Swiss TPH Annual Report 2023

PREFACE

“Important

milestones reached in drug development for povertyrelated diseases”

What a special year 2023 has been! Hence, I take great pleasure presenting to you the Swiss TPH Annual Report 2023 and wish you an interesting read.

Thanks to our passionate staff, enthusiastic students and amazing partners, we have remained true to our mission of improving the health and well-being of people around the globe. More than 950 staff and students from 95 nations worked tirelessly on 385 projects and programmes in 131 countries. Poised for excellence in science, education and services, and with deeply rooted partnerships, we are committed to making a difference in global health.

I am pleased to highlight breakthroughs in the area of drug development for poverty-related diseases. In May 2023, the results of the first dose-ranging, randomised, controlled trials were published in the New England Journal of Medicine showing that a single oral dose of emodepside is safe and efficacious against soil-transmitted helminth infections. Swiss TPH has since joined forces with Bayer and the Drugs for Neglected

Diseases initiative (DNDi) to further develop emodepside. In June 2023, a study published in Science showed that phenotypic screens of a class of cyanotriazoles had promising results against trypanosomes that cause Chagas disease and human African trypanosomiasis. In September 2023, Chimia featured a special issue about Swiss TPH, highlighting 30 years of research and development into new drugs for tropical diseases. Basel’s role as a hotspot for drug discovery and development was showcased, thanks to a bustling ecosystem that brings together academia, the pharmaceutical industry and startups in the life science and biotech sectors.

Important milestones were reached in December 2023, when the European Medicines Agency (EMA) issued two positive opinions for drugs to the development of which Swiss TPH has contributed over the past decade. The first drug is arpraziquantel, a treatment for schistosomiasis in preschool-aged children. Facilitated by the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium, arpraziquantel will help improve treatment for millions of young children infected with parasitic worms. The second drug is fexinidazole, a treatment for human African trypanosomiasis. EMA’s positive opinion is the result of a clinical trial conducted by the HAT-r-ACC Consortium, of which Swiss TPH is a member.

In the area of health system strengthening, I am proud to mention the successful completion of the Health Promotion and System Strengthening (HPSS) project in Tanzania. Funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), HPSS has played a pivotal role in strengthening the healthcare system and improving access to healthcare over the past 12 years, working hand in hand with the Tanzanian health authorities. In parallel with our global efforts, we have also

contributed to public health in Switzerland. In partnership with other actors, we have taken important steps towards conceptualising a national population-based cohort study linked to biobanks. Such longitudinal data will help to identify risk factors in order to tailor prevention, health promotion, early detection, treatment and management of chronic diseases and will support decision-makers in shaping health policies.

Last year, more than 50 MSc and PhD students completed their studies at Swiss TPH and the University of Basel, and many more from all around the world benefited from specialised postgraduate courses.

A personal highlight was a week-long visit to Tanzania in July 2023. I was accompanied by a high-level delegation from Switzerland, consisting of Eva Herzog, now President of the Swiss Council of States and President of the Swiss TPH Board of Governors, Beat Jans, now Swiss Federal Councillor, and Lutz Hegemann, President of Novartis Global Health & Sustainability and member of the Swiss TPH Board of Governors. It was a sheer pleasure to introduce these esteemed colleagues to the cutting-edge research, education and services provided at the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) and to witness the impact of our long-term partnership.

All these examples illustrate how Swiss TPH and its unique network of partners work together and make an impact along the entire value chain from innovation and validation to application (read more about our impact on pages 33 – 39).

Finally, 2023 also marked the 80th anniversary of Swiss TPH. To celebrate this milestone we opened our doors to the public on Saturday, 17 June 2023. More than 6,000 people from the region of Basel joined us for a wide-range of activities, booths, lectures, films, games, music and food. Visitors became scientists and global health experts for the day, immersing themselves in the unique spirit of Swiss TPH. Take a look at some impressions of this unforgettable day on pages 28 – 31 and read more about our rich 80-year history on pages 24 – 27.

I wholeheartedly thank each and everyone for their commitment, drive, enthusiasm and passion. It’s a privilege to work with all of you and I look forward to much more!

Prof. Dr. Jürg Utzinger Director, Swiss TPH

→ Visit to Tanzania (from left): Jürg Utzinger (Director, Swiss TPH), Honorati Masanja (Director, IHI), Eva Herzog (President of the Swiss Council of States), Frederick Masanja (Branch Leader, IHI), Christian Lengeler (Project Leader, Swiss TPH), Lutz Hegemann (President, Global Health & Sustainability, Novartis), Beat Jans (Swiss Federal Councillor), Mathias Kronig (Administrative Director, Swiss TPH), Tracy Glass (Group Leader, Swiss TPH).

→ Our Open House event was a great opportunity to engage with the local community on a range of health and research topics.

FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

“I Believe That Pharmaceutical Companies Can Do More than Providing Medicines”

Lutz Hegemann, President of Global Health & Sustainability at Novartis, has been a member of the Board of Governors of Swiss TPH since 2023. In this interview, he tells us why he moved from being a doctor to the pharmaceutical industry, how public-private partnerships can be successful in tackling neglected diseases, and how public health priorities need to change in the face of climate change.

You started your career as a public health physician and scientist. What motivated you to move to the private sector?

Lutz Hegemann: “I thoroughly enjoyed working as a physician. The difference is that as a doctor I had an impact on the life of an individual patient, whereas in the private sector one can have an impact on the lives of an entire population. My first experience in public health was in India in the late 1980s, treating patients with leprosy. At that time, it became possible to treat this stigmatising disease with a drug developed by a predecessor company of Novartis. Seeing that a patient could be treated, and the disease burden of a population could be reduced, left a lasting impression.”

At Novartis, you are President of Global Health & Sustainability. What is the focus of your team?

Lutz Hegemann: “Our aim is to make our pharmaceutical innovations accessible to as many patients as possible. In global health, we focus on neglected patients, neglected diseases, and neglected countries that are not economically attractive and therefore not part of our profit-orientated core business. We have our own research centre for tropical diseases in California, conduct clinical development and bring medicines to market in low- and middle-income countries. We

work on diseases such as malaria, leishmaniasis and dengue fever, which primarily affect poorer countries and marginalised communities.”

You have been a member of the Board of Governors of Swiss TPH for over a year. What are your impressions and how can you bring in your experience?

Lutz Hegemann: “At Novartis, we have been working with Swiss TPH for many years in the development, implementation and evaluation of health programmes. It’s therefore an honour and a pleasure to be part of the Board of Governors and to contribute my experience. The Board is very committed, collaborative and brings together many different perspectives. I’d like to bring my experience of setting up and running large global health programmes. I also want to bring in the perspectives of the private sector and of low- and middle-income countries, guided by my deep understanding from working in and serving these communities for more than two decades. It is my firm belief that pharmaceutical companies can do a lot more than just providing medicines –we can work actively in partnerships with public and private organisations to build better health systems.”

What is the importance of global partnerships in research and development (R&D)? How do they work? What is the motivation behind having these partnerships for Novartis and what challenges do you see?

Lutz Hegemann: “The challenges of our time can’t be tackled by individual countries, sectors or organisations. They can only be addressed through multi-sector partnership. You need a shared vision of what you want to achieve, and you need the complementary skills and experience of different partners. Partnerships between, for example, research institutes, political institutions in a country, local healthcare providers and the private sector can be very fruitful. They are not always easy to establish, but they are the only way to create sustainable impact. Successful partnerships require the motivation and commitment of all partners to contribute their resources and unique expertise.”

Leprosy is a neglected tropical disease. How can partnerships between the pharmaceutical industry and organisations like Swiss TPH contribute to addressing the challenges associated with leprosy treatment and elimination?

Lutz Hegemann: “Many people today are surprised that leprosy still exists. Because of my past experience with leprosy patients, the fight against the disease is close to my heart. The global prevalence of leprosy has been reduced by more than 95% in the last four decades since the introduction of multidrug therapy (MDT) and we have now reached a plateau. The challenge is to go the last mile and eliminate the disease. We know how to diagnose leprosy, we have efficacious treatments, but we need to reach the remaining patients who often live in remote places. Together with Swiss TPH and partners in Tanzania, we are planning an implementation study with the aim of treating patients as early as possible to prevent the development of irreversible deformities, and prophylactically treating contacts of leprosy patients in their environment to interrupt transmission. I have high hopes for this collaboration.”

Looking ahead, what do you envision as key priorities and opportunities for the new 4-year-strategy of Swiss TPH 2025 – 2028?

Lutz Hegemann: “The changing environment must be reflected in public health priorities. Warming temperatures, extreme weather, and

poor air quality are rapidly changing the patterns of diseases, making human health the face of climate change. Whether dengue-carrying mosquitoes in the Parisian suburbs or leishmania-infected sandflies in the southern states of the USA, the impact of climate change on global health is clear to see as such diseases continue to spread beyond traditional tropical and sub-tropical regions. Changes in climate, migration, urbanisation, ageing or mental health are macro-trends that affect health and are already reflected in many Swiss TPH projects. Swiss TPH can play an even more important role in providing data and showing other organisations how to address these global challenges.”

Do you have an example?

Lutz Hegemann: “One example is the development of new medicines. We can’t tackle tomorrow’s challenges with the tools of yesterday. In malaria, where there hasn’t been a new medicine in 25 years, drug resistance is on the rise. Novartis, together with Swiss TPH, will now start a phase III clinical trial of a new antimalarial. We need to remain focused on these neglected diseases and advocate for investment in the areas of research and development.”

What has been the most rewarding experience in your work related to improving access to healthcare, particularly in resource-constrained settings?

Lutz Hegemann: “You can’t solve global health challenges from an air-conditioned office in Basel. Spending time and being in touch with patients and our partners in these countries is important to me because you can really see the impact we are creating for these communities. The success we have achieved as a global community in leprosy, or the fact that malaria has been brought under control in large parts of the world, are changes that give me great hope after more than 25 years working in this field. But ultimately, it is not the numbers that count, but the people behind those numbers.”

Lutz Hegemann

Lutz Hegemann, M.D., Ph.D., is President of Global Health & Sustainability at Novartis. The Global Health unit focuses on transforming health in low- and middle-income countries with programmes targeting malaria, neglected tropical diseases, and non-communicable diseases. It also represents the company’s business in sub-Saharan Africa.

