Fredros Okumu Awarded Prestigious Research Prize

“This award recognizes the joint efforts of the great staff and collaborators at the Ifakara Health Institute and its partners, all of whom I so much appreciate for their support,” said Fredros Okumu. The Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) is one of the most renowned research, training and service organizations on the African continent. It developed from the Swiss Tropical Institute Field Laboratory through the Swiss Tanzanian partnership reaching the autonomous status as a Tanzanian Trust in 1996. Today, the institute’s work spans across a wide range of sciences including biomedical, ecological or health systems research while remaining a close partner of Swiss TPH and Switzerland together with many other key partners world-wide.

Eliminating malaria-transmitting mosquitoes in Tanzania

Okumu’s research focuses on developing species-specific methods of eliminating the malaria-transmitting mosquito Anopheles funestus, with the goal of stopping the disease’s transmission in two districts in southeastern Tanzania. Although A. funestus is not the most populous mosquito species in the region, it is responsible for 82% to 95% of local malaria infections.

IHI is not only a long-standing partner of Swiss TPH; Okumu himself is currently completing an MBA in International Health Management at the Swiss TPH. In 2012, Okumu earned a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Infectious Tropical Diseases from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He holds a Master’s degree in Applied Parasitology from the University of Nairobi, Kenya, and a Master’s degree in Geo-information Science, Earth Observation and Environmental Modelling from Lund University, Sweden.

Developing talents around the world

The award was given by a group of philanthropies including the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation to develop scientific talent around the world. The selected 41 scientists from 16 countries will receive a total of USD 26.7 million for their respective Research.