Programme Committee

Harleen Grewal

Chair
Professor of Microbiology and Global Health at the University of Bergen
Norway

Harleen Grewal is Professor of Microbiology (since 2002) and Global Health (since 2013) at the University of Bergen, Norway, and Senior Consultant Physician at Haukeland University Hospital, Norway.
She is a clinician-scientist with over 25 years of experience in infectious diseases. Her research focuses on tuberculosis and acute respiratory infections, including molecular pathogenesis, antimicrobial resistance, host-response biomarkers, rapid point-of-care diagnostics, and diagnostic stewardship to improve personalised therapy. She has led phase I and II clinical trials, pragmatic randomised trials, and large prospective cohorts across Europe, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa, and has contributed to the development of TB vaccine efficacy testing sites through international partnerships. Her work integrates clinical microbiology, implementation science, and biomarker validation to translate diagnostics into routine care and improve antibiotic stewardship in hospital and community settings. She has extensive experience in multicenter study coordination, regulatory governance, capacity building, mentoring researchers, and strengthening research environments across diverse health systems.
Awards include the Schering-Plough Prize and the Søren and Sigurd Falch Award.
Her areas of expertise are Tuberculosis, respiratory infections, clinical trials, diagnostic stewardship, and molecular diagnostics.
Michael Makanga

Executive Director of Global Health EDCTP3
Belgium

Dr Michael Makanga started his tenure as the Executive Director of Global Health EDCTP3 on 16 November 2023. He has extensive experience in the global health research sector and was previously the Executive Director of the EDCTP Association.
He is a clinician-scientist with nearly thirty years of health and clinical research work experience in African and European institutions. He has a medical degree from Makerere University, a master’s and PhD in pharmacology and therapeutics from the Liverpool University and School of Tropical Medicine, and is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.
He has vast experience in global health, research for health capacity development, engagement with policy makers, ethics and regulatory authorities in both Africa and Europe. Moreover, he has served in various scientific and policy advisory boards involved in developing medical products and associated technologies for infectious diseases, including the World Bank, international product development organisations, philanthropies and pharmaceutical companies.
Lara Pandya

Team Leader, Strategic Partnerships and Communications, Global Health EDCTP3
Belgium

As Team Leader for Strategic Partnerships and Communications, Lara Pandya oversees the external relations and international cooperation activities of Global Health EDCTP3, including monitoring and evaluation. She is responsible for creating and nurturing collaboration and partnerships with both the Member States participating in Global Health EDCTP3 and a wide variety of public and private stakeholders. This includes designing and executing joint initiatives with strategic partners and facilitating the coordination and alignment of European and African national research programmes around a joint research agenda on infectious diseases. She initially joined EDCTP as a Project Officer in 2007.
Lara has a background in global public health and clinical research and development, with over 20 years of experience in partnership building, networking, resource mobilisation, communications, advocacy and project management for a variety of international health organisations. Lara represents EDCTP in multiple cross-funder and partner initiatives and working groups, including the Advisory Group for the Collaborative Initiative for Paediatric HIV Education and Research (CIPHER) Grant Programme and the Steering Committee of the ESSENCE on Health Research initiative, among others.
As a graduate from the University of Bristol, where she completed both her bachelors and Master of Science in Geography, Lara subsequently obtained a Master’s in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).
José Miguel Rubio Muñoz

Senior Scientist and Director of the National Centre for Microbiology, Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII)
Spain

José Miguel Rubio is a Senior Scientist and Director of the National Centre for Microbiology (2025–). He holds a BSc and PhD in Biological Sciences from the Autonomous University of Madrid (1992). He joined the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) in 1997 as an EU INCO postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Parasitology, later supported by a regional fellowship (CAM). He was part of the founding team of the National Centre for Tropical Medicine (2003–2006), member of the 24/7 Alerts and Emergency Unit (2006–2018), and Head of the Malaria and Emerging Parasitic Diseases Unit from 2007 until becoming Director in 2025.
Dr. Rubio completed extended international research stays at the University of East Anglia (UK), La Sapienza University of Rome and the IMBB in Crete (EU Human Capital and Mobility), and Wageningen University (Netherlands). He is currently Visiting Scientist at the Leonidas and Marie Deane Institute (FIOCRUZ–Amazonas, Brazil) and External Consultant for the University of Cairo (Egypt) and the MRC in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).
He has served as Spanish Focal Point and Alternate Focal Point for Microbiology at ECDC since 2012, member of the ECDC Malaria Expert Group since 2011, and Expert Evaluator for European health programmes since 2004. Dr. Rubio has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications, 10 book chapters, co-edited two books, led multiple national and international projects, and supervised numerous postgraduate theses and training programmes in microbiology, malaria and neglected diseases.
Jean Marie Habarugira