Prior to his current position, he has held positions of increasing responsibility since joining Novartis in 2005. He began his career as a public health physician and scientist.

Lutz is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Tropical Medicine & Hygiene and serves on the boards of different organisations. He has been a member of the Swiss TPH Board of Governors since 1 January 2023.

“I

use different genotyping methods to assess the efficacy of antimalarial drugs and monitor parasite resistance. This research provides better tools for decision-makers on whether to approve or continue using a treatment, with the ultimate aim of getting effective treatments to patients.”

Daniela Montero Salas, PhD student in Microbiology, Swiss TPH

FACTS AND FIGURES

Together with our partners, we currently work on 385 projects in 131 countries.

952

Employees at Swiss TPH

216

Employees based abroad

Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Peru

Long-term Partnerships

Swiss TPH has a long-standing collaboration with research institutes in Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, Chad, Lao PDR, Papua New Guinea and Peru, all of which have played an integral role in the history and strategic development of Swiss TPH.

≥ 10 projects

≥ 5 projects

≥ 1 project

Swiss TPH offices

385

Projects to improve people’s health and well-being

Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en d’Ivoire (CSRS)

Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire (CSRS)

736

Employees based in Allschwil/Basel

Centre de Support en Santé Internationale (CSSI), Chad

Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), Tanzania

Countries in which we work

Nations represented at Swiss TPH

Lao Tropical and Public Health Institute (Lao TPHI), Laos

Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research (PNGIMR), Papua New Guinea

Swiss TPH is a world-leading institute in global health, with a particular focus on low- and middle-income countries. By uniquely combining research, education and services, we aim to improve the health and well-being of people through a better understanding of disease and health systems and by acting on this knowledge.

Application Innovation → Validation

Discover novel diagnostics, drugs and vaccines and develop new approaches and tools

Generate evidence in the field under real-world conditions

Integrate new treatments and approaches into policy and health systems

Swiss TPH works across a value-chain, from innovation and validation to application. Innovations such as new diagnostics, drugs and vaccines or approaches and tools are rigorously validated in real-world settings and applied and integrated into health systems and policies.

The five departments at Swiss TPH work across three fields –research, education and services – to improve health globally.

Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology (MPI)

MPI studies diseases of poverty and develops diagnostics, drugs and vaccines to combat them

Epidemiology and Public Health (EPH)

EPH studies health and diseases in relation to their social, ecological and genetic determinants

Research

Improving Health

Education Services

Medicine (MED)

MED provides clinical and diagnostic services and conducts clinical research in low-resource settings

Swiss Centre for International Health (SCIH)

SCIH provides policy advice, project design and management in the area of national and global health

Education and Training (ET)

ET offers local, national and international training programmes and courses at graduate and postgraduate levels

Scientific and policy advice

Our employees are members of various expert bodies and provide advice to boards and committees. For example, we advise Swiss federal commissions and international organisations such as the WHO on evidence-based health policy.

More information about our memberships can be found on our website: → www.swisstph.ch/en/about/memberships

Scientific output: 472 peer-reviewed publications spanning topics such as infectious diseases and public, environmental and occupational health, to immunology and microbiology.

Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

Infectious Diseases

Environmental Sciences & Ecology

Parasitology

Tropical Medicine

General & Internal Medicine

Science & Technology

Healthcare Sciences & Services

Microbiology

Pharmacology & Pharmacy

Immunology

Chemistry

Research & Experimental Medicine

Other Topics

Distribution of “research areas” of Swiss TPH publications in 2023 according to Web of Science (accessed: May 2024)

Contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provides a compass to tackle the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate and health.

Swiss TPH is committed to the achievement of the SDGs, placing particular emphasis on SDG 3 “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages” and Universal Health Coverage (UHC). With our research projects and service mandates, we contribute to 14 of the 17 SDGs.

IN RETROSPECT

JANUARY

→ The cost for prevention and preparedness are a fraction of the cost used to recover from a pandemic like COVID-19.

FEBRUARY

Mental Health Distress Increased for Zambian Mothers During the COVID-19 Pandemic A study by Swiss TPH and partners found that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in mental health concerns among mothers in Zambia: the share of women in distress increased from 22.5% before the pandemic to 26.1% after the infection waves. The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One, highlights the need for public health interventions for vulnerable groups in low-resource settings.

→

Experts Call for Enhanced Cooperation Between Human, Animal and Environmental Health The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed weaknesses in the world’s global health security networks. The authors of a series published in The Lancet argued that a global “One Health” approach is crucial for preventing, monitoring and responding to future public health emergencies. Swiss TPH contributed to this series with its longstanding expertise in “One Health”, driven by Jakob Zinsstag, a “One Health” pioneer who received a merit award from the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) in recognition of his integrated approaches to human, animal and environmental health and well-being.

→ First study on impact of COVID-19 on maternal mental health in low- and middle-income countries.

Swiss TPH Symposium on Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) CDSS are digital tools that help healthcare providers deliver evidencebased care. The rapid development of CDSS and other digital health interventions over the last decade has brought significant advances but also challenges for users and other stakeholders. Swiss TPH’s hybrid symposium brought together global experts and key drivers of CDSS development to share learnings and expertise.

CDSS can improve the quality of care in resourceconstrained settings.

MARCH

Swiss TPH Symposium on Tuberculosis: A Call to Action More than 10 million people fall sick with tuberculosis (TB) every year. In recent years, efforts and funding to fight TB were overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Swiss TPH held a 2-day symposium to share the latest findings in TB research, raise public awareness and drive policy change. Scientists, experts and decision-makers met to discuss findings and ideas to spark the global efforts to eliminate TB as a public health problem by 2030.

APRIL

New Midwife Care Model Improves Well-Being of Vulnerable Families A new home-based midwife care model has shown promise in improving the well-being of women in vulnerable family situations and preventing early chronic childhood stress according to a new study published in BMC Health Services Research. The new model of care resulted from a partnership between Swiss TPH and Familystart in Basel, Switzerland.

MAY

→

Transportation Noise Increases Risk for Suicides Mental health disorders affect nearly one billion people worldwide and are a leading cause of suicide. A study by Swiss TPH, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, finds that in Switzerland the risk of committing suicide increases for people exposed to high levels of transportation noise.

→

New Treatment for Human Parasitic Worm Infections Shows High Efficacy Researchers at Swiss TPH tested the efficacy and safety of emodepside against soil-transmitted helminth infections on Pemba Island in Tanzania. A single dose of emodepside showed high activity against Trichuris trichiura and hookworm infection. Emodepside is the first new promising drug against parasitic worm infections for many years.

The new home-based midwife model could be applied to all Swiss cantons.

Swiss TPH joins forces with Bayer to further develop emodepside.

→ First study on the association of transportation noise with suicide in Switzerland.

→ Tuberculosis remains one of the world’s biggest killers with 1.6 million annual deaths.

Swiss TPH Celebrates Its 80 th Anniversary About 6,000 visitors gathered at the new Swiss TPH headquarters in Allschwil, near Basel, for the Open House event, which coincided with the institute’s 80th anniversary celebrations. With lectures, activities and games, scientists and experts showed visitors of all ages how Swiss TPH conducts research and improves health worldwide. A historical exhibition traced the institute’s evolution from the Basel “Tropeli” to becoming the largest public health institute in Switzerland. See also pages: 28 – 31.

Visit of Ukrainian Delegation to Swiss TPH A delegation from the Ukrainian Ministry of Health and several universities were welcomed at Swiss TPH as part of a study tour to Switzerland, organised in the frame of the Medical Education Development (MED) project. The visit aimed to exchange views on practice-oriented medical education and the concept of university hospitals. Swiss TPH has worked with Ukraine to improve the country’s health system since the 1990s, and continues to support Ukraine in maintaining public health during the war.

New Compounds Show Promise in Transforming Treatment of Parasitic Diseases A drug discovery consortium led by Swiss TPH, the University of Glasgow and Novartis identified a new class of compounds called cyanotriazoles that have the potential to effectively inhibit the growth of trypanosomes, the parasites responsible for Chagas disease and African sleeping sickness. The results, published in Science, demonstrate that the compounds show no toxicity to human cells, raising hopes for the development of new and improved treatments for neglected tropical diseases.

→ Swiss TPH welcomed a Ukrainian delegation in Allschwil as part of the MED project.

→ Thousands of visitors attended the Swiss TPH Open House in June.

→ Scientists discovered a new class of compounds to fight trypanosomes.

JULY

→ Even moderately hot temperatures, below 25°C, can lead to fatalities.

Swiss Cohort with Biobank: A Necessary Basis for Public Health Research and Long-Term Studies Public health innovations may contribute more to prolonging life than medical innovations. In a publication of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences (SAMS), Nicole Probst-Hensch, Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health and member of the SAMS Board, explained why Switzerland needs financial resources for public health research and large long-term studies with participants from the general population.

AUGUST

→ Pollen allergies are getting more frequent within our society.

Moderate Temperatures Also Cause Death –Not Only Extreme Heat Analyses by Swiss TPH showed that not only heat waves but also moderately hot temperatures contribute to heat-related fatalities. On behalf of the Swiss Federal Government, Swiss TPH monitors heat-related deaths in Switzerland on an annual basis. This monitoring provides a long-term record of the effects of climate change on health and helps to identify adaptation measures.

Pollen Allergies Are Increasing More than 20% of Switzerland’s population suffers from pollen allergies and this number is steadily increasing. Climate change is altering pollen release, resulting in earlier, longer and more intense pollen seasons. While few studies have explored health effects beyond itching and sneezing, the EPOCHAL study shows that pollen allergies are likely to have wider consequences, including effects on blood pressure, quality of life and sleep or even severe asthma attacks, strokes and heart attacks.

→ Switzerland is lacking essential data, needed for effective and foresighted planning and action.

SEPTEMBER

30

Years of R&D

Towards New Drugs for Tropical Diseases

As Swiss TPH celebrated its 80th anniversary, Jürg Utzinger, Director of Swiss TPH, and Pascal Mäser, Head of the Parasite Chemotherapy unit, reflected on the institute’s journey and delved into one notable aspect of its history: the research and development (R&D) of new drugs for tropical diseases.

