Parasite evolution and impact in action: assessing the importance of hybrid schistosomes in Africa

Professor Stothard is a medical parasitologist with focus on helminth and protist parasites grouped within the neglected tropical diseases. His specialist expertise is in the evolution, epidemiology and control of schistosomiasis having undertaken many multidisciplinary studies from schistosome characterisation to snail ecology. In so doing, he has advanced our understanding of natural transmission cycles of key species of schistosome and their freshwater intermediate snail hosts. Such knowledge typically underpins scientific guidance to better tailor future disease control strategies and specific intersectoral interventions. His research has been translated into several international policy changes, presenting, co-chairing and chairing several expert committees of the World Health Organisation.

Dr Gabby Laing works as a Senior Policy Adviser in One Health for Unlimit Health (formerly Schistosomiasis Control Initiative Foundation) focusing on how to use One Health approaches to tackle Neglected Tropical Diseases and deliver One Health Systems Strengthening. As Chair of the NTD NGO Network OH group, she co-authored the WHO’s One Health companion document for the NTD roadmap 2021-2030. Gabby has also worked with WHO on the Workforce Development Operational Tool for zoonotic diseases, the World Organisation for Animal Health’s One Health competencies, and FAO’s evaluation of the Global Health Security Agenda. She chairs the Network for Ecohealth and One Health (NEOH), is a trustee of the Soulsby Foundation for One Health leaders, and advises the Lancet One Health Commission.

She is a veterinarian and infectious disease epidemiologist by training, completing her studies at the University of Liverpool with research work in Ethiopia.

Tine Huyse works at the Royal Museum for Central Africa as a senior biologist. She previously worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Leuven, the Tropical Institute of Medicine in Antwerp, and the Natural History Museum in London. She is also the scientific commissioner of the zone Landscapes and Biodiversity in the permanent exhibition of the museum.

Her main research interests include the molecular epidemiology of neglected tropical diseases including schistosomiasis and fasciolosis, which affect millions of people and animals worldwide. She studies the anthropogenic and environmental impact on disease transmission and has a special interest in hybridisation between human and animal parasites. A One Health approach is therefore necessary. To this end, she developed new markers and molecular assays with her team to rapidly detect pathogen infections in blood, stool and intermediate snail host samples (xenomonitoring). Next-generation-sequencing technologies on field and museum samples are applied to increase the amount of genomic information in order to reconstruct parasite transmission dynamics. Also the impact of the snail microbiome and parasite co-infections on disease transmission is studied.

Finally, in order to tackle complex wicked problems like schistosomiasis, a citizen science approach has been set up, where local community members are involved both in snail monitoring and community-led awareness campaigns.

Professor Francisca Mutapi is an award-winning global health expert empowering African scientists and policymakers to tackle infectious diseases and improve epidemic preparedness prioritising local needs and solutions. She holds a Chair in Global Health infection and Immunity at the University of Edinburgh where she is the Deputy Director of the TIBA Partnership and University of Edinburgh’s International Dean for Africa. Her research work on schistosomiasis has led to health improvements for over 50 million African children exposed to schistosomiasis. She has trained and mentored over 100 researchers and health workers in Global Health. She is helping shape global health research and training directly through her own research, as a thought leader and through independent advisory board membership. She sits on various funding, scientific, technical, and strategic advisory boards including the WHO Africa Regional Director’s Advisory Board, the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Science Advisory Group and is the vice chair of the Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases board. She chairs the WHO African Region Monitoring COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness (AFRO-MoVE) network strategic advisory group. She is a member of the WHO Steering Group working on developing a blueprint for NTD research and development as well as the African Union working group developing a costed roadmap for the AU’s domestic health financing strategic plan. She is a 2021 TED Fellow, Aspen Advanced Global Innovators Fellow as well as a fellow of the Zimbabwe Science Academy, Royal Society of Edinburgh and African Academy of Sciences.

Professor Jerome Boissier is interested in the ecology, evolution and transmission of mesenteric and urogenital schistosomiasis. For more than 10 years, he has been interested in the sexuality of these parasites, successively tackling themes linked to the sex-ratio bias, the pairing system and then sexual determinism. Today, his work focuses more on the field and on factors linked to transmission. On the pathogen side, Professor Boissier is interested in hybridisation phenomenon, particularly in the Haematobium group, through functional biology approaches and field surveys. On the host side, he is interested in the potential role of animals in transmission and the importance of the genetic background of patients in the development of severe forms of the disease.