Senior Scientific Officer at Global Health EDCTP3
Belgium

Dr Jean-Marie Vianney Habarugira is a Senior Scientific Officer at the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking where he co-leads the Science and Operations Unit and coordinates the activities of the organisation’s Scientific Committee. Pharmacist by training, he has almost 15 years of experience in overseeing large-scale clinical research grants, under each of the three EDCTP programmes – EDCTP1, EDCTP2 and Global Health EDCTP3. At EDCTP2, he managed a large portfolio of multi-country projects on Emerging and re-emerging Infectious Diseases, including Epidemic Preparedness projects and the response to COVID-19 through the EDCTP Emergency Funding Mechanism. He represents Global Health EDCTP3 in international networks such as GloPID-R, where he serves in various working groups. Before joining EDCTP, he carried out research projects at the KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation and the Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board. Jean-Marie Vianney holds a PhD in Pharmacology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, a Master’s in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the Volgograd State Medical University, and a Master’s in Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology from the European Programme for Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology (EU2P, coordinated by the University of Bordeaux).
Thomas Nyirenda

Strategic Partnerships & Capacity Development Manager and Head of Africa Office of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnerships (EDCTP)
South Africa

Dr Thomas Nyirenda MD MPH, is Strategic Partnerships & Capacity Development Manager and Head of Africa Office of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnerships (EDCTP). He trained in Medicine at University of St Andrews (Scotland), St Mary’s Hospital (London) and Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (Malawi), and in Public Health at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (London). He brings to the Programme Committee of the 12th EDCTP Forum his experience of organisation of similar forums for EDCTP and his 30 years’ experience of working in Clinical Medicine, Public Health and Clinical Research and Health Services Management in sub-Saharan Africa. He has worked as Medical Officer in Ministry of Health of Malawi and World Health Organisation before joining EDCTP in 2004. He has had teaching appointments at University of Witswatersrand (South Africa), and currently supports capacity development activities at Clinical Research Education and Management Services (CREAMS) in Malawi and teaches as Extraordinary Senior Lecture in the Department of Global Health of Stellenbosch University (South Africa).
Jutta Reinhard-Rupp

Chief Scientific Officer of the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND)
Switzerland

Jutta Reinhard-Rupp is the Chief Scientific Officer of FIND, the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics and she is also representing the H3D Foundation in an ambassador role, based in Switzerland. At FIND, Jutta contributes to the innovation, development and deployment of new diagnostics in LMICs covering infectious and non-communicable diseases.
She is a senior Global Health expert and former Head of the Global Health Institute at Merck. Her focus is on catalyzing innovative health solutions for most vulnerable populations and on strengthening research skills and capacity to foster human progress.
With more than 20 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, Jutta specialized in the Global Health field focusing on malaria and neglected tropical diseases. Under her leadership, an integrated portfolio encompassing diagnostics and new treatment options combined with local capacity strengthening and trainings has been developed. As Chair of the Board of the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium, she steered the development of a new pediatric formulation for young children suffering from schistosomiasis which received EMA approval and WHO pre-qualification.
Jutta currently serves as scientific advisor for DZIF (German Center for Infection Research), Global Health EDCTP3 (European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership) and CPCDI (Cross-Pharma Capacity Development Initiative).
Anthony Man

Independent consultant in drug development
Switzerland

Anthony Man, B. Med Sci, MB, BS, FRCP (UK) is an independent consultant in drug development.
He has over 35 years of experience in international Clinical Research and Drug Development through all stages of new drug development from IND to Phase III, product development strategies Life Cycle Management in multiple therapeutic areas, specializing in Infectious Diseases and Oncology. He has led and contributed to over 30 successful new drug approvals in Large Pharma and Biotech companies. He served as a Global Head of a Clinical Development at Novartis Global Health, responsible for programs in Malaria, Leishmaniasis, Chagas disease and COVID. Recent areas of research focus have included RSV infection, Dengue , Tetanus and Leishmaniasis. Since 2017 he contributed his expertise to EDCTP2 programs as an R&D advisor to the secretariat and member of grant oversight committees.
Muhammed Afolabi

Clinical Associate Professor of Global Public Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
United Kingdom

Muhammed Afolabi is a Clinical Associate Professor of Global Public Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom. He obtained a medical degree from the University of Ibadan in 1999; a master’s degree in Public Health from Obafemi Awolowo University in 2007, and a PhD from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK in 2015. He underwent specialist training that led to the award of the postgraduate fellowships of the West African College of Physicians and National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria in Family Medicine. He is also a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK and a Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy.

Muhammed’s research antecedents were in the EDCTP-funded projects at the Medical Research Council Unit, The Gambia, where he led the implementation of vaccine trials for HIV and malaria. He joined the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in 2016 to lead the paediatric components of an Ebola vaccine trial in Sierra Leone, the findings of which contributed to the approval by the European Medicines Agency and World Health Organisation of the first Ebola vaccine for children. Dr Afolabi serves on several high profile committees including the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) Working Group on COVID-19 vaccines, the UK Nuffield Council on Bioethics and the Independent Diagnostic Adjudication Panel for the clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of R21/Matrix M™ malaria vaccine among children in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali and Tanzania. and

Muhammed also served as Expert Evaluator for European health programmes and has authored over 135 peer-reviewed publications, including book chapters and technical reports for international bodies such as WHO SAGE and Nuffield Council. He led multiple national and international projects, and supervised numerous postgraduate theses and training programmes in malaria and neglected diseases.

He currently holds a prestigious UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship where he is evaluating the feasibility, safety, acceptability, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of integrating the preventive treatment programmes for malaria and neglected tropical diseases among West African children. This project has catalysed a paradigm shift from parallel, top-down disease control programmes to integrated, locally relevant, evidence-based, and sustainable child health policies and their delivery.

Muhammed Afolabi is an Academic Editor of the PLOS Global Public Health journal and Co-Director of the Vaccine Centre at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of London.
Pauline Beattie

Operations Manager and Scientific Adviser at the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP)
Netherlands

Dr Pauline Beattie is the Operations Manager and Scientific Adviser at the EDCTP Association. She leads the team responsible for the management and monitoring of the portfolio of projects awarded under the EDCTP2 programme, including evaluating the outputs and outcomes from the programme. Prior to joining EDCTP in 2011, Dr Beattie was a Science Portfolio Manager in Infection and Immunity at Wellcome, UK. She has more than twenty years’ experience in developing, implementing and evaluating funding strategies to support biomedical and health research in low- and middle-income countries. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Parasitology from University of Glasgow, a Master’s degree from University of Manchester, and a DPhil from University of Oxford.
Ana Duarte

Operations and Policy Officer at the Global Health EDCTP3
Belgium

Ana Duarte is the Operations and Policy Officer at the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking. Ana is a pharmacist and public health specialist by training, with a background in health services and systems, emergencies and humanitarian crises, medical goods supply chains, health innovations, and European health policy and law. Before joining Global Health EDCTP3, Ana worked for 6 years in health topics across the different services of the European Commission, including the Directorate General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD), Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) and Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA). Prior to that, Ana contributed to the global health efforts by performing field functions to respond to humanitarian crisis and to improve access to health care interventions. Today, Ana is responsible for the Programme’s portfolio management and for the policy feedback related to the Global Health EDCTP3’s technical activities.
Sandra Ramos

Communications Officer at Global Health EDCTP3
Belgium

Sandra Ramos is Communications Officer at Global Health EDCTP3 since February 2024. She comes with over 15 years of professional experience in science communications, having worked for the European Commission Directorate General for Research and Innovation, the European Research Executive Agency and the European Medicines Agency.
Marta Norton

Scientific Officer at the FCT Department of International Relations in Portugal
Portugal

Marta Norton has been a Scientific Officer at the FCT Department of International Relations in Portugal since 2013, where she promotes and supports Portuguese participation in several European and international cooperation instruments in the fields of Health, Biotechnology and Ocean Science. Throughout her career at FCT, she has been involved in a wide range of operational and strategic activities within multiple EU‑-funded initiatives under FP7 and Horizon 2020, and currently in Horizon Europe partnerships. Since May 2024, Marta has been a member of the EDCTP Association Board. She holds a PhD in Organic Chemistry (2001) and has over 15 years of research experience, having worked both in academia and in the pharmaceutical industry.
Jan Paehler

Policy Officer for Global Health Research in the European Commission's Directorate General for Research and Innovation
Belgium

Jan is a Policy Officer for Global Health Research in the European Commission's Directorate General for Research and Innovation. He is also the liaison officer for the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP). Before his current role, Jan led the health team in the European Commission’s Directorate General for International Partnerships.
Jan is a medical doctor with a doctorate in cardiology and an MSc in Health Systems Management. Jan spent five years in Ghana. First in clinical service for the Ghana Health Service in Accra, then overseeing government grants as USAID's Child Health and Infectious Diseases Advisor. Before joining the European Commission, he was a scientific officer at the Scientific Advisory Council on Developments in the Health System at the German Ministry of Health.
Núria Casamitjana

