Prof Francisca Mutapi

Prof Francisca Mutapi is an award-winning global health expert empowering African scientists and policymakers to tackle infectious diseases and improve epidemic preparedness prioritising local needs and solutions. She holds a Chair in Global Health infection and Immunity at the University of Edinburgh where she is the Deputy Director of the TIBA Partnership and University of Edinburgh’s International Dean for Africa. Her research work on schistosomiasis has led to health improvements for over 50 million African children exposed to schistosomiasis. She is helping shape global health research and training directly through her own research, as a thought leader and through independent advisory board membership. She sits on various funding, scientific, technical and strategic advisory boards including the WHO Africa Regional Director’s Advisory Board, the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Science Advisory Group , several WHO NTD committees and is the vice chair of the Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases board. She chairs the WHO African Region Monitoring COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness (AFRO-MoVE) network strategic advisory group. In 2024 she was invited to join the WHO Steering Group working on developing a blueprint for NTD research and development as well as the African Union working group developing a costed roadmap for the AU’s domestic health financing strategic plan. She is a 2021 TED Fellow, 2024 Aspen Advanced Global Innovators Fellow as well as a fellow of the Zimbabwe Science Academy, Royal Society of Edinburgh and African Academy of Sciences.