With Merck since 2015, Thomas is responsible for global health research. He leads drug discovery programmes from drug screening to preclinical candidate nomination including preclinical PK/PD relationship, drug combination and generation of Real-World Evidence for clinical decision making on assets. He also leads open innovation initiatives to catalyse research in infectious diseases.

Before joining Merck, Thomas worked in the discovery team of the non-for-profit R&D organisation Medicines for Malaria Venture (Switzerland) and led the open-source Malaria Box and Pathogen Box initiatives designed to catalyse drug discovery research in neglected diseases.

Thomas holds a PhD in organic chemistry from the Universities of Strasbourg (France) and Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany). In 2009, he was appointed as a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard University (USA) where he contributed to the total synthesis of the mycolactones and the development towards the point-of-care diagnosis of Buruli ulcer, a neglected necrotising skin disease. 

He authored and co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles and is a co-inventor on several patents.

Louis-Albert Tchuem Tchuenté is Professor of Parasitology, founding Director of the research Centre for Schistosomiasis & Parasitology, and Coordinator of the National Programme for the Control of Schistosomiasis and Intestinal Helminthiasis. He has extensive expertise in the ecology, epidemiology, biology and control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, with focus on schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis. Through his scientific discoveries, he contributed to a better knowledge of the reproductive biology of schistosomes. His work was a significant step to elucidate the relationships of different schistosome species and to demonstrate the occurrence of mating competitions and their impact on the dynamics of natural transmission of schistosomiasis. He provided strategic direction and built high political commitments for the control of schistosomiasis, with significant achievements. He is a member of committees of several organisations, including the World Health Organisation. He received several awards and distinctions, including the dignity of Commander of the National Order of Valour of Cameroon.

Janelisa Musaya is a Professor of Immuno-parasitology at the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS) and interim Deputy Director of the Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Research Programme (MLW). With over 19 years of experience in research, teaching, and mentorship, she specialises in neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), focusing on trypanosomiasis and schistosomiasis. Professor Musaya holds a PhD in Immunoparasitology from the University of Malawi, alongside master’s degrees in Epidemiology and Research Ethics. Her ground-breaking research has mapped tsetse fly distribution, identified genetic factors influencing trypanosomiasis outcomes, and uncovered hybrid schistosome species in Malawi. She leads a dynamic international research team, mentoring master’s and PhD students while collaborating with experts from over 15 countries. Passionate about community engagement, she develops innovative, locally relevant approaches to disease control, including improving mass drug administration campaigns. Her dedication to building research capacity and fostering equitable health policies continues to shape the fight against NTDs and improve health outcomes in Malawi

Angus is a PhD researcher at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and a clinician by background. His research is focused on the control of tropical and infectious diseases in One Health contexts, with a particular interest in the transmission of antimicrobial-resistant enteric bacteria and schistosomiasis in freshwater communities.

Seke is a medical doctor and parasitologist from Malawi who holds a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery from University of Malawi, Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from Royal College of Physicians in London, MSc in Tropical Medicine and International Health from University of London, and PhD in Tropical Medicine at University of Liverpool.

His expertise is in Tropical Medicine, especially neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). He has conducted several research studies on genital schistosomiasis (GS), a prevalent schistosomiasis complication in men and women in endemic areas; on community interventions for schistosomiasis and geohelminths management; and currently on a NIHR-Wellcome “Hybridization of urogenital schistosomiasis (HUGS) in Malawi”. 

He also has 20 years’ experience in clinical practice, leadership and management of large facilities in Malawi’s health facilities, treating over 2,000 patients monthly. He’s a Lecturer in Parasitology at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Dr De Elías-Escribano is a junior postdoctoral researcher at the Molecular Biology Research Unit at the University of Valencia, Spain. She is also a member of the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC) at the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and member of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre on Fascioliasis and Its Snail Vectors. 

After graduating in Biology, she completed a Master’s in Tropical Parasitic Diseases. With a three-year pre-doctoral fellowship, her PhD research, supervised by Professor Santiago Mas Coma and Professor Mª Dolores Bargues, focused on the molecular epidemiology and hybridisation of zoonotic trematodiasis transmitted by freshwater snails, including Fascioliasis and Schistosomiasis. Her PhD also involved a research stay at the WHO Collaborating Center on Schistosomiasis (University of Perpignan), enhancing her expertise in molecular biology techniques. 

After completing her PhD in January 2024, she is currently developing her postdoctoral research activity at the University of Valencia on molecular techniques applied to parasites and vectors and assessing the risks of introducing vector-borne zoonotic diseases in Spain.  