OCTOBER

→ The HPSS project, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), successfully ended after 12 years.

NOVEMBER

Mobile Phone Use May Affect Semen Quality A team of researchers from the University of Geneva in collaboration with Swiss TPH has conducted the largest study to date on the effect of mobile phones on semen quality. The results, published in Fertility and Sterility, show that intensive mobile phone use is associated with a decrease in sperm concentration and total sperm count. However, no association was found between mobile phone use and sperm motility or morphology.

Long-term Partnership in Tanzania Improves Access to Healthcare The Health Promotion and System Strengthening (HPSS) project has supported the Government of Tanzania in addressing major challenges of the health system over the past 12 years. It improved access, quality and affordability of healthcare and substantially strengthened the pharmaceutical sector, health technology management and health promotion, recognising the importance of community involvement for lasting improvements.

→ Scientists examined the effect of mobile phone usage on

Marcel Tanner Awarded the Prestigious Brandenberger Prize 2023 The Director emeritus of Swiss TPH received the prestigious prize from the Dr. J. E. Brandenberger Foundation. The award honours Marcel Tanner’s decades of commitment to the health and well-being of neglected population groups around the world and to improving dialogue between science, politics and society.

→ Swiss TPH contributed significantly to R&D for new drugs over the past 30 years.

→ Marcel Tanner received the prestigious Brandenberger Prize for his decade-long engagement in global health.

semen quality.

DECEMBER

Milestone in the Fight Against Sleeping Sickness The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has adopted a positive scientific opinion of fexinidazole for the treatment of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense sleeping sickness, found in Eastern and Southern Africa. The positive opinion followed a clinical trial conducted by the HAT-r-ACC Consortium, of which Swiss TPH is a partner. This marks an important milestone in the fight against this acute and lethal form of the neglected tropical disease.

→ The infection rate of schistosomiasis (bilharzia) is particularly high among children.

Reducing Swiss TPH’s Carbon Footprint Swiss TPH is committed to becoming a more sustainable organisation. For the first time, the Sustainability Group carried out a baseline measurement of greenhouse gas emissions at Swiss TPH. By 2030, we aim to reduce our CO 2 emissions by 30%. Focusing on environmental sustainability through travel, energy efficiency, waste reduction and responsible resource management helps to minimise our carbon footprint.

→ The positive opinion by EMA is a major milestone after 30 years of research into better treatments for sleeping sickness.

EMA Recommends Arpraziquantel for Treatment of Schistosomiasis in Preschool-Aged Children Arpraziquantel, developed by the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium, received a positive scientific opinion by the EMA for the treatment of schistosomiasis in preschool-aged children. The Consortium’s work to develop, register and provide access to arpraziquantel is a tangible contribution to the elimination of schistosomiasis as a public health problem. As a member of the consortium, Swiss TPH conducted the clinical trials together with local partners.

→ Our decarbonisation policy aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030.

“Cutting-edge science is also possible in Africa.

Starting with a handful of scientists 14 years ago, we have grown into a fully fledged drug discovery and development centre. Together with partners around the world, we have made important contributions to the fight against malaria, tuberculosis and schistosomiasis.”

Kelly Chibale, Head of the Holistic Drug Discovery and Development Centre (H3D) at the University of Cape Town, South Africa and long-standing partner of Swiss TPH

INSIGHTS

Swiss TPH: Combating Neglected Tropical Diseases for 80 Years

From research to application: For 80 years, Swiss TPH has been working to validate scientific innovations in clinical trials and make them available to patients. A good example of this is the search for new treatments to combat African sleeping sickness.

New medication against African sleeping sickness

Swiss TPH can look back on a long history of research and development into new drugs against African sleeping sickness. Shortly after Swiss TPH was founded in 1943, researchers in Basel achieved a scientific coup: they managed to successfully breed the tsetse flies in their laboratories. This was later followed by the longterm in vitro cultivation of the blood stages of trypanosomes, the pathogens that cause the insidious disease.

North-South partnerships

This fundamental research was supplemented by research expeditions “in the field”. In the 1950s, Rudolf Geigy, the founder of Swiss TPH, roamed the expansive plains of East Africa to get a better understanding of how tsetse flies behave in the wild. He and his team isolated trypanosome strains and made them available to other research groups. Following the withdrawal of the European colonial powers from Africa, research organisations were set up in Uganda, Kenya and the Côte d’Ivoire, which dedicated their efforts to researching and monitoring sleeping sickness. Swiss TPH enjoyed an active research partnership with these organisations and this resulted in the founding of the “Eastern Africa Network for Trypanosomiasis” (EANETT) in the 1980s. The network focused on establishing epidemiological monitoring systems, exchanges between researchers and training new generations of African scientists.

Difficult treatment

In the 1990s, there were increased efforts to develop treatments to combat sleeping sickness. A range of critical clinical trials were also conducted in Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with the aim of improving the treatment programme. Sleeping sickness was not easy to treat. The available drugs were potentially harmful and none could cure the late stage of the disease. When Paul Ehrlich used trypanosomes in 1905 as a model for screening molecules for treating syphilis, he discovered the first organoarsenic compound atoxyl. Although the name atoxyl means “non-toxic”, the drug caused serious side effects, which primarily affected the optic nerve. Ernst Friedhelm, a Swiss chemist and medical doctor, started to search for alternative treatments. In 1948, he synthesised melarsoprol: this was to remain the standard treatment for the second stage of sleeping sickness for decades.

Improved melarsoprol programme

Researchers at Swiss TPH and their partners took an important step in improving treatment for sleeping sickness. In Kenya, they investigated the pharmacokinetics of melarsoprol. Based on these data, Swiss TPH launched the IMPAMEL programme (IMProved Application of MELarsoprol), a phase III trial with 500 participants in Angola, a country torn apart by civil war. Funding was provided by the East African section of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The goal was to reduce the duration

of treatment with melarsoprol from 25 – 36 days to 10 days. This new treatment scheme was then tested in an implementation study on over 2,000 patients suffering from late-stage sleeping sickness in 16 sites in seven African countries. It was later recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). “The reduction in the duration of the treatment with melarsoprol had major benefits for the patients,” recalls Christian Burri, Head of the Medicines Implementation Research unit at Swiss TPH, who was responsible for the clinical research. “However, we were continuing to see serious side effects in a small number of the treated patients.” The IMPAMEL study did not provide the long-awaited breakthrough in treating sleeping sickness in the second stage. However, it showed that major clinical studies that comply with the highest ethical and clinical standards are also possible in politically fragile contexts.

Effective public-private partnerships (PPPs)

At the start of the new century, there was a change in the dynamic of efforts to develop treatments to combat neglected tropical diseases. The possibility of eliminating sleeping sickness was still a long way off. Yet, there was an increasing level of awareness of the tragic extent of the disease in the world of science, business and politics. In 2003, the Drugs for Neglected Disease initiative (DNDi) was launched using funding from the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in 1999. Swiss TPH and DNDi have been working closely together ever since. The overarching goal is to revive research and development into new treatments to combat neglected tropical diseases. “We were aware that we could only solve the problems of neglected tropical diseases by getting industry and the public sector into the same boat,” recalls Marcel Tanner, Director emeritus of Swiss TPH.

→ Checking the Glossina (tsetse fly) colony in the insectarium (Swiss Tropical Institute, probably 1946).

New combinations of conventional substances

The new combination of conventional substances became particularly important in the research and development of drugs to combat neglected diseases. With the support of DNDi, MSF launched studies into the combination of eflornithine (Sanofi), nifurtimox (Bayer) and melarsoprol (Sanofi) in 2004. Eflornithine was not associated with any side effects but the substance still had its drawbacks: 55 infusions during a two-week period were necessary to cure a patient suffering from the deadly disease. The nifurti mox/eflornithine combination treatment (NECT) was able to provide some relief. Thanks to NECT studies conducted by Swiss TPH, the number of eflornithine infusions was reduced to 14 and the length of hospital stays decreased by one third. Yet this was of little help for the poorest populations, who lived far away from the nearest hospital or health centre. Only an oral form of treatment could significantly improve their living circumstances.

Fexinidazole – the first oral treatment for African sleeping sickness

In 2005, DNDi started an extensive project to test nitroimidazole and other substances against trypanosomes. One of over 800 compounds investigated at Swiss TPH in the laboratory of Reto Brun and Marcel Kaiser was fexinidazole. The substance had a good safety profile, was already known to be effective against both forms of sleeping sickness (T. b. gambiense and T. b. rhodesiense) and could be taken orally. In 2009, the promising pre-clinical results for fexinidazole resulted in a new agreement between Sanofi and DNDi on the further development of fexinida zole. Clinical studies in DRC led to a positive recommendation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for treating the West African form of sleeping sickness (T. b. gambiense) and, in 2019, it was included in the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines. This was followed in December 2023 by a positive recommendation from the EMA as treatment for the East African variant (T. b. rhodesiense) of sleeping sickness.

Acoziborole – a single oral dose against sleeping sickness Fexinidazole was very successful in treating sleeping sickness and an important part of the search to eliminate the disease. Yet, to make it even easier to treat both stages of the disease, the international research community took things one step further: acoziborole (SCYX-7158), a compound from the benzoxaborole drug class, was introduced into the DNDi research and development programme in 2007 in collaboration with Anacor, SCYNEXIS and Swiss TPH. Whereas 10 tablets are required for treatment with fexinidazole, the benefit of acoziborole is that one tablet is sufficient to combat the disease. The results of phase II and phase III studies led to the conclusion that the high efficacy and favourable safety profile of acoziborole, as well as a paediatric formulation for children under 6 years of age, could help to achieve the WHO goal of stopping the transmission of sleeping sickness by 2030

→ Bloodstream form of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense , which causes East African sleeping sickness.

