Hugues Clotaire Nana Djeunga

Institution

Higher Institute of Scientific and Medical Research (ISM)

Molecular Parasitology and Genetic Epidemiology (MPGE)

285 Street 1411 Quartier Fouda, PO Box 5797, Yaoundé, Cameroon

Research Interests

Medical Parasitology, Molecular Parasitology, Genetic Epidemiology, Genomic Epidemiology, Infectious Diseases

Topics to speak on:

Diagnostic Development, Drug Resistance, Antimicrobial Resistance, Innovative, Genetic Epidemiology, Genomic Epidemiology, One Health.

Biography

Hugues C. Nana Djeunga received his PhD in Molecular Parasitology in 2019 at the University of Yaoundé I, investigating the potential emergence of resistance of Onchocerca volvulus (the causative agent of river blindness) to ivermectin. He is currently a Research Scientist at the Higher Institute of Scientific and Medical Research (ISM) in Cameroon where he is heading the Molecular Parasitology and Genetic Epidemiology (MPGE) Department.

Dr Nana Djeunga research encompasses Medical and Molecular Parasitology, Genetic and Genomic Epidemiology for the elimination of infectious diseases, especially filarial infections (onchocerciasis, loiasis, lymphatic filariasis), trypanosomiasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, scabies, leishmaniasis and malaria. He is especially interested in mapping and assessment of clinical impact of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), transmission assessment surveys (TAS), diagnostic tool development, drug discovery/development, drug resistance studies, and pathophysiology of Loa-related severe adverse events, innovative treatment approaches and alternative treatment strategies (ATS) for major tropical infectious diseases.

Dr Nana Djeunga is member of the Cameroon Academy of Young scientists (CAYS) where he is currently the Dean of the College of Biological Sciences, the Cameroon Society of Epidemiology (CaSE), the African Research Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases (ARNTD), the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH), and the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH). He is also serving as Consultant/Expert for several committee including the World Health Organization (WHO) Diagnostic Technical Advisory Group (DTAG) for Neglected Tropical Diseases, the WHO Expanded Special Project for Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN), the Drug for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), the Cameroon Onchocerciasis Elimination Committee, the ASTMH Young Investigator Award Committee, and the RSTMH Global Assessor Network, NTD NGO Network (NNN) Peer Review Committee.

Hugues C. Nana Djeunga is Associate Editor at BMC Infectious Diseases, Review Editor at Frontiers in Tropical Diseases, and reviewer for numerous peer-reviewed journals.

Awards

Award Title: Vector genomic surveillance zones in Cameroon; Funding Body: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (INV-047164) Period of Investment: 2022-2024; Role: Principal Investigator.

Award Title: Antibiotic Resistance of Enterobacterales in Central Africa: a One Health approach (AREA-One); Funding Body: French Institute of Research for Sustainable Development (IRD), France; Period of Investment: 2022-2024; Role: Principal Investigator.

Award Title: Expansion and support of SARS-CoV-2 sequencing in West and Central Africa; Funding Body: Wellcome Trust (Grant Number: 223705/Z/21/Z), United Kingdom; Period of Investment: 2021-2024; Role: Co-Investigator.

Award Title: Unveiling the population dynamics of the filarial worm Loa loa using population genetics; Funding Body: Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR), France; Period of Investment: 2022-2024; Role: Co-Investigator.

Award Title: Community Engagement for Evidence-based decisions and integrated control of tropical diseases in Cameroon; Funding Body: Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE), UAE; Period of Investment: 2022-2023; Role: Co-Investigator.

Award Title: Cell free DNA: a promising biomarker for onchocerciasis elimination mapping? Funding Body: American Leprosy Missions (ALM) and Novartis (2020 NTD Innovation Prize; Period of Investment: 2020-2021; Role: Principal Investigator (Co-grantee).