Core team
Dr. Tine Huyse
Tine Huyse, PhD, is a senior parasitologist and molecular biologist at the Royal Museum for Central Africa (AfricaMuseum) in Tervuren, Belgium, where she conducts integrative research in host–parasite relationships, phylogeography, population genetics, invasive species, and zoonotic diseases within a One Health framework.
Dr. Casim Umba Tolo
Casim Umba Tolo, PhD, is a biologist and a senior lecturer in the Department of Biology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda as well as the Director of Pharm-Biotechnology and Traditional Medicine Center (PHARMBIOTRAC), World Bank Africa Center of Excellence. He conducts interdisciplinary research on biodiversity, plant-based medicine, and ecosystem dynamics.
Prof. Grace Kagoro-Rugunda
Grace Kagoro-Rugunda, PhD, is a biologist and environmental scientist serving as Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Biology at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) in Uganda. Her research spans vertebrate ecology, natural resource management, conservation biology, and agroecology, with a strong emphasis on linking ecological science to community-based solutions for sustainability.
Dr. Viola Nilah Nyakato
Viola Nilah Nyakato, PhD, is a senior lecturer and gender/public-health researcher in the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies at Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Uganda. Her work spans maternal and adolescent health, sexual and reproductive health communication, gender equity and empowerment, and community-engaged research using participatory methods.
Dr. Joule Madinga
Joule Madinga, MD, PhD, is a senior infectious disease epidemiologist at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His work encompasses field epidemiology, disease surveillance, applied biostatistics, and integrated disease control strategies, with a focus on neglected tropical diseases such as schistosomiasis and helminth co-infections, as well as emerging infections including Ebola and COVID-19.
Dr. Patrick Mitashi
Patrick Mitashi is a medical doctor and infectious disease specialist with extensive experience in tropical medicine, epidemiology, and global health research. He holds an MD and a PhD and is a Professor at the University of Kinshasa’s (UNIKIN) Faculty of Medicine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he also leads research and teaching in tropical and parasitic diseases.