Director of Education and Training at ISGlobal and Associate Professor at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Barcelona (UB)
Spain

Núria Casamitjana is Director of Education and Training at ISGlobal and Associate Professor at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Barcelona (UB).
She contributed to the creation of the Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB, 2006) and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, 2010).She held key senior management positions at UB, including president of the Health Sciences Division and Vice-rector for Academic Affairs (2002-2005).
At UB-ISGlobal she coordinates postgraduate programmes (master and doctoral) in topics regarding global health; and led different capacity strengthening activities in projects funded by EDCTP, WHO-TDR, La Caixa Foundation and Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. At the same time, she is involved in Monitoring and Evaluation of Capacity Strengthening Activities.
Currently, she is current president of tropEd (International Network for Education and Training in Global/International Health); chair of the Academic Council of CHARM EIGHT EU European UniversitiesAlliance; and co-chair for the organisation of the next European Conference on Tropical Medicine and International Health (ECTMIH) in 2027 in Barcelona (Spain).
Dr Casamitjana has participated as an evaluator of programmes in European and American universities, as well as in training programmes of entities such as AGAUR, WHO-TDR, EDCTP, NVAO, etc.
Daniela Pereira

Communications Officer at EDCTP Association
Netherlands

Born in Brazil, Daniela Pereira has been part of EDCTP since 2006. As Communications Officer, she leads the implementation of EDCTP’s communications strategy for both the EDCTP2 programme and the EDCTP Association. Her work spans brand management, digital and print content creation, and visual communications, ensuring that EDCTP’s mission and impact are effectively communicated to partners and stakeholders worldwide.
She has a background in marketing and retail, and holds qualifications in Public Relations and Web Design and Development.
Debora Bade

Project Officer at EDCTP
Netherlands

Dr Debora Bade joined the EDCTP association in March 2019 as Project Officer. In this role, she manages large-scale EDCTP2-funded grants focusing on TB diagnostics and/or treatment.
Prior to joining EDCTP, she worked as Project Manager where she gained extensive experience in developing scientific programs and organizing international scientific conferences on liver diseases, such as NASH and viral hepatitis. As a postdoctoral researcher at the Hubrecht Institute (Utrecht, the Netherlands), she focused on cancer research. She holds a Master of Molecular Biosciences and a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Heidelberg, Germany and a Master of Public Health from LSHTM, UK.
Agustin Martin Lasanta

Strategic Partnerships Officer at Global Health EDCTP3
Belgium

Agustín is an expert in EU policy, advocacy, and communications, with a decade of experience in Africa–EU health research cooperation.
He works to position Global Health EDCTP3 as an impactful and influential actor in global health science diplomacy, policy, and investment, through strategic partnerships, intelligence gathering, research and analysis, and targeted advocacy and communications.
He holds master’s degrees in political science, law, and EU studies from the University of Granada, the Catholic University of Leuven - UCL, and the College of Europe; and speaks Spanish, English, French, and Italian—with ongoing, mostly unsuccessful, efforts in German. Outside work, Agustín enjoys playing music, spending time by the sea, engaging in thoughtful conversations (also welcome during work hours), and being with his family and friends.

Organising Committee

Lara Pandya

Chair

Team Leader, Strategic Partnerships and Communications, Global Health EDCTP3
Belgium

As Team Leader for Strategic Partnerships and Communications, Lara Pandya oversees the external relations and international cooperation activities of Global Health EDCTP3, including monitoring and evaluation. She is responsible for creating and nurturing collaboration and partnerships with both the Member States participating in Global Health EDCTP3 and a wide variety of public and private stakeholders. This includes designing and executing joint initiatives with strategic partners and facilitating the coordination and alignment of European and African national research programmes around a joint research agenda on infectious diseases. She initially joined EDCTP as a Project Officer in 2007.
Lara has a background in global public health and clinical research and development, with over 20 years of experience in partnership building, networking, resource mobilisation, communications, advocacy and project management for a variety of international health organisations. Lara represents EDCTP in multiple cross-funder and partner initiatives and working groups, including the Advisory Group for the Collaborative Initiative for Paediatric HIV Education and Research (CIPHER) Grant Programme and the Steering Committee of the ESSENCE on Health Research initiative, among others.
As a graduate from the University of Bristol, where she completed both her bachelors and Master of Science in Geography, Lara subsequently obtained a Master’s in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).
Sandra Ramos

