MARCAD Plus Showcased Scientific Leadership at ASTMH 2025 Annual Meeting in Toronto

As in previous editions, the Malaria and NTDs Research Capacity Development (MARCAD Plus) programme once again made a significant contribution at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) 2025 Annual Meeting, held from November 9–13 in Toronto, Canada, under the theme “United in Science for Global Health.”

The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) Annual Meeting is one of the leading global gatherings. The five-day ASTMH conference featured plenary sessions, scientific and clinical presentations, e-poster sessions, and an exhibit hall showcasing the latest innovations, tools, and services driving progress in global health.

Led by its Director, Prof. Oumar Gaye, the MARCAD Plus team joined leading scientists, policymakers, global health partners and health professionals to share insights from its fellows’ ongoing work on malaria and NTDs elimination and contribute to shaping the future of disease prevention and control.

MARCAD Plus postdoctoral researchers, PhD fellows and MARCAD alumni showcased their posters, shared their research results, and contributed to the collective knowledge of the ASTMH scientific community.

• Dr Fatimata Bintou Sall, a postdoctoral fellow, presented the results of her research on “Barriers and Facilitators to Intermittent Preventive Treatment in Pregnancy Uptake in the Health District of Kédougou, Senegal.”
• Dr Koba Privat Agniwo, a postdoctoral fellow, shared his research on "Study of Schistosome genomic factors associated with the decline in praziquantel efficacy in Mali"
• MARCAD alumni Dr Ousmane Sy presented his research findings on “Spatiotemporal analysis of Anopheles gambiae s.l. larval sites and malaria transmission in Djilakh, a hotspot village in central Senegal.”
• Pape Cheikh Sarr, a PhD fellow, presented his research on « Insecticide resistance mechanism and the future of vector control in Senegal’s malaria hotspot areas »

 Prof Wilfred Mbacham, Prof Umberto D'Alessandro and Prof Charles Wondji also attended the meeting.

This engagement reflected MARCAD Plus’s commitment to contributing to evidence-based research that informs the public about the programme fellows’ ongoing work on malaria and NTDs across West and Central Africa.

The ASTMH Meeting offered MARCAD Plus fellows an invaluable platform to present their research findings and field experiences, gain insights from emerging scientific breakthroughs, and foster collaborations with international research institutions. the meeting also provided an opportunity to explore innovative tools and strategies aimed at improving population health.