African sleeping sickness: an insidious disease

For a long time, people who were infected by a tsetse fly had very little chance of survival. Trypanosoma brucei, the pathogen that causes sleeping sickness, moves into the blood vessels and multiplies rapidly. The parasites penetrate the blood brain barrier, make their way into the nervous system and cause sleep and neurological disturbances. In most cases, the infection was fatal. Science distinguishes between two different variants of African sleeping sickness: the Trypanosoma brucei gambiense subspecies is predominant in West and Central Africa, and the Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense in East Africa. The rural populations affected in sub-Saharan Africa had no access to safe and effective treatments. However, today the tide has turned. Since the turn of the century, there has been a boost in the development of drugs to combat neglected tropical diseases, also with the support of Swiss TPH.

→ Together with partners, Swiss TPH is working on treatments for patients to achieve the WHO goal of stopping the transmission of sleeping sickness by 2030.

Open House 2023 – A Peek into Swiss TPH and a Celebration of Our 80 th Anniversary

On 17 June 2023, Swiss TPH welcomed a large number of visitors to its new headquarters in Allschwil, Switzerland.

About 6,000 people from the region gathered at the BaseLink site for the Open House event, which coincided with the institute’s 80th anniversary celebrations.

The Swiss TPH Open House offered people of all ages a unique insight into the world of global health. Through lectures, activities and games, Swiss TPH scientists and experts showed visitors how the institute conducts research and improves health worldwide.

Over 40 activities offered insights into global health

Visitors had the opportunity to conduct experiments in the teaching laboratory, such as extracting the DNA of strawberries. Visitors of the “Parasite Circus” discovered parasites under the microscope and fought them in fun games. Experts at the many stands talked about how to fight infectious diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis, and the impact of environmental factors such as noise and air pollution on chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.

Two camels symbolically represented the theme of “One Health”, highlighting the interplay between humans, animals and the environment in disease prevention. A visit to the stuffed an imal hospital showed visitors how digital tools can facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of children in refugee camps.

In an interactive workshop, guests had the chance to become disease detectives by investigating a disease outbreak and fighting diseases transmitted by the deadliest animal of all: the mosquito.

Insightful lectures from top scientists and experts

A total of 20 scientific lectures on topics such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the population of Basel, the development of drugs for neglected tropical diseases, or how to maintain healthcare in war zones, allowed visitors to learn about Swiss TPH’s work and its impact globally.

New Swiss TPH headquarters

The inauguration of the new Swiss TPH headquarters “Belo Horizonte” took place on 1 April 2022. The Open House allowed the public to have a peek into the multi-functional building, designed by Basel-based architects Kunz and Mösch, which offers 725 modern workstations and 150 laboratory spaces.

→ The seminar room on the ground floor transformed into a “Parasite Circus”, allowing visitors to observe real parasites under the microscope.

→ More than 6,000 people came to the Swiss TPH Open House celebrations in June 2023.

80 years of Swiss TPH

The Open House also marked the 80 th anniversary of Swiss TPH. In the historical exhibition, visitors had the opportunity to trace the institute’s evolution from the “Tropeli” to the largest public health institute in Switzerland.

The Swiss Tropical Institute was founded 80 years ago on Socinstrasse in Basel. The institute grew continuously, and in 2009 became known as the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH).

Today, Swiss TPH is active in 131 countries with 950 staff and students. Our mission has remained the same since 1943: to improve the health of people worldwide.

Milestones in our history

1943 Foundation of Swiss TPH in Basel

1951 Inauguration of the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire (CSRS)

1957 Inauguration of the Swiss TPH “Field Laboratory” in Ifakara, Tanzania

1996 Launch of the Centre de Support en Santé Internationale (CSSI) in Chad

2009 Integration of the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM)

2022 Swiss TPH opens new headquarters “Belo Horizonte” in Allschwil

→ Watch our Open House video

→ The historic exhibition celebrated Swiss TPH’s 80th anniversary.

→ Becoming a scientist for a day: children were able to carry out experiments in the laboratory.

→ More than just a popular photo opportunity: The camels represented the “One Health” research field, which focuses on the interface between humans, animals and the environment in the prevention of diseases.

→ The Open House provided activities for everyone.

→ Music from around the world entertained the crowds at the Open House.

“I

provide care and advice to people before and after they travel. We see around 16,000 travellers a year and give them individual advice, recommended vaccinations and important health precautions. It’s rewarding to know that my efforts contribute to the health and safety of travellers.”

Véronique Sydow, Medical Doctor at Swiss TPH’s Centre for Tropical and Travel Medicine

OUR IMPACT

For 80 years, we have grown and developed our activities and strengthened partnerships around the world. Through our three strategic goals – excellence in science, taking science to impact and mutual learning for sustainable development – we commit to improving the health and wellbeing of people through a unique combination of research, education and services.

MAKINGTHE WORL D A HEALTHIERPLACE

Our mission is to make the world a healthier place. We ensure that we achieve this by continuously assessing the impact that our activities have on people and populations, reporting on the progress that we make within our strategic goals and topics and demonstrating our contri-

bution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This year, we are proud to share some highlights of the progress that we have made within our eight strategic topics which range from environment and health to statistical and mathematical modelling.

Strategic Topics

The diverse portfolio of projects, initiatives and programmes at Swiss TPH are grouped into eight strategic topics (STOs). In each STO, we work across departments and along our value chain,

STO– 1

Infection Biology and Molecular Epidemiology

Generating new insight into the biology and molecular epidemiology of poverty-related infectious diseases.

STO– 2

Diagnostics, Vector Control, Vaccines and New Drugs

Developing, validating and applying drugs, diagnostics, vaccines, vector control measures and computational tools for the improvement of global health.

STO– 3

Personalised and Digital Health

Defining markers for disease control and surveillance and conducting research using cohorts and biobanks by means of longitudinal characterisation of participants.

STO– 4

Environment and Health

Improving the health and well-being of people by addressing determinants of health in humanenvironmental systems.

from innovation and validation to application, to improve health on a global scale. The STOs reflect key emerging issues in global health and are linked to the SDGs.

STO– 5

Society and Civic Engagement

Striving for social justice in health and engaging with people in the process.

STO– 6

Health Systems and Interventions

Translating evidence and strengthening health systems and policies.

STO– 7

Mobility, Migration and Outbreak Investigation

Assessing the healthcare needs in mobile populations, internally displaced people and international refugees, while maintaining an institutional expert group for outbreak investigation.

STO– 8

Statistical and Mathematical Modelling

Generating evidence on disease and health through the development and application of computational, statistical and mathematical modelling of biological disease and epidemiological data.

STO– 1

Infection Biology and Molecular Epidemiology

New Genetic Evidence for AntiMalarial Drug Development

Plasmodium falciparum causes most of the 600,000 malaria deaths yearly. Resistance to current drugs threatens elimination efforts, highlighting the urgency for new drugs. FK506, a drug used to fight certain cancers, gained attention in malaria research due to its antiplasmodial activity. While the drug is known to target parasite protein FKBP35, genetic evidence for the essentiality of FKBP35, as well as the cellular function of this protein in malaria parasites remained elusive. Swiss TPH researchers and partners show that FKBP35 is required for ribosome homeostasis in P. falciparum and parasites with defective FKBP35 expression are killed due to a global stall in protein synthesis. They identified that FK506 exerts its antimalarial activity through FKBP35-independent mechanisms –genetic evidence that may become important for the future development of FKBP35-targeting compounds and the potential implementation of FK506 and its derivatives as antimalarial drugs.

STO– 2

Diagnostics, Vector Control, Vaccines and New Drugs

New Treatment Option for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

Swiss TPH, in collaboration with the University Hospital Basel and Bacoba AG, with funding from Innosuisse, has conducted the first in human phase I clinical trial of a novel dermal treatment (BAP5191) for cutaneous leishmaniasis. This neglected tropical skin disease causes 600,000 to 1 million cases worldwide annually. Most current drugs have unsatisfactory efficacy and safety profiles and must often be administrated systemically. The new formulation, BAP5191, may have a significantly improved safety profile. Compared to injectable or oral administration of a drug, systemic exposure is expected to be minimised when applied topically to the skin lesions. The drug could be applied at

home, enhance treatment adherence and relieve the burden on healthcare settings.

STO– 3

Personalised and Digital Health

Combating Over-Prescription of Antibiotics

Inappropriate use of antibiotics is a major factor in bacterial antimicrobial resistance, which led to 1.27 million deaths in 2019. A large-scale study by the DYNAMIC project has shown promising results: the use of the digital clinical decision-making tool ePOCT+ has led to a two- to three-fold reduction in the prescription of antibiotics in children in Tanzania and Rwanda. These results mark an important step towards curbing resistance and could encourage wider adoption of this or similar tools to help healthcare providers diagnose and treat patients. A team from Swiss TPH, Unisanté, the Ifakara Health Institute and the National Institute of Medical Research in Tanzania have developed the tool. The project is funded by the Fondation Botnar and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

STO– 4

Environment and Health

Improving Urban Public Health

Together with the Guardian and Utrecht University, Swiss TPH has created an interactive air quality map for Europe. It is based on modelling work from the EU-funded EXPANSE project, which took into account land use, traffic, satellite data, chemical transport models and meteorology to calculate PM2.5 pollution in 2019. The map shows that virtually everyone in Europe is breathing unhealthy air, highlighting the urgent need for countries to change regulations to meet WHO air quality guidelines, invest in cleaner industries and reduce carbon emissions. Swiss TPH has a long-standing expertise in investigating environmental exposures and the health effects caused by urbanisation. Since 2023, Swiss TPH hosts a new professorship in urban public health, appointed by the University of Basel. → See interactive map

3 → The digital clinical decision tool ePOCT+ guides healthcare providers on whether or not to prescribe antibiotics through the use of a tablet-based app.

4 → There is a clear divide between high levels of air pollution in eastern and southern Europe and lower levels in western and northern Europe.

STO– 1 → Malaria-infected red blood cells.

STO–

STO– 2 → Cutaneous leishmaniasis is transmitted by sand flies, which are about one-quarter the size of mosquitoes.

STO–

STO– 5 → A peer educator is conducting cervical cancer sensitisation in the Kanyama community in Lusaka, Zambia.

STO– 6 → The iCHF insurance card grants access to healthcare all over Tanzania, from dispensaries to regional hospitals.

STO– 7 → An emerging challenge that will be addressed is climate change and its impact on the health of affected populations.

