Shaping science: IDRC grantee recognized for infectious disease research
Dr. Placide Mbala, an IDRC research partner, has been recognized by the international journal Nature for his groundbreaking work on mpox. He is one of the 2024 Nature’s 10, a feature that recognizes key developments in science over the past year and tells the stories of some of the people behind them.
Mbala, an epidemiologist at the Institut National de la Recherche Biomédicale in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has been instrumental in tackling the deadly mpox outbreak that spread across Central Africa earlier in 2024, claiming hundreds of lives. His pioneering, innovative research revealed a new strain of the virus, capable of human-to-human transmission, and provided vital insights that have since shaped global response strategies.
Mbala’s remarkable contributions include:
- identifying a new mpox strain and its transmission patterns, facilitating timely containment efforts
- advocating for equitable access to vaccines and therapeutics in African nations
- leading collaborative efforts to engage local communities and protect vulnerable populations
- advancing global understanding of the spread of mpox through innovative genomic analysis
This is also a success story of African and Canadian research collaboration. IDRC and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research jointly fund one of Mbala’s research projects, Enhancing surveillance and detection of mpox across Africa. Teams of researchers in nine African countries and five Canadian provinces are collecting, analyzing and delivering evidence on mpox risks and vaccine and therapeutic effectiveness to public health officials, policymakers and impacted communities.
Mbala’s work highlights the importance of science in addressing public health crises. His commitment to ending the “scientific amnesia” surrounding neglected diseases like mpox is an inspiration. His leadership extends beyond research — mobilizing response efforts, fostering international collaboration and championing equity in global health.
Read the full Nature news feature here.