Dr De Elías-Escribano has experience in field work conducting prevalence studies of Fascioliasis in the Bolivian Altiplano and Schistosomiasis in Angola. 

Professor Bustinduy trained in paediatrics and infectious diseases in the US and started working on helminthic infections, and their impact on child health in Coastal Kenya in 2009. She is foremost a field clinical epidemiologist and has investigated a broad range of disease manifestations in children and young women related to neglected tropical parasitic diseases (NTD), namely schistosomiasis and giardiasis. Other work has included PK/PD driven drug trials (praziquantel) in preschool children in Uganda and PK modelling in pregnant women with schistosomiasis in the Philippines. She is interested in community-based diagnosis of female genital schistosomiasis, validating diagnostic tools at the point-of-care and its integrations with cervical cancer, STIs and HIV diagnosis and access to care. She heads the Schistosomiasis Clinical Research Group at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and works as a paediatric infectious diseases’ consultant in the UK NHS. She leads on field related studies in Uganda, Malawi and Zambia. She is a member in several expert committees of the World Health Organisation.

Bonnie Webster is a parasitologist at the Natural History Museum in London, specialising in the study of schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease caused by Schistosoma flatworms. Her research combines molecular biology, epidemiology, and parasitology to inform and advance global schistosomiasis control strategies. She works both in the lab and in field settings across endemic regions to improve diagnostic tools and understand parasite transmission dynamics.

A significant focus of her work is on integrating genomic and molecular tools, such as qPCR and population genomics, to track genetic changes in Schistosoma populations and identify reservoirs of infection. By studying the biology and evolution of Schistosoma species and their snail hosts, she provides insights critical for improving control programs. Additionally, she collaborates with international partners, contribute to WHO expert committees, and support capacity-building efforts in low-resource settings to drive progress towards eliminating schistosomiasis globally.

Professor Joanne P Webster FMedSci is Professor of Parasitic Diseases at the Royal Veterinary College and Heads their Pathogen Flow in Ecosystems strategic grouping. Joanne is also Director of the London Centre for Neglected Tropical Disease Research (LCNTDR), Professor of Infectious Diseases at Imperial College London's Faculty of Medicine (hon), and on the Board of Directors for Fauna and Flora International (FFI). From its inauguration in 2002 (until 2014) Joanne served as co-Director of the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI), which, during this period, provided approximately 300 million anthelminthic preventative chemotherapeutic treatments for children and at-risk adults across sub-Saharan Africa. Joanne sits on a range of World Health Organisation’s, Food and Agriculture Organisation, and beyond, working groups. Her research and disease control activities have been awarded a number of medals and awards including most recently the Royal Society Leeuwenhoek medal and lecture (2023/2024).

Lucas is an early-career medical parasitologist specialising in the design and development of molecular assays to better improve surveillance of pathogens and understanding of transmission cycles. He currently specialises in the study of helminths with a focus on soil transmitted helminths and schistosomiasis. In his role as a PDRA on the Hybridisation in UroGenital Schistosomiasis (HUGS) project he designed a novel, two-tube, high-resolution melt qPCR capable of high-throughput screening of samples for putative hybrids. This assay has been successfully used to detect S. haematobium x S. mattheei hybrids in cattle and humans as well as identifying pure S. haematobium in goats and cattle.

Professor Francisca Mutapi is an award-winning global health expert empowering African scientists and policymakers to tackle infectious diseases and improve epidemic preparedness prioritising local needs and solutions. She holds a Chair in Global Health infection and Immunity at the University of Edinburgh where she is the Deputy Director of the TIBA Partnership and University of Edinburgh’s International Dean for Africa. Her research work on schistosomiasis has led to health improvements for over 50 million African children exposed to schistosomiasis. She has trained and mentored over 100 researchers and health workers in Global Health. She is helping shape global health research and training directly through her own research, as a thought leader and through independent advisory board membership. She sits on various funding, scientific, technical, and strategic advisory boards including the WHO Africa Regional Director’s Advisory Board, the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Science Advisory Group and is the vice chair of the Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases board. She chairs the WHO African Region Monitoring COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness (AFRO-MoVE) network strategic advisory group. She is a member of the WHO Steering Group working on developing a blueprint for NTD research and development as well as the African Union working group developing a costed roadmap for the AU’s domestic health financing strategic plan. She is a 2021 TED Fellow, Aspen Advanced Global Innovators Fellow as well as a fellow of the Zimbabwe Science Academy, Royal Society of Edinburgh and African Academy of Sciences.