Towards improved monitoring of human soil-transmitted helminthiases by serology: Adapting a proven veterinary diagnostic test to human medicine
PhD candidate: Medebo, Daniel Dana
CurriculumMr. Daniel Dana was born on the 28th of July 1982, in Wolayta (Ethiopia). In 2002, Daniel obtained his Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology. After working as Technical Assistant in Jimma University, Daniel continued his education at Jimma University, and obtained a BSc in Medical Laboratory Technology in 2008, and an MSc in Medical Parasitology in 2012. Daniel has been involved in many international and national researches and trainings related to infectious diseases including but not limited to soil-transmitted helminths (STHs). In 2016, he was granted a BOF PhD Fellowship during which he aimed to adapt serological diagnostic tests of veterinary importance into human medicine in order to improve monitoring and evaluation of large-scale deworming programs. Daniel has (co-)authored more than 20 papers.
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Bruno Levecke, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University - Prof. Dr. Peter Geldhof, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University - Prof. Dr. Zeleke Mekonnen, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Ethiopia
Soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH; caused by the intestinal worms Ascaris, Trichuris and hookworm) is one of the most important neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) that are to be controlled through mass drug administration (MDA). Diagnostics play a critical role in these large-scale deworming programs targeting STHs. It is not only crucial to determine where and how MDA should be initiated, but also important both to guide program managers whether scaling-down of MDA is justified and to measure progress towards the ambitious targets set by WHO. Moreover, there is a growing interest to move from a merely morbidity target towards a disease transmission break, which further underscores the need for improved diagnostic methods to avoid prematurely stopping of MDA and to ensure the detection of any recrudescence of infections. Therefore, the general aim of this doctoral thesis was to evaluate in-house serology-based diagnostics, which were initially developed to measure exposure to Ascaris in pigs, in a human population in Jimma Town, Oromia Region (Ethiopia).
Date: Thursday 2 March 2023, 17:00
Location: Diergeneeskunde AUD D, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke
If you would like to attend, please register by sending an e-mail to Isabelle.Despeghel@ugent.be.