STO– 8 → New study programmes in Malaria Modelling provide emerging African scientists with the opportunity to conduct research at the forefront of disease modelling.

STO– 5

Society and Civic Engagement

Reducing Health Inequities in Preventing Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women in sub-Saharan Africa. The the risk of developing the disease in women living with HIV is six times higher than in women without HIV. Swiss TPH and partners developed a framework to enhance cervical cancer screening for women living with HIV. In Zambia, a study was conducted to identify barriers and facilitators to the uptake of cervical cancer screening and treatment services. Barriers included misinformation, stigma, screening concerns or financial constraints. Facilitators included the perceived benefit of knowing one’s health status, encouragement from family and peers and transport reimbursement. The project was funded by the Swiss Programme for Research on Global Issues for Development (r4d programme) and by the National Cancer Institute, USA. → Read more

STO– 6

Health Systems and Interventions

Long-term Partnership Improves Access to Healthcare

The Health Promotion and System Strengthening (HPSS) project ended in 2023 after 12 years of developing interventions for the national health system of Tanzania. Supported by SDC and implemented by Swiss TPH and the Ministries of Health and Local Government, the project has made a lasting impact by improving access to healthcare. Key achievements include the establishment of the “improved Community Health Fund” (iCHF), which now provides affordable health insurance to four million people and covers 8,000 health facilities. The insurance management system “IMIS” developed by HPSS has since become a global public good, and is now being used in other countries. HPSS also addressed critical issues in the pharmaceutical system through the Jazia Prime Vendor System, increasing drug availability from 53% to 92%. 133,000 managers and health workers joined various trainings. Moreover, the project empowered communities and conducted

health promotion campaigns, including school health screenings for 90,000 children.

→ Read more

STO– 7

Mobility, Migration and Outbreak Investigation

Impact of Climate Change

Health equity is a focus of Swiss TPH. In research, education and services, we collaborate with partner organisations working in the field of migration health. One example is the NIIDS study, in which we have been developing novel diagnostics to improve the health of refugees and migrants. The study has been conducted in a refugee camp in Ethiopia and with migrants from the Horn of Africa in Switzerland. An emerging priority to be addressed is climate change and its impact on the health of affected populations, including mental health. Moreover, Swiss TPH continues to provide quality education in this field, e.g. with its postgraduate course “Migration and Health for People on the Move”, and PhD courses on migration health.

STO– 8

Statistical and Mathematical Modelling

Building the Next Generation of Malaria Modellers

As part of a consortium of universities, research institutions, operational partners and national malaria control programmes, Swiss TPH is contributing to the training of the next generation of malaria modellers to strengthen sustainable evidence-based health policies. The consortium is led by the African Institute for Mathematical Science (AIMS) and Swiss TPH’s role includes curriculum development for modelling, teaching and mentoring. PhD programmes have been developed and a new Master’s programme in malaria modelling has been established in Rwanda in 2023. The aim of the training is to foster collaboration between research and practice across different countries in order to contribute to the global fight against malaria.

“From investigating the link between parasitic worm infections and liver diseases in Laos, to fostering academic pro grammes, my work bridges the fields of research and education, enriching understanding and collaboration both locally and globally.”

Peter Odermatt, Epidemiologist and Head of the Bachelor-Master-Doctorate unit at Swiss TPH

COMMITTEES & DEPARTMENTS

Directorate and Board of Governors

Directorate

Directorate

Prof. Dr. Jürg Utzinger Director

Prof. Dr. Kaspar Wyss

Deputy Director

Mathias Kronig Administrative Director

Additional Members of the Managing Board

Prof. Dr. Julia Bohlius

Prof. Dr. Sébastien Gagneux

Prof. Dr. Daniel Paris

Prof. Dr. Nicole ProbstHensch

Board of Governors

Dr. Eva Herzog

President of the Board of Governors, President of the Swiss Council of States

Dr. Rolf Borner

Director Infrastructure and Operations, University of Basel

Dr. Ariane Bürgin

Head of Higher Education, Cantonal Department of Education, Basel

Prof. Dr. François Chappuis

Head of Tropical and Humanitarian Medicine Division, Geneva University Hospitals

Prof. Dr. Sabina De Geest

Director, Institute of Nursing Science, University of Basel

Dr. Alban Frei

Head of Higher Education, Directorate of Education, Culture and Sport of the Canton of BaselLandschaft

Dr. Lutz Hegemann

President Global Health & Sustainability, Novartis International AG

Dr. Olivier Küttel

Former Head, International Affairs, EPFL, Lausanne

Dr. Cornelia Staehelin

Senior Physician, University Hospital Bern

Dr. Luca Tratschin

Observer, Deputy Head, National Research, State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, Bern

Prof. Dr. Jürg Utzinger Director, Swiss TPH (ex officio)

Mathias Kronig

Administrative Director, Swiss TPH (ex officio)

R. Geigy Foundation: Foundation Board and Administration

Prof. Dr. Jürg Utzinger

President of Foundation Board, Director, Swiss TPH

Prof. Dr. Christoph B. Bühler

Vice-President of Foundation Board, Lawyer, LL.M., Honorary Professor, University of Zurich

Beat Berger

Foundation Board

Member, Managing Director, Berger Liegenschaften

Stefan Mörgeli Foundation Board Member, Administrative Director emeritus, Swiss TPH

Prof. Dr. Nicole ProbstHensch

Foundation Board Member, Head Department Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss TPH

Daniel O.A. Rüedi

Foundation Board Member, CEO Baumann & Cie., Banquiers, Basel

Jürg Toffol

Foundation Board Member, Senior Associate Partner Itten+Brechbühl AG

Dr. Lukas Meier

Managing Director

Prof. Dr. Marcel Tanner

Honorary President, Director emeritus, Swiss TPH

Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology

The Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology (MPI) investigates the biology and transmission of pathogens. Findings from this research inform the development of new diagnostics, treatments and vaccines against malaria, tuberculosis, emerging viral diseases, schistosomiasis, Chagas disease and other neglected tropical diseases.

Malaria drug discovery

The need for new antimalarials is exacerbated by the spread of artemisinin-resistant mutants of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Standard assays to identify new antimalarial molecules use the inhibition of parasite proliferation as an end-point measure but do not capture how quickly a drug eliminates all parasites. In her PhD thesis, Annabelle Walz has devised an improved version of the parasite reduction ratio assay, which measures the concentration of an antimalarial required to kill parasites over time. This assay is now aiding in preclinical drug development at Swiss TPH.

Trypanosomatid drug discovery

Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, lacks effective treatments. In a research consortium led by Novartis, Swiss TPH has contributed to the development of a novel class of antitrypanosomal molecules: the cyanotriazoles. Due to their unique mode of action as covalent poisons of trypanosomal topoisomerase II, a key enzyme in the replication of DNA, the cyanotriazoles are extremely active against trypanosomes but harmless to mammalian cells. These molecules hold promise for the much-needed new treatment for Chagas disease.

Highlights in 2023

Jennifer Keiser’s unit tested efficacy and safety of emodepside against soil-transmitted helminths and found high activity against Trichuris trichiura and hookworm infections (New England Journal of Medicine). In collaboration with the Department of Medicine, they are now setting up the next pivotal phase III trials. Katharina Röltgen’s group reviewed key findings on antibody and B cell responses to SARSCoV-2 infection and vaccination. They note that findings from studies of immunological imprinting with CoV-2 variant antigens will inform future vaccine booster strategies, but human populations will continue to face the challenges posed by this unpredictable virus (Annual Review of Pathology: Mechanisms of Disease). Sébastien Gagneux’s unit showed that multidrug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis can be as transmissible as drug-susceptible strains. These findings have

Sébastien Gagneux, Head of MPI

important consequences for the global control of tuberculosis (Nature Communication).

MPI scientists were awarded several competitive research grants in 2023. These include a Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) project grant to Till Voss that aims to gain a better understanding of the complex transmission mechanism of malaria. Voss and his team investigate the earliest phase of sexual differentiation and the mechanisms underlying sex determination in P. falciparum to gain new insights that may help block malaria transmission in the future.

Tiffany Bouchery and her team received a grant from the Fondation Pierre Mercier pour la science to support a project that aims to establish and characterise a laboratory model of hookworm for vaccine design. As the laboratory models used to date do not reproduce the salient features of human infection, the project aims to use “rewilded” mouse models colonised with a complex “wild” microbiome. “Rewilded” mice have been shown to have immune systems that better mimic the human immune system, reducing the translation gap that often occurs between mouse and human. Our new preclinical model could greatly ac-

celerate the design of a vaccine against hookworms.

Promotions

Tiffany Bouchery and Katharina Röltgen were appointed as Assistant Professors (without tenure track) at the University of Basel as part of the SNSF PRIMA funding programme.

Epidemiology and Public Health

The Department of Epidemiology and Public Health (EPH) investigates distribution and causes of infectious and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). To understand and promote the well-being of people in different cultural and environmental contexts, EPH applies various methods ranging from anthropology and social science to biostatistics and mathematical modelling as well as observational cohorts with biobanks and intervention studies.

In 2023, EPH had a total of 175 projects. With 179 employees and 116 PhD students, EPH is the largest department at Swiss TPH with 11 research units.

Project and research highlights in 2023

In order to protect people from the growing threat of emerging arboviral diseases, such as dengue, Swiss TPH, together with 20 partners, initiated the INOVEC consortium to enhance the surveillance and control of the vector, the Aedes mosquito.

As a result of the CARAMAL project on rectal artesunate pre-referral treatment for children with severe malaria, the World Health Organization (WHO) drafted an implementation field guide. The guide serves to ensure that minimal essential requirements are met for rectal artesunate to be effective, including a functioning referral mechanisms and adequate post-referral treatment.

In Papua New Guinea (PNG), the team from the PNG Institute of Medical Research and Swiss TPH completed a nationwide Malaria Indicator Survey of over 15,000 people living in 114 villages across the country. Findings on a decrease in mosquito net ownership and increase in malaria prevalence compared to three years ago put the government, donors and WHO on alert.

Swiss TPH researchers have developed a stochastic mathematical malaria transmission model that allowed quantifying the contribution of climatic and non-climatic factors to malaria dynamics.

