Natacha Protopopoff awarded AXA Chair to advance vector control in humanitarian settings

Natacha Protopopoff was selected by the AXA Foundation for Human Progress as one of four recipients of its 2026 AXA Chairs following an independent peer-review process. Each chair provides funding of up to EUR 1 million over five years to establish an ambitious research programme addressing major societal challenges. 

Addressing gaps in vector control

Vector-borne diseases such as malaria disproportionately affect people who are displaced, living in conflict-affected areas or on the move. However, many existing vector control tools are designed for people living in permanent homes and may not adequately meet the needs of refugees, internally displaced people, nomadic communities and other populations that are difficult to reach through conventional health services.

In collaboration with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), local research partners, communities and ministries of health. Natacha Protopopoff and her team will identify, adapt and evaluate vector control approaches suited to various humanitarian settings, including Bangladesh, Burundi and South Sudan. Interventions could range from conventional methods such as mosquito nets and indoor residual spraying to non-mesh bed nets, insecticide-treated materials, as well as spatial repellents. Communities will play a central role in identifying interventions that are practical and acceptable in their everyday lives.

Natacha Protopopoff, who is also Professor of Public Health Entomology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), has extensive experience in malaria and vector control research.

“I started working on malaria during an epidemic in the highlands of Burundi with MSF, and 25 years later, I am still committed to generating evidence on the most effective ways to prevent vector-borne diseases,” she said. “The AXA Chair gives me the independence to work with communities and diverse stakeholders to understand where current approaches fall short and develop solutions that fit people’s realities.” 

Informing future vector control strategies

The research aims to determine which approaches work, who they benefit and how they can be delivered sustainably in challenging and rapidly changing environments. The findings could inform vector control strategies used by humanitarian organisations and national health programmes and contribute to future WHO guidance for displaced and hard-to-reach populations.

For media enquiries, please contact communications@swisstph.ch.