Institute of Tropical Medicine
Global Science for Health Worldwide
Tropical diseases, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and inadequate health care affect the lives of billions of people worldwide.
Established in 1906, the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) in Antwerp (Belgium) strives for the advancement of science and health for all, through innovative research, advanced education, professional medical services and capacity sharing with partner institutions in Africa, Asia and Latin America. We aim to reduce the impact of diseases and health issues on populations globally.
For us, scientific excellence and societal impact are two sides of the same coin.
Highlights
Apply to our postgraduate certificates
The deadline for our English postgraduate certificate programmes is approaching fast!
Are you ready to make a difference in global health? Explore our programmes and apply now to take the next step in your professional journey!
Read our annual report
The Institute was thriving in 2024. Discover our highlights in our newly published annual report.
Podcast season 3 out now!
Listen to The Road to Zero, the third season of our award-winning podcast Transmission, on your favourite podcast platform! 🎧
News
All news-
A discreet, reliable and simple alternative to testing at the doctor's -
In May 2025, the ITM SIMBLE team visited CNHU-HKM in Cotonou and Boko Hospital in Benin for the last time.
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We welcomed two guest lecturers to our French-language Challenges in International Health course.
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A conversation with Marleen Boelaert Scholarship grantee Faradiba Faradiba (Indonesia) and Professor Raffaella Ravinetto (ITM)
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Articles
Quiet waters run deep
ITM has launched a campaign to highlight its heritage. -
Interview with Dr Peter Macharia, a spatial epidemiologist from Kenya
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ITM once again looks back on a successful edition of the Nerdland Festival!
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Better diagnosis thanks to improved stool analysis
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Opinion pieces
The global health predicament after the US funding cuts
Is global health security worth 0.01% of our GDP? -
Meet Malgorzata Domagalska, head of ITM’s new Unit of Experimental Parasitology—but she prefers to go by Gosia. In this interview, she shares insights into her research on neglected tropical diseases and how highly adaptable parasites complicate treatment efforts.
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Press releases
The mosquito season has begun
The tiger mosquito is spreading in Belgium, citizens at the heart of surveillance. -
Press releases
International collective action is required to address global health security threats
The Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria should step up efforts. -
From 18 till 20 March 2025, the SIMBLE team visited the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Yalgado Ouédraogo (CHU-YO) in Burkina Faso for the end of study visit.
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Impact stories
"I realised that I could not help as many people as I wanted by sitting behind a desk in a hospital"
Insights from Dr Moïse Saa Denah Tenkiano, Romain De Cock scholarship grantee 2024-2025 -
Dr Saleh Aljadeeah shares compelling insights into his research on access to essential medicines in conflict-affected areas of Northern Syria.
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Interview with Joachim Mariën, Professor of Virus Ecology
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Articles
The Road to Zero
The Institute of Tropical Medicine launches new season of science podcast ‘Transmission’ -
Are we ready to combat mosquito-borne diseases? An account of the 12th International EMCA Conference, co-organised by our Unit of Entomology and hosted at ITM from 25-28 March 2025.
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Press releases
Avoid travel stress, plan your vaccinations in advance
Long waiting times expected at travel clinics from April. -
Articles
Let’s Kink Responsibly!
Raising awareness on sexual health and mental well-being at Darklands Festival -
Articles
The story of the Clevers sisters
On International Women’s Day, we honour the determination of Jeanne and Marguerite Clevers in the empowerment of women in science and medicine. -
Exotic mosquitoes, such as the Asian tiger mosquito, are on the rise in Belgium. How can we halt their spread? An interview with Entomologist Dr Wim Van Bortel.
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The suspension of USAID funding for the DHS Program halts vital health data collection and archiving, undermining global health monitoring and policymaking. Urgent action is needed to restore funding and prevent the loss of critical data, say researchers in a commentary published in BMC Medicine.
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The RETAMA project trains scientists and health professionals in research ethics to enhance the quality and accountability of health sciences research in Latin America.
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Press releases
Mpox incidence nearly quadruples in 14 years
Discontinuation of smallpox vaccine made populations susceptible to mpox. -
From 20 to 23 January, a blood culture sampling training session was organised at CHU-YO in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, as part of the SIMBLE project.
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Press releases
Honouring the legacy of tuberculosis pioneer Armand Van Deun with Room Van Deun and scholarship
ITM is commemorating the legacy of Armand Van Deun (1953–2023), a visionary researcher and teacher, by naming a room after him and launching a new scholarship programme: the Armand Van Deun Scholarship Initiative. -
The EDCTP-funded StrogHAT project aims to provide the first evidence needed to integrate the highly promising acoziborole into national control programmes for sleeping sickness, a disease in decline, but not yet defeated.
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Press releases
Sanctions and the right to health in post-Assad Syria
Rethinking sanctions to punish regimes and protect people -
Tunçalp brings a unique blend of expertise and vision to ITM.
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Press releases
ITM and University of the Western Cape join forces to improve medicine and vaccine safety in South Africa
Advancing public health innovation through EU-South Africa partnerships -
Opinion piece following World AIDS Day on 1 December 2024
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Press releases
Largest study of its kind reveals new insights into Clade Ib of mpox and challenges early fears
How mpox threatens pregnant women and children -
On 19 November 2024, an interactive and insightful ITM alumni meeting took place in Nagasaki.
Our clinic
We are an outpatient clinic specialised in the diagnosis, treatment and care of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, travel health and tropical medicine, and infectious diseases.
Our research
We aim to advance knowledge about tropical and infectious diseases and tackle important health challenges, with a particular focus on low-resource settings and vulnerable populations.
Our courses
We offer master's programmes, postgraduate certificate programmes and expert short courses in tropical medicine, international public health and global One Health for professionals from around the world.
Our partnerships
We work with numerous partners across three continents on institutional capacity sharing and collaboration.
Make an appointment
Consultations in our polyclinic are by appointment only. Book your appointment well in advance, as waiting times can be long in spring and summer.
Contact
You need to make an appointment at our clinic to receive medical advice, but there are a few other ways you can get in touch.
Webshop
Explore our webshop and get your hands on an ITM hoodie, notebook, pair of socks, boc 'n roll, and so much more!
All events
Search eventsITM listens, acts and commits at Antwerp Pride 2025!
Pride Village, Cockerillkaai, Antwerpen
PhD defence Jihad Snobre
Auditorium Vanden Driessche, VUB Health Campus, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels
Open Monuments Day 2025
Instituut voor Tropische Geneeskunde (ITG)