The award recognises Professor Kamgno’s significant contribution to the fight against neglected tropical diseases
Dr Joseph Kamgno
Joseph Kamgo, professor at Yaounde University in Cameroon and member of the Data and Safety Monitoring Board of STOP’s clinical trial, has been awarded the Cristophe Mérieux Award 2022 for his significant contribution to the fight against neglected tropical diseases in Africa. His work has allowed to map the distribution of different NTDs in Africa, to understand the role of the Loa loa parasite in severe side effects of ivermectin treatment, and to develop a new “Test and Not Treat” strategy against onchocerciasis in regions where loiasis also prevalent. This strategy is based on the LoaScope, a diagnostic test that allows the rapid detection of the Loa loa parasite in blood.
In 2005, Kamngo launched the Research Center on Filariasis and other Tropical Diseases (CRFilMT), and has been its director ever since.
Since 2007, the Christophe Merieux Foundation’s Award recognises research on infectious diseases in developing countries.
Other members of the STOP DSMB are Davidd Addiss (Task Force for Global Health) and Menno Smit (Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine).