"I want to be among people who will help…."

The world has celebrated the international Day of women and girls in science the 11th of February. In this occasion, the women researchers of the MARCAD program have shared their passion for science.
Oumou Kalsom GUEYE, PhD fellow, is one of them. The Senegalese young researcher started her career as a student at the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar (UCAD) where she obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and a master’s degree in Medical Entomology with specific focus on malaria.
Being a researcher was a strategy for Oumou to continue doing what she has always like.

‘’I have always been passionate by medicine but unfortunately, I am afraid by hospitals; so, to stay in the health field I choose to do research that can help in the fight against diseases’ ‘she explained.
Oumou Kalsom chose to investigate on malaria. She considers that Malaria is among the most deadly diseases in their country (Senegal) and participating in malaria elimination is for her a way to contribute in the improvement of the health system in her country ‘’ I want to be among people who will help the NMCP, (national program of malaria control ’she said.
The MARCAD PhD fellow has focused in her thesis on the control of malaria vectors which are showing an increasing resistance to most available insecticides; and in the understanding of the speciation between 2 major malaria vectors Anopheles coluzzii and Anopheles gambiae in Senegal.
‘’ we know that malaria vectors are resistant to almost all classes of insecticide used for their control, so we have to resort to other alternatives of control like the genetics’ ‘told Oumou.
She is convinced that her research thematic will allow a better understanding of the vectors biology and their genetic structuration; therefore this will help for a change of classic chemical control by the genetic.
After her PhD Oumou Kalsom plans to strengthen her knowledge through a Post-Doc position, to become an independent researcher and then to contribute in malaria elimination fight worldwide.