Through the Swiss TPH core malaria modelling grant, researchers have continued to develop and release OpenMalaria, a wide lyused open-source stochastic mathematical model of malaria transmission and disease, that allows researchers and decision makers to better understand the impact of current and novel interventions on malaria burden, and improve intervention deployment strategies.

In 2023, the project “SchistoBreak” accomplished the third and final period of interventions to support schistosomiasis elimination in Pemba, Tanzania. The few remaining hotspots of transmission were targeted by multidisciplinary interventions and a new targeted surveillance response approach was investigated in areas with very low prevalence.

Environmental factors and social determinants of health

The GeLuft project estimated that compliance with the 2021 WHO air quality guidelines for PM2.5 would have prevented around 2,600 attributable deaths in Switzerland in 2019.

The Swiss Network for International Studies granted a new project about the impact of menstrual health management on the vaginal microbiome in Cameroon and Peru, linking transdisciplinary and basic research. The project brings together social scientists, public health and gender specialists with microbiome researchers to address the gaps in evidence on the issue of how menstrual products impact the vaginal microbiome and thereby health.

Together with partners from various universities and research institutes in Switzerland, Swiss TPH initiated a concept for a research infrastructure project to establish a large national cohort and biobank combined with MRI imaging. The project was evaluated by SNSF as excellent and has now been included in the Swiss Roadmap for Research Infrastructures in view of the Dispatch on the Promotion of Education, Research and Innovation 2025 – 2028.

Strategic

areas

The new Basel Centre for Health Economics (BCHE) was launched together with the Faculty of Economics and the Faculty of Medicine. The aim is to facilitate collaboration between researchers interested in health economics across the University of Basel, but also to foster interaction with industry and policy-makers. Through enhanced collaboration, knowl-

Nicole ProbstHensch, Head of EPH

edge exchange and training, the BCHE aims to catalyse innovation and tackle the most pressing challenges confronting health systems globally.

A new strategic topic in the Swiss TPH strategy 2025 – 2028 is climate change. We have started a process on how to implement the strategy using synergies within and beyond our department, including research on emerging infectious diseases, NCDs, environmental factors and social determinants of health to respond to the changing health priorities in the face of climate change and from a “One Health” perspective.

Organisational changes and promotions

The University Council appointed Mirko Winkler as the new Professor of Urban Public Health at the University of Basel per May 2023. Martin Röösli, Head of the Environmental Exposures and Health unit, was appointed Full Professor at the University of Basel per February 2024. Günther Fink, Head of the Household Economics and Health Systems Research unit, was appointed Full Professor at the University of Basel per February 2024. Melissa Penny, Head of the Disease Modelling unit, was awarded a Chair and Full Professorship at the University of Western Australia in Perth. Following her departure at the end of 2023, Nakul Chitnis was appointed as ad interim Head of unit. Manuel Hetzel became Head of the Health Interventions unit per January 2024, succeeding Christian Lengeler, who will continue focusing on key projects. Guéladio Cissé, Head of the Ecosystem Health Sciences unit, retired at the end of February 2024.

Swiss Centre for International Health

The Swiss Centre for International Health (SCIH) provides consultancy, project design and conception, as well as project and grant management services. With multi-disciplinary teams in Switzerland and around the world, SCIH offers a broad range of expertise including strategic consulting, project implementation, policy advice and implementation research.

SCIH aims to strengthen health systems and improve access to health services in low- and middle-income countries in Africa, the Balkans, Eastern Europe and in Switzerland. Special attention is given to gender, equity and inclusion of marginalised and vulnerable groups. SCIH has state-of-the-art expertise in a broad range of topics, including primary healthcare development, health workforce strengthening, health financing, health information systems, programme performance monitoring, supply chain management, diseases of poverty and digital health.

Support to Ukraine

While the war in Ukraine continued to undermine the livelihoods of the population, support to strengthening Ukraine’s public health system continued during 2023 under USAID f unding. Swiss TPH contributions assisted the Ukrainian government to build surveillance-response and strengthen essential public health functions, while assembling a major Ukrainian Public Health conference of over 200 professionals in 2023. In parallel, a new four year’s phase of the Medical Education Development Project, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) started in 2023. This initiative improves undergraduate, postgraduate and continuous professional education systems in Ukraine, and strengthens the capacities of primary healthcare workers.

Achievements in 2023

Several long-term projects contributed to strengthening primary and secondary healthcare services and improved quality of and access to health services. In Albania, the Health for All project has introduced home care services for elderly and chronically house-bound

patients, and so far succeeded to cover over 1,000 vulnerable patients and their families. The roll-out of these services is driven by a range of actors, including the Ministry of Health and Social Protection with the aim to have home care services being offered across the whole country in the coming years. The Healthy Life Project in Moldova received additional funding at the nexus between development cooperation and humanitarian assistance and could reinforce service provision to vulnerable communities, including Ukrainian refugees, as part of wider efforts to strengthen social cohesion in the region. In Chad, the SDC funded “Programme d’Appui au Développement Sanitaire” was renewed for a 4-year period to further improve the quality of care and the health of women and children in two regions of the country.

In Cameroon, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania, Kosovo and Moldova many people benefited from improved quality of care, better health service coverage and community engagement. This was achieved through strengthening social protection and health insurance schemes and insurance informatics solutions, namely openIMIS as well as the embedment of electronic clinical decision support systems guiding health workers in evidence-based patient evaluation and management. In all aspects of work, we are committed to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and progress towards Universal Health Coverage.

Implementation research

Implementation research plays an important role in addressing the practical issues faced by health systems and specific population groups such as migrants or persons with mental co-morbidities. For example, within the evaluation mandates for Health Promotion Switzerland, we analyse practices and results of four projects addressing suicide prevention in Switzerland, respectively mental health approaches to patients in four hospitals in Basel. The use of stringent mixed methods approaches on the process and outcomes of the interventions is to benefit the public health initiatives in Switzerland.

Kaspar Wyss, Head of SCIH

SCIH has been working with WHO to conduct a health policy analysis on integrated approaches to lung health to understand policy successes, challenges, gaps and failures related to the implementation of integrated approaches to lung health, with a focus on the Practical Approach to Lung Health (PAL). This analysis covers eight countries in three continents.

Services to the Global Fund and Gavi SCIH continues to provide Local Fund Agent services to the Global Fund, monitoring the implementation of programmes in HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and health systems strengthening. SCIH has 14 portfolios covering 16 countries, mainly in Africa as well as the Middle East. SCIH as quality assurance services provider for health facility assessments, quality of care and data quality review has implemented assignments in the Republic of the Congo as well as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). SCIH completed the support to the assessment of surveillance systems for Anopheles stephensi in affected and at-risk countries in Africa.

For Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, SCIH completed the mandate related to the role of the COVAX Monitoring Agent (Chad, Benin, Cameroon and Mali), initiated a feasibility study on controlled temperature chain vaccines to identify the evidence on the impact this new form of vaccine delivery may have in Côte d’Ivoire and provided technical support to the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in The Gambia.

Medicine

The Department of Medicine (MED) performs clinical research relating to drugs, diagnostics and vaccines with a focus on tropical and povertyrelated diseases. The major pillars are the National Diagnostic Reference Centre for Imported Parasitic Diseases and an expanding Centre for Clinical Translational Research involving academia and industry-related projects.

In 2023, MED further strengthened its relationships with industry partners and international partnerships with Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC, Rwanda and the Central Asia Region.

The Clinical Operations unit with its established high regulatory standards continued to provide services for industry. The CALINA study for the infant formulation of Coartem was successfully completed and opened the pipeline for further malaria trials in DRC.

In 2023, the European Medicines Agency issued positive opinions for two drugs, to which MED contributed significantly: Arpraziquantel, a treatment for schistosomiasis in preschool-aged children and fexinidazole for the treatment of T.b. rhodesiense sleeping sickness.

In early 2024, Swiss TPH also organised a symposium on “Improving Access to Healthcare in Low- and Middle-Income Countries” bringing together 350 experts from academia, the pharmaceutical industry, politics and product development partnerships.

Research highlights in 2023

The Clinical Research unit coordinated a multi-country tuberculosis (TB) project to improve treatment outcomes and reduce post-TB disability in drug-resistant TB, using hostdirected therapies.

Swiss TPH’s first phase I regulatory trial as a sponsor is completed: the oxfendazole phase I trial, conducted with the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) in Tanzania, is the first of two trials of the HELP consortium, which aims to fill the drug development pipeline for soil-transmitted helminth infections and filariasis.

The Malaria Genotyping group together with the Rwanda Biomedical Centre secured a large grant to assess the risk factors associated with the emergence and spread of artemisinin resistance in Rwanda. The group also evaluated two new antimalarial drugs and successfully renewed its ISO accreditation.

A multidisciplinary platform of great translational potential for investigating new strategies to reduce malaria transmission was established, including a BSL-3 laboratory for research on mosquitoes that are infected with malaria parasites.

Services highlights 2023

The Swiss TPH Diagnostic Centre, which is the National Reference Centre for Diagnostics and Therapy of Human Parasitic Infections, was re-accredited in 2023 and performed over 60,000 analyses for tropical and travel-associated infections.

Training activities included the support of clinical study sites in malaria microscopy and proficiency testing with dedicated on-site training of medical laboratory technicians in DRC and Kenya. To support test validation for malaria, the Diagnostic Centre evaluated the performance of six malaria rapid diagnostic tests still available in Switzerland and presented the results at scientific conferences.

The Bacoba study successfully completed its phase I clinical trial in collaboration with Bacoba AG and the University Hospital in Basel, leading the way for an innovative topical treatment for leishmaniasis.

Partnership highlights

In DRC, management changes, infrastructure upgrades and expanded staffing have boosted projects in TB, malaria and helminths. Integration of the DRC office into the MED department, along with joint projects, has led to significant investments in the local staff and infrastructure.

In Tanzania, the Next Generation Sequencing Platform, supported by the Presidential Department of Basel-Stadt, broadened its scope to include malaria and zoonoses. The RenalTWO cohort study for Chronic Kidney Diseases successfully enrolled 1170 patients. An innovative study of a handheld ultrasound device for clinical decision-making proved useful in diagnosing pulmonary and cardiac diseases in Tanzania.

