PhD Light Review

I started my PhD programme in July 2015, as part of an EU Innovative Training Network called Euroleish, hosted at ITM. Having been a field humanitarian doctor working with Médécins sans Frontières for many years, the opportunity to come back to ITM (after having done my MPH there in 2010), to work along the best scientists in the field (in this case for leishmaniasis, a neglected disease) really excited me. I never really imagined myself to be an academic, but the PhD programme was designed to really enhance the skills and rigor to be an ‘independent researcher’, while also providing strong support network through mentors and cross-learning between different PhD projects. The PhD helped me to plan my research from A to Z, design the proposals, work with international partners, all essential components of a career in science.

I really appreciated the dedication of my PhD promoter (late Prof Marleen Boelaert), who was unrivaled in her commitment and kindness. What stood out for me during the years was the opportunity of networking and collaboration, within ITM departments and beyond. ITM annually organises various trainings for doctoral candidates and PhD days, which are great platforms to connect and help to not feel alone in your PhD journey!

I defended in 2019 in University of Barcelona, and never regret the hardship of that four years. Having done a PhD has enabled me to widen my horizon and possibilities in my career – which is a real advantage in the increasingly complex landscape of global health. With the PhD degree and after some post-doctoral experience, I feel well-equipped to tackle challenges and do my job as Operational Research Advisor at MSF with confidence and grace, thanks to ITM!

I first came to the ITM in 2006 for my Masters as part the Interuniversity Programme in Molecular Biology (IPMB) in collaboration with Vrije Universiteit Brussel, KU Leuven and the University of Antwerp. My project in the Immunology Laboratory studying HIV transmission amongst couples in Dakar, Senegal equipped me with fundamental basic science and phylogenetic analysis experience. It was from this work that I published my first peer-reviewed paper. This project exposed me to clinical epidemiology and was the reason why I ended up in public health, curious to understand more about the people behind the lab samples we worked on. 

Four years later, I was back to the Virology Laboratory at ITM for my PhD in Biomedical Sciences in collaboration with the University of Antwerp. I gained deep technical expertise in basic science; came to understand what it means to be part of a properly functional graduate education system; got exposure to world-class laboratory facilities; benefitted from brilliant supervisors and colleagues to sharpen my critical thinking capacity; grew as an all-round scientist. I also took short courses offered in science communication, scientific writing, leadership among others; enjoyed a balanced study-social life as ITM organized activities to socially immerse us in the Belgian society; gained a truly global network of collaborators that I am connected to until now and importantly; made life-long friends some of whom have even visited me in Kenya! 

I like the analogy that views career development as a toolbox from which we draw to effectively to our jobs. ITM filled my toolbox with critical and diverse tools that I have drawn from in my roles as a research scientist, a public health practitioner, an international development servant and now as part of a philanthropy impacting the Global Health Research & Innovation ecosystem in Africa and beyond. 

ITM’s mission to “promote the advancement of science and health for all” provides the perfect opportunity for me to combine my love of scientific research with my passion for (tropical) infectious diseases.

Before coming to Belgium, I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Madagascar where my time in local clinics and hospitals shaped my perspective on global health and inspired me to continue my career in malaria research. After completing my master’s thesis research at ITM in the Malariology Unit in 2019, I knew this was also where I wanted to pursue my PhD. I started my PhD track in 2021.

ITM provides a unique setting to do doctoral research because it encompasses a travel clinic, academic studies, and scientific research all as integral parts of the same institute – something I have yet to find elsewhere during my 7 years living abroad. This ideal combination allows for high-quality, innovative research and extensive and meaningful international partnerships without losing sight of the importance of our goal to better the health and lives of those communities most-affected by tropical diseases.

Over the past few years, ITM has provided me field research opportunities, grown my scientific network, and shaped me in ways I never dreamed possible. By the end of my PhD at ITM, I know that the connections I have made, the mentoring I have received, and skills that I have learned, will have prepared me to succeed in a scientific career, whether that is in Belgium or around the world.