Francisca Mutapi
Occupation(s)Professor in Global Health Infection and Immunity
SpouseMark Woolhouse[1]
Academic background
EducationUniversity of Zimbabwe
University of Oxford
Academic work
DisciplineParasitology
Immunology
InstitutionsUniversity of Edinburgh

Francisca Mutapi is a Professor in Global Health Infection and Immunity, co-Director of the Global Health Academy at the University of Edinburgh, and Deputy Director of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Global Health Research Unit Tackling Infections to Benefit Africa.[2] She is the first black woman known to have been awarded a professorship by the University of Edinburgh.[3]

Early life and education

Mutapi was born in and grew up in Zimbabwe.[4] She gained her undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences in 1991 from the University of Zimbabwe, winning the BSc programs student award and the best BSc Honours student award in Biological Sciences.[5] She gained a DPhil in Biological Sciences at the University of Oxford, as a Beit Trust Scholar.[4] She is an alumnus of Linacre College, Oxford.[6]

Career

The life cycle of bilharzia (Schistosomiasis)

After completing her PhD, Mutapi's postdoctoral training was at the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp from 1997 to 1999. She went on to lectureships at St Hilda's College, Oxford and in the Department of Zoology, University of Oxford.[4] She has also worked in the Department of Microbiology at Birkbeck College and the Department of Clinical Veterinary Studies at the University of Glasgow.[7]

In 2002 Mutapi joined the University of Edinburgh on a Medical Research Council Training Fellowship.[5] As Reader in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Mutapi's research was in global health and tropical diseases, specialising particularly in the study of schistosomiasis/bilharzia, a disease caused by a parasitic worm which develops in snails.[7] Her work contributed to the prioritisation of bilharzia as a public health concern by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and pharmaceutical company Merck KgaA.[7]

In 2012 Mutapi was one of the founding members of the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Young Academy.[8] She was elected a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences in 2015[8] and is a Fellow of the Zimbabwe Academy of Sciences.[9]

Mutapi is currently Professor in Global Health Infection and Immunity, and she is co-Director of the Global Health Academy at the University of Edinburgh.[9] Mutapi is also Deputy Director of the NIHR Global Health Research Unit TIBA (Tackling Infections to Benefit Africa), which takes a holistic approach to implementing research into evidence-based policies in African countries, taking into account science, technological challenges, and socioeconomics.[10]

In 2018 Mutapi was awarded the University of Edinburgh's Chancellor’s Award for Impact in recognition of her work on the treatment for bilharzia.[11] The next year Mutapi was made a member of the advisory board for the UK Global Challenges Research Fund.[12]

In addition to her scientific work Mutapi is a painter, using funds from her work to support education in Zimbabwe.[3][13]

Research

Mutapi's lab at the University of Edinburgh, the Parasite Immuno-epidemiology Group, researches immune responses to helminths within individuals and across populations primarily in Africa.[14]

Additionally her research has a focus on developing a formulation of praziquantel, the only drug effective against schistosomiasis infection, for children.[10] Currently the drug is a large pill which children in high-risk areas struggle and are often reluctant to take.

Currently there are no available vaccines for infections by helminth worms including bilharzia. Mutapi is pioneering proteomics approaches to develop new vaccine candidates for these parasites. This involves the use of mass spectrometry find parasite antigens (proteins which activate an adaptive immune response) which are ingredients for effective vaccines.[14]

In poorer regions of Africa coinfection by multiple different pathogens is a common occurrence. Mutapi has pioneered research into many examples of this, such as malaria and schistosomiasis coinfections, and infections by multiple different malaria species.[15]

Personal life

Mutapi is married to Mark Woolhouse, professor of infectious disease epidemiology. Together they have a daughter.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Man cleared in ‘go home’ race row on Lismore, The Oban Times
  2. ↑ "Francisca Mutapi". Uniting to Combat NTDs. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
  3. 1 2 "Linacre College Oxford News Autumn 2017, Issue 52". Linacre College, Oxford. Retrieved 2018-11-09.
  4. 1 2 3 "Member Spotlight for Dr. Francisca Mutapi | Connecting our members with evidence and expertise". www.ghdonline.org. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  5. 1 2 "Prof Francisca Mutapi | Parasite Immuno-epidemiology Group". pig.bio.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  6. ↑ "Alumna awarded Professorship at University of Edinburgh | Linacre College". www.linacre.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  7. 1 2 3 Media, MTC. "Science Scotland". www.sciencescotland.org. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  8. 1 2 "Future Africa". www.futureafrica.science. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  9. 1 2 "WHO Guideline Development Group proposal. Guidelines for implementation of control and elimination of schistosomiasis and verification of interruption of transmission". World Health Organization. Archived from the original on September 17, 2018. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  10. 1 2 "The African-led TIBA partnership: tackling neglected diseases | Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium". www.pediatricpraziquantelconsortium.org. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  11. ↑ "Professor Francisca Mutapi awarded Chancellor's Award for Impact". The University of Edinburgh. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  12. ↑ "Strategic Advisory Group - UK Research and Innovation". www.ukri.org. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  13. ↑ "Artists and Illustrators: Francisca Mutapi". www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-11-09.
  14. 1 2 "Parasite Immuno-epidemiology Group Research". pig.bio.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  15. ↑ Osakunor, Derick Nii Mensah; Sengeh, David Moinina; Mutapi, Francisca (2018-09-20). "Coinfections and comorbidities in African health systems: At the interface of infectious and noninfectious diseases". PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 12 (9): e0006711. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0006711. ISSN 1935-2735. PMC 6147336. PMID 30235205.
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