Postgraduate research students

Vector control remains the most efficient strategy against malaria. As mosquito populations become smaller following pressures from interventions, a range of ecological changes are likely to occur, which could impede or facilitate local vector elimination. Ecological theory indicates that efforts required to eliminate populations may vary considerably depending on the levels of intra- and interspecific competition affecting population regulation. However, the relative importance of these phenomena in regulating malaria vector populations is largely unknown. This PhD project will work towards filling this knowledge gap by developing and applying cutting-edge models to a range of unique entomological surveillance data, collected over multiple years in Tanzania and other sub-Saharan African countries. Ultimately, this project focus on finding ways to improve malaria vector control

1. Petra Klepac, Jennifer L Hsieh, Camilla L Ducker, Mohamad Assoum, Mark Booth, Isabel Byrne, Sarity Dodson, Diana L Martin, C Michael R Turner, Kim R van Daalen, Bernadette Abela, Jennifer Akamboe, Fabiana Alves, Simon J Brooker, Karen Ciceri-Reynolds, Jeremy Cole, Aidan Desjardins, Chris Drakeley, Dileepa S Ediriweera, Neil M Ferguson, Albis Francesco Gabrielli, Joshua Gahir, Saurabh Jain, Mbaraka R John, Elizabeth Juma, Priya Kanayson, Kebede Deribe, Jonathan D King, Andrea M Kipingu,…, Ibrahima Socé Fall. Climate change, malaria and neglected tropical diseases: a scoping review, Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2024; trae026, https://doi.org/10.1093/trstmh/trae026  
2. Ndendya, J. Z., Leandry, L., & Kipingu, A. M. (2023). A next-generation matrix approach using Routh–Hurwitz criterion and quadratic Lyapunov function for modelling animal rabies with infective immigrants.Healthcare Analytics, 4, 100260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.health.2023.100260  

• Dr Mafalda Viana
• Dr Paul Johnson

Awards 2021-24

1. 2023 - Winner, of poster competition during the 2023 Pan-African Mosquito Control Association (PAMCA) annual conference and exhibitions held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
2. 2023 - Co-chair, of the scientific session entitled, ‘Mosquitoes: Epidemiology and Vector Control II’ at the American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (ASTMH) in Chicago, United States of America.
3. 2023 - Travel award by Pan-African Mosquito Control Association (PAMCA), Nairobi, Kenya.
4. 2023 - Graduate School Conference Support Funding 2023/2024, College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Science, University of Glasgow, UK.
5. 2021 - Scholarship for the 13rd Annual Summer Institute in Statistics and Modeling in Infectious Diseases (SISMID) at the School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.

1. October 12th-22nd, 2023 - American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene (ASTMH) in Chicago, USA.
2. September 17th-22nd, 2023 - Pan-African Mosquito Control Association (PAMCA) Annual Conference & Exhibition, Addis Ababa,  Ethiopia
3. May 22nd-24th, 2023 - Gates F Institute for Disease Modelling (IDM) symposium in the United States of America
4. February 24th-25th, 2022 - Central Botswana Mathematics and Statistical Sciences Conference II (Virtual), Department of Mathematics and Statistical Sciences, Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST), Palapye, Botswana
5. September 26th-28th, 2022 - 8th edition of the Pan-African Mosquito Control Association (PAMCA) Annual Conference & Exhibition, Kigali Rwanda. 
6. October 30th - November 3rd, 2022 - American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene  (ASTMH) 2022 Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, USA.
7. July 7th-21st, 2021 - The 13th Annual Summer Institute in Statistics and Modeling in Infectious Diseases (SISMID) at the School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America, USA
8. May 24th, 2022 - Introduction to History Matching with Emulation using the R-package “hmer” workshop hosted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), Keppel Street, London.

1. March 2024 - Current: Graduate Teaching Assistant, School of Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
2. October 2023 - Current: Graduate Teaching Assistant, School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
3. September 2017 – August 2018 & July 2019 – October 2020: Teaching Advanced Mathematics and Computer Studies at Rosmini Secondary School, Tanga, Tanzania
4. August 2018 – June 2019: Teaching and mentoring Junior and Senior level students at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Kigali Rwanda
5. July – September 2015 & 2016: Teaching Advanced Mathematics at Galanos Secondary School, Tanga, Tanzania
6. September – October 2015: Teaching Basic Mathematics at Daluni Secondary School, Tanga Tanzania

I am also working as a Research Scientist collaborator at the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) in Tanzania, where I have a keen interest in Mathematics, Statistics, Data Science, Climate change, and Disease m. At IHI, I am part of a team that is dedicated to developing a group of data scientists and mathematical modellers to support National Malaria Control Programs. My responsibilities at IHI include providing data management, analysis, and modelling support for various national disease programs aimed at addressing climate change and vector-borne diseases. I am actively involved in advancing the field of data science and mathematical modelling in Tanzania. Furthermore, I have contributed to the World Health Organization's scoping review on climate change, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases for the COP28 report. My data science and modelling skills play a critical role in advancing data systems and mathematical models to develop data-driven solutions in Tanzania and across sub-Saharan Africa.