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Three new co-directors have been appointed for the Malaria Centre at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).

Clinical Associate Professor Dr Bhargavi Rao and Associate Professor Dr Michael Delves, both from LSHTM, and postdoctoral researcher Dr Eniyou Cheryll Oriero, from the Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia (MRCG), will work together to lead the Malaria Centre for the next 3 years.

The new leadership will take over from Professor Jackie Cook and Dr Sam Wassmer, who have led the Malaria Centre as co-directors for the past three years - broadening membership diversity, fostering collaborations and enhancing the active research environment of the Centre both internally and externally.

Dr Rao joined LSHTM in 2021 following over a decade at Médecins Sans Frontières, where she led the emerging and infectious diseases portfolio. She also serves as Co-Programme Director of the Distance Learning Health in Humanitarian Crises course.

Dr Rao said: “I’m excited to build on the brilliant leadership of Sam and Jackie of the Malaria Centre, and to work with Michael and Eniyou to harness the diversity of the Centre’s membership and varying workstreams.

“I am not a traditional academic and so I look forward to bringing some of my operational and implementation experience to LSHTM to foster new collaborations and opportunities.”

Dr Oriero   will be the first Centre co-director based at the MRC Unit The Gambia.  She joins the team with a wealth of experience in malaria molecular diagnostics and genomic epidemiology, and she currently drives several malaria genomic ������ýӰ�� projects at the MRC Unit The Gambia.

She said: “Having a co-director outside LSHTM highlights the Centre’s key principle of embracing diversity, inclusivity and inspiring change. I look forward to promoting this agenda as the first Malaria Centre co-director outside LSHTM”.

Dr Delves joined LSHTM in 2018 and focuses on Plasmodium falciparum transmission cell biology and the discovery of new interventions to block malaria spread. In 2021, he was awarded the MRC Career Development Award Fellowship.

He said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to support students, researchers and clinicians at LSHTM in our combined goal to accelerate the progress in our fight against malaria. I hope that I can use my co-director position to better connect members and encourage new opportunities for working together.”