Communications Officer at Global Health EDCTP3
Belgium

Sandra Ramos is Communications Officer at Global Health EDCTP3 since February 2024. She comes with over 15 years of professional experience in science communications, having worked for the European Commission Directorate General for Research and Innovation, the European Research Executive Agency and the European Medicines Agency.
Michelle Nderu

Project Officer for research capacity development funding programs, strategic partnerships, and networking at the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trial Partnership (EDCTP)
South Africa

Ms Michelle Nderu (Pr. Sci. Nat.) currently serves as the Project Officer responsible for research capacity development funding programs, strategic partnerships, and networking at the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trial Partnership (EDCTP). She is a trained molecular biologist and holds a Master’s in Medicine from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. In her current capacity, Ms Nderu manages the EDCTP Fellows Alumni Network, the EDCTP Regional Networks of Excellence Program and several collaborative Pharmacovigilance and Health Systems Strengthening projects spanning Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa. Her role extends to strengthening synergistic partnerships between European and African governments, funders, donors, academic institutions, and the private sector, while mobilizing resources for EDCTP funding programs. Prior to her role at EDCTP, Ms Nderu served as a research coordinator at the South African Medical Research Council within the Research Management Division. Her professional journey also includes serving as a research and development scientist at Kapa Biosystems (now known as Roche Sequencing Solutions), where she specialized in engineering enzymes for diverse life science applications. Ms Nderu is a Certified Professional Natural Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP).
Albert Sanchez Carmona

Communications Officer
Belgium

Albert recently assumed the position of Communications Officer at Global Health EDCTP3. He brings over six years of experience in communications within European Union institutions, with a focus on state-of-the-art digital outreach and effective science communication. Previously, he worked as a university professor and journalist in his hometown of Barcelona, Spain.
Daniela Pereira

Communications Officer at EDCTP Association
Netherlands

Born in Brazil, Daniela Pereira has been part of EDCTP since 2006. As Communications Officer, she leads the implementation of EDCTP’s communications strategy for both the EDCTP2 programme and the EDCTP Association. Her work spans brand management, digital and print content creation, and visual communications, ensuring that EDCTP’s mission and impact are effectively communicated to partners and stakeholders worldwide.
She has a background in marketing and retail, and holds qualifications in Public Relations and Web Design and Development.
Agustin Martin Lasanta

Strategic Partnerships Officer at Global Health EDCTP3
Belgium

Agustín is an expert in EU policy, advocacy, and communications, with a decade of experience in Africa–EU health research cooperation.
He works to position Global Health EDCTP3 as an impactful and influential actor in global health science diplomacy, policy, and investment, through strategic partnerships, intelligence gathering, research and analysis, and targeted advocacy and communications.
He holds master’s degrees in political science, law, and EU studies from the University of Granada, the Catholic University of Leuven - UCL, and the College of Europe; and speaks Spanish, English, French, and Italian—with ongoing, mostly unsuccessful, efforts in German. Outside work, Agustín enjoys playing music, spending time by the sea, engaging in thoughtful conversations (also welcome during work hours), and being with his family and friends.
Jennifer Stamatelos

Senior Administrative Officer, EDCTP Association
Netherlands

Ms Jennifer Stamatelos joined EDCTP in November 2014. As a Senior Administrative Officer, she supports the day-to-day administration of the Secretariat and provides assistance to the Executive Director and staff. Her responsibilities include managing and organising travel arrangements and meetings across sub-Saharan Africa.
Jennifer holds a degree in Economics from Columbia University, New York, and a Master’s degree in Sustainable Development from Utrecht University.
Antonia Forte

Governance Officer of Global Health EDCTP3
Belgium

Antonia is the Governance Officer at the Global Health EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking. She assists the Executive Director in ensuring the smooth and efficient functioning of the Governing Board and advisory bodies, overseeing governance processes, decision-making procedures and organisational planning. Antonia has been working within the Joint Undertakings framework since 2014.

Programme Committee

Harleen Grewal

Michael Makanga

Lara Pandya

José Miguel Rubio Muñoz

Jean Marie Habarugira

Thomas Nyirenda

Jutta Reinhard-Rupp

Anthony Man

Muhammed Afolabi

Pauline Beattie

Ana Duarte

Sandra Ramos

Marta Norton

Jan Paehler

Núria Casamitjana

Daniela Pereira

Debora Bade

Agustin Martin Lasanta

Organising Committee

Lara Pandya

Sandra Ramos

Michelle Nderu

Albert Sanchez Carmona

Daniela Pereira

Agustin Martin Lasanta

Jennifer Stamatelos

Antonia Forte