Daniel Paris, Head of MED

In Central Asia, the Clinical TB Research group is expanding research and capacity building, with a study on the pharmacokinetics of novel TB drugs in cerebrospinal fluid of TB meningitis patients.

In Côte d’Ivoire, we are investigating the impact of a hydroelectric dam on malaria transmission and started a collaboration on sickle cell disease with the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire (CSRS) and Novartis.

Personal achievements

In spring 2024, Klaus Reither received his Venia docendi and habilitation at the University of Basel for his work on radiological analysis of pulmonary TB.

Christian Nsanzabana has joined the WHO expert committee on the External Quality Assessment Scheme for Molecular Markers of Antimalarial Drug Resistance.

Daniel Paris was elected as member of the Federal Vaccination Commission, member of the Advisory Council of the Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique (CSEM) and member of the Board of Trustees of IHI, Tanzania.

Céline Géhin, Quality Assurance Manager joined Swiss TPH in 2023 to oversee and improve the Quality Management System.

Education and Training

The Department of Education and Training (ET) coordinates classes and programmes at Swiss TPH, the University of Basel and academic institutes around the world. ET has extensive experience in education, training and capacity strengthening, and uses state-of-the-art learning facilities at the Swiss TPH headquarters in Allschwil.

ET is engaged in teaching on bachelor, master, doctoral and postgraduate level. In 2023, more than 100 facilitators supervised about 220 PhD students, 47 MSc Epidemiology and Infection Biology students and 411 participants at the postgraduate level. In addition, Swiss TPH’s Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) on “The Resistant Mosquito” and “One Health” reached several thousand learners.

Highlights in 2023

Our teaching excellence has been recognised by student evaluations, especially for the MSc in Epidemiology and Infection Biology, with over half of the courses receiving a rating of 5.5 or higher out of 6.

The Professional Postgraduate Training unit ran 33 courses. This included the MBA in International Health Management that celebrated its 10th anniversary. Starting as an onsite course in Basel, the MBA has grown to offer highly innovative forms of blended and hybrid learning.

One focus area in teaching is parasitology and infection biology, in the new teaching laboratory or online with the interactive learning programme “Introduction to Diagnostic Medical Parasitology”, which was revamped with funding from the Freiwillige Akademische Gesellschaft. At the heart of this open educational resource is a virtual microscope that allows learners to explore hundreds of digitised specimens.

ET has also worked closely with SCIH in consultancies, for example on the prevention of NCDs in Moldova through the Healthy Life Project, and for the Medical Education Development Project in Ukraine to further develop a master’s programme.

Strategic areas

ET has developed a “Building Blocks of Engaging and Effective Education” framework through a co-creation process with the teaching faculty of Swiss TPH. The framework identifies and guides principles and approaches for good learning and teaching. The breakthrough of large language models, such as ChatGPT, had an impact on the teaching and

learning at Swiss TPH as well. ET is at the forefront of these developments with two innovative conversational artificial intelligence (AI) projects, including an SNSF Spirit project in which we developed a chatbot that acts as a health coach in collaboration with the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland and the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

ET contributed to the 32 nd SSPH+ Lugano Summer School in Public Health Policy, Economics and Management by coordinating the selection of scholarship recipients for the Swiss Plexus Programme, funded by SDC and other donors.

Together with the Department of Biomedical Engineering, ET continued to coordinate the University of Basel’s PhD programme in Health Sciences, and ran 14 courses, 16 networking events and a summer school with 683 participants. ET contributed to the development of the interfaculty Graduate School Health Sciences. ET also supports Open Science: about 90% of the Swiss TPH publications in 2023 are available open access.

ET aims for diversity in students, facilitators and topics. About 50% of our students and facilitators are women and 78% of our MSc and PhD students are from abroad. In response to issues of diversity and sustainable development, ET invited external speakers to discuss

Julia Bohlius, Head of ET

these topics and their role in education. Besides, Swiss TPH contributed to the new Portal for African Research Collections (PARC) with close to 2,000 historic images, 1,500 books, 250 PhD theses and more than 600 project descriptions. The portal was also part of the “Deal with it” exhibition by the University Library Basel that presented perspectives on the handling of African cultural heritage in Basel’s collections and institutions. The Library team created the in-house Africa Bookshelf with more than 100 of works of fiction and faction.

Swiss TPH continues to support the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) in courses and collaborative research projects to develop an African academic landscape that conducts impactful world-class multidisciplinary research.

Promotions and organisational changes

In April 2023, Anke Berger retired after six years at Swiss TPH. We would like to thank her as well as Hanna Walter and Freja Nielsen for their outstanding work and commitment, and welcome Barbara Kurz and Maryam Azadi. At the end of 2023, Mirko Winkler handed over the coordination of the CAS “Internationale Zusammenarbeit und Globale Gesundheit” to Melanie Bruns. We thank Mirko Winkler for his dedicated and successful management.

→ swisstph.ch/en/study-with-us

Administration

The Department of Administration (ADMIN) is the backbone of Swiss TPH. Its Finances and Controlling, Human Resources, Informatics and Infrastructure teams provide support in the areas of research, education and services. A total of around 70 people work in ADMIN at Swiss TPH.

Strategic focus

In 2023, ADMIN continued working on its vision and strategy. The aim is to become an even more competent, solution-oriented and efficient backbone for Swiss TPH.

The digitalisation strategy for Swiss TPH was prepared together with colleagues from other departments and the first phase – the e-collaboration – has been launched. The aim of the e-collaboration project is to optimise and modernise the work processes at Swiss TPH, improve collaboration and reduce costs.

Projects in 2023

Last year, a comprehensive location analysis was performed for the Centre for Tropical and Travel Medicine. Whereas the headquarters of Swiss TPH have been in Allschwil since 2022, the unit that provides travel medicine services at Swiss TPH was to remain in the city of Basel and thus centrally accessible for customers. The “Turmhaus” at Aeschenplatz was chosen as the location, as it offers both sufficient space for the medical rooms and also pleasant offices for the team from the Centre for Tropical and Travel Medicine and the R. Geigy Foundation. Everyone worked hard to get the two floors ready for operation and the move went ahead at the end of December 2023. The premises were officially opened on 9 January 2024.

Swiss TPH has now finally left its historic location on Socinstrasse in Basel and the remaining buildings have been handed over to Immobilien Basel (“Villa zur Föhre”) and the Bürgerspital Basel (the building at Socinstrasse 55a).

Swiss TPH is also planning further important infrastructure projects: plans for a guest house for students and guests next to our headquarters in Allschwil are already underway. An application for a further project – extending the solar panels on the roof of the Belo Horizonte – was submitted to the municipality in 2023.

In the area of sustainability, the Sustainability Group prepared a baseline study on the current CO2 emissions of Swiss TPH.

In 2023, the Human Resources unit organised for the first time a “Mental Health Week” for all employees. During this week, workshops and lectures were offered on various issues related to mental health. Lunch seminars in the area of mental health leadership were offered to managers throughout the year. Swiss TPH now also offers a broad and free sports programme for all employees and students.

Mathias Kronig, Administrative Director

The health and safety of our employees and students are important to us, as is protecting the environment. Various measures were taken in 2023 with the aim of continually improving the operating safety system at Swiss TPH. These included performing introductory and targeted safety training, updating internal safety guidelines, evaluating risks at workstations and in work processes, clarifying adverse events and conducting audits.

During the year, we also held intense discussions with the people responsible for administration at our partner institutes: CSRS and IHI in Tanzania. The focus was on mutual learning and sharing experiences and best practices.

Promotions

In early 2023, Aurelio Di Pasquale took over the position of “Head of Research IT”. He reports to the Research Directorate i.e. the heads of the departments of Epidemiology and Public Health, Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology and Medicine.

Organigram 2024

Board of Governors

Members from the cantons of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft, Swiss universities and the private sector

Eva Herzog, President

Rolf Borner, Ariane Bürgin, François Chappuis, Sabina De Geest, Alban Frei, Lutz Hegemann, Olivier Küttel, Cornelia Staehelin, Luca Tratschin (observer)

www.swisstph.ch/en/about/ board-of-governors

Administration Departments

Administration

Mathias Kronig

Deputy: Iris Haueter and Alain Bertolotti

Finances

Deniz Gör

Human Resources

Iris Haueter

Informatics

Alain Bertolotti

Infrastructure

Florian Frenzel

Directorate

Director

Jürg Utzinger

Deputy Director

Kaspar Wyss

Administrative Director

Mathias Kronig

Department Heads

Mathias Kronig, Nicole Probst-Hensch, Sébastien Gagneux, Kaspar Wyss, Daniel Paris, Julia Bohlius

Epidemiology and Public Health

Nicole Probst-Hensch

Deputy: Jakob Zinsstag

Biostatistics

Penelope Vounatsou

Chronic Disease Epidemiology

Nicole Probst-Hensch

Disease Modelling

Nakul Chitnis a.I.

Environmental Exposures and Health

Martin Röösli

Health Interventions

Manuel Hetzel

Household Economics and Health

Systems Research

Günther Fink

Human and Animal Health

Jakob Zinsstag

Society, Gender and Health

Sonja Merten

Urban Public Health

Mirko Winkler

Vector Biology

Pie Müller

Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology

Sébastien Gagneux

Deputy: Till Voss

Clinical Immunology

Claudia Daubenberger

Helminth Drug Development

Jennifer Keiser

Malaria Gene Regulation

Till Voss

Malaria Host Interactions

Nicolas Brancucci

Parasite Chemotherapy

Pascal Mäser

Tuberculosis Research and Evolution

Sébastien Gagneux

Communications, Sabina Beatrice-Matter

Internal Audit, Vincent Bodenez

Medical Services, Esther Künzli and Andreas Neumayr

Project & Grant, Michael Käser

Security, Safety & Health, Marco Tamborrini

Controlling, Tatjana Bollmann

Swiss Centre for International Health

Kaspar Wyss

Digital Health

Fenella Beynon

Diseases and Programmes

Peter Steinmann

Systems Performance and Monitoring

Odile Pham-Tan

Systems Strengthening and Health Promotion

Helen Prytherch

Medicine

Daniel Paris

Deputy: Christian Burri

Clinical Operations

Elisabeth Reus

Clinical Research

Klaus Reither

Diagnostics

Beatrice Nickel

Medicines Development

Daniel Paris

Medicines Implementation

Research

Christian Burri

Education and Training

Julia Bohlius

Bachelor-Master-Doctorate

Peter Odermatt

Library and Documentation

Giovanni Casagrande

Professional Postgraduate Training

Karin Gross

Teaching Technology and Didactics

Christoph Pimmer

Organigram valid May 2024

All Swiss TPH staff: www.swisstph.ch/staff

“I am a member of a vegetable cooperative that sells its produce in the markets of Rubavu town. I have received training on good agricultural practices from the project, and the support to install new washing stations has greatly improved the hygiene of our business. We no longer have to walk far to wash vegetables in the river, but have access to this station, which is connected to running spring water.”

Jacqueline Uwamahoro, vegetable farmer in the Nutrition in City Ecosystems (NICE) project in Rwanda.

FINANCES Funding 2023

Funding 2022

Annual Accounts

Income Statement

*restatement according to early adoption FER 28 Balance sheet

Liabilities and equity

*restatement according to early adoption FER 28 Financial statements

“Working in Eastern Europe and the Balkans for many years, my focus has been on improving the quality of care and strengthening the health sector. In Kosovo, we are collaborating closely with the Ministry of Health and healthcare providers to develop the skills of healthcare professionals and promote patient empowerment to improve health services and reduce noncommunicable diseases.”

Nicu Fota, Team Leader of the Accessible Quality Healthcare (AQH) project, an SDC project implemented by Swiss TPH in Kosovo

Partners and Funders

Core Funding

Canton Basel-Landschaft, CH

Canton Basel-Stadt, CH

State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), CH University of Basel, CH

Research Funding

Basel Research Centre for Child Health (BRCCH), CH EU research grants (e.g. ERC, Horizon, EDCTP), EU National Institutes of Health (NIH), US Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), CH Swiss Network for International Studies (SNIS), CH The Excellent Scholarship for Foreign Students (ESKAS), CH University of Basel, CH

Foundations

Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation, US Albert-Heim-Stiftung, CH

Anesvad, ES

Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation Lesotho (BCMCFL), LS Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), US Biovision Foundation, CH

Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds, DE CDC Foundation, US

Cesti Fondatione Onlus, IT

Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), US Computer Simulation & Advanced Research Technologies (CSART), AU Eckenstein-Geigy-Stiftung, CH Elrha, GB

Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (EKFS), DE Fondation Botnar, CH

Fondazione Adiuvare, CH

Fondazione lstituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare (INGM), IT Forlen Stiftung, CH

Freiwillige Akademische Gesellschaft (FAG), CH Global Health Innovative Technology Fund (GHIT), JP Health Information Traceability Foundation (HIT), CH Health Promotion Switzerland, CH kENUP foundation, EU Krebsforschung Schweiz, CH

Moritz Straus-Stiftung, CH Novartis Foundation, CH R. Geigy Foundation, CH

Sight and Life (SAL), CH Sint Antonius Foundation, NL Skat Foundation, CH Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation, CH Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA), CH Walter Fischli Stiftung, CH Wellcome Trust, GB

Public Clients Switzerland

Amt für Ausbildungsbeiträge Basel-Stadt, CH Amt für Umwelt und Energie Basel-Stadt, CH Bundesamt für Raumentwicklung (ARE), CH Commission for Research Partnerships with Developing Countries (KFPE), CH Entwicklungszusammenarbeit des Kantons Basel-Stadt, CH Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS), CH Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER), CH Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSV), CH Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG), CH

Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), CH Federal Office of Sport (FOSPO), CH Federal Office of the Environment (FOEN), CH Federal Statistical Office (BFS), CH Innosuisse - Swiss Innovation Agency, CH Kantonsspital Basel-Landschaft, CH MeteoSchweiz, CH Nationales Referenzzentrum für Legionellen (NRZL), CH Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), CH Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), CH Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA), CH Swiss Pathogen Surveillance Platform (SPSP), CH Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN), CH University Hospital Basel, CH

Public and Public-Private Clients International African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), KE African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM), ET Agence Française de Développement (AFD), FR Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l’alimentation, de l’environnement et du travail (ANSES), FR Asian Development Bank (ADB), PH Association of Churchbased Development NGOs (ACDEP), GH Bundesamt für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten (BfAA), DE Canadian Association for Global Health (CAGH), CA Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), US Centre de Support en Santé Internationale (CSSI), TD Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), DE Direction des Services Vétérinaires (DSV), FR Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), CH Elgo Dimitra - Ellinikos Georgikos Organismos, GR Epicentre, FR

European Institute of Public Health Policy (EIPHP), UA European Space Agency, EU Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (FMECD), GE Food and Drug Administration (FDA), US Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), CH Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, CH German Institute for Medical Mission (DIFAM), DE Grand Challenges Canada, CA Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), BE Helse Nord Tuberculosis Initiative Malawi (HNTI), NO Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), ZA Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), US Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), FR Institut de Recherches en Elevage pour le Développement (IRED), TD Institut National d’Hygiène Publique (INHP), CI Institut national de l’environnement industriel et des risques (Ineris), FR Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS), MZ International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), CH International SOS (Africa Holdings) Ltd, GB ISGlobal, ES Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), DE L’Organisation de Coordination pour la lutte contre les Endémies en Afrique Centrale (OCEAC), CM Medical Care Development International (MCDI), US Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), CH Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, FR National Center of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NCTLD), GE National Public Health Center (Nemzeti Népegészségügyi Központ), HU Norwegian Agency of Development Cooperation (Norad), NO

Nutrition International, CA Right to Care Zambia (RTCZ), ZM Swiss Red Cross (SRC), CH The Global Fund, CH

The International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation (ISRHML), US The Task Force for Global Health, US tropEd Network for Education in International Health, DE Unitaid, CH

United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), GB

United Nations Children Fund International (Unicef), US United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), US United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), US United States Agency for International Development (USAID), US Unlimit Health, GB West African Health Organisation (WAHO), BF World Bank, US

World Health Organization (WHO), CH World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), FR

Private Clients and Non-Profit Organisations AEDES, BE

Anglo American Services (UK) Ltd., GB

Astellas Pharma AG, CH Bacoba AG, CH BASF SE, DE Bayer AG, CH BioInitials, CH

Bionorica SE, DE Bristol Myers Squibb, US Cardno Emerging Markets East Africa Ltd. (CEM), KE Conseil Santé, FR

Effectum Medical AG, CH Fields at Work GmbH, CH Game Solutions Lab, NL GFA Consulting Group GmbH, DE Grolimund + Partner AG, CH Health Effects Institute (HEI), US Hemex AG, CH Ideas for Change, ES Insuco Burkina Faso, BF Insuco, UK

International Association for Maternal and Neonatal Health (IAMANEH), CH Life4me+, CH Lygature, NL

Martin Systems GmbH, DE Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), CH Merck, DE MSD Merck Sharp & Dohme AG, CH NED-TECH AG, CH Novartis Pharma AG, CH OmicScouts, DE OptiMedis AG, DE Oryx Expertise, FR Oxfam Novib, NL Pact, US PATH, US Privatklinik Meiringen, CH RANAS Ltd., CH Rotarians Against Malaria (RAM), PG Science for Change, ES

Seboche Mission Hospital, LS SKAN, CH

SolDevelo, PL SolidarMed, CH Specs Compound Handling B.V., NL Swiss Excellence Forum, CH Syngenta, CH Terre des hommes, CH TB Alliance, SA VisibleSolutions AG, CH Wits Health Consortium (Pty) Limited (WHC), ZA

Academic Partners

Academic Medical Center (Academisch Medisch Centrum), NL Addis Ababa University (AAU), ET Agricultural University of Athens, GR Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI), ET Berner Fachhochschule (BFH), CH

Bernhard-Nocht-Institut für Tropenmedizin, DE Boston University, US Brown University, US Centre hospitalier régional et universitaire de Besançon (CHRU), FR Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), FR Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique (CSEM), CH Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire (CSRS), CI Centre universitaire de médecine générale et santé publique, Lausanne (unisanté), CH

Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, DE College of Art and Sciences, Xavier University, Cincinnati, US Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, IT Cyprus University of Technology, CY École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH Eindhoven University of Technology, NL Eucor – The European Campus, CH, DE, FR Forschungszentrum Borstel, Leibniz Lungenzentrum (FZB), DE Geneva University Hospitals (HUG), CH Ghent University, BE

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, US Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, DE Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), TZ Imperial College London, GB Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC), GB Inselspital Bern, CH Institut Mines-Télécom (IMT), FR Institut Pasteur, FR Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), Bern, CH Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp (ITM), BE Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical Universidade Nova de Lisboa (IHMT), PT Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS), MZ Institutul de Ftiziopneumologie “Chiril Draganiuc”, MD Institutul de Pneumoftiziologie “Marius Nasta” (IPMN), RO James Cook University (JCU), AU KEMRI - Wellcome Trust Research Programme, KE Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), KE Lao Tropical and Public Health Institute (Lao TPHI), LA Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), CH

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), GB London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), GB Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU), CH Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), DE Makerere University, UG

Manhiça Health Research Centre (CISM), MZ Massachusetts General Hospital, US Moi University, KE

MRC/Wits Agincourt Field Office, ZA

National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), TZ

National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (ICMR), IN Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, PL Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), NO Obafemi Awolowo University, NG

Ospedale San Raffaele (SRL), IT Palestine Polytechnic University, PS

Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research (PNG IMR), PG Paul Scherrer Institute, CH Penta Child Health Research, IT PNG National Research Institute, PG Public Health Laboratory Ivo de Carneri (PHL-IdC), TZ

Qom University of Medical Sciences, IR Radboud University Nijmegen, NL Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), RW Sapienza University of Rome, IT

School of Social Work Fribourg (HETS-FR), CH

South African Medical Research Council, ZA Swiss Association for Quality (SAQ), CH Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ), CH Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), CH Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), CH swissuniversities Development and Cooperation Network (SUDAC), CH

Technische Universität München (TUM), DE Temple University, US

The Aurum Institute, ZA

The George Institute for Global Health India, IN Umeå University, SE

Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (UPCH), PE

Universität St. Gallen, CