a diverse technical background, grounded in ecotoxicology, Gregg’s focus has evolved into conservation diplomacy and moving complex programs forward based on local values. He helps lead public engagement processes, where he supports the communication of risks and benefits of projects to inform values‐based decisions including regulatory compliance processes and rightsholder engagement. He has developed a network of global partners from government agencies, private industry, NGOs, academic institutions, and local communities, and currently works on building networks of multilateral and transboundary public-private partnerships to bring industry, government, scientists, and NGOs together under national and international policy frameworks that are focused on restoration. All with a goal to increase the scale, scope, and pace of the eradication of invasive species from insular ecosystems.
Revive & Restore
Director of Ocean and Climate, Revive & Restore
Dr. Liv Liberman (formerly Williamson) develops and oversees applied genetic rescue projects for endangered species around the world and helps craft Revive & Restore’s scientific focus. She manages the Advanced Coral Toolkit and Climate Resilience Fund, which support the development and field testing of cutting-edge biotechnologies for marine conservation. Dr. Liberman shares her passion for the natural world through science communication, education, and citizen science, empowering people of all backgrounds to be environmental stewards. Prior to Revive & Restore, she tested innovative strategies to increase the survival and fitness of threatened Caribbean corals in the face of climate change. She managed various collaborative projects that utilized “assisted evolution” approaches, such as managed breeding and microbiome manipulation, to boost coral genetic diversity and climate resilience, with the goal of informing reef restoration. Dr. Liberman has a Ph.D. in Marine Biology and Ecology from the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, and a B.A. in Environmental Science from Barnard College.
Screwworm Free Future
Executive Director, Screwworm Free Future
As Executive Director, Seunik is responsible for strategic leadership of Screwworm Free Future. He leads efforts to bring together stakeholders around the goal of screwworm control and eradication, while overseeing strategic planning and execution. Seunik is a public health scientist by training. He has worked in the leadership of technology startups, in government and multilaterals, and as an innovation funder, scaling high-impact health interventions for neglected disease areas now serving millions.
Conservation X Labs
President & Co-Founder, Conservation X Labs
Dr. Paul Bunje is the co-founder and President of Conservation X Labs. Dr. Bunje was formerly the Chief Scientist at the XPRIZE Foundation, where he led the impact strategy across grand challenge domains at XPRIZE, spanning civil society, environment, energy, health, and exploration. Dr. Bunje is a global thought leader in bringing innovation to solve environmental grand challenges. Paul was formerly the founding Executive Director of the UCLA Center for Climate Change Solutions, the Managing Director of the Los Angeles Regional Collaborative for Climate Action and Sustainability, and served on the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council for Oceans. The American Association for the Advancement of Science selected Dr. Bunje as one of 40 individuals that exemplify the thousands of AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellows who are dedicated to applying science to serve society. He is trained in biology, with a B.S. from the University of Southern California and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.
For media enquiries and interview requests, please contact the Secretariat for the Outreach Network for Gene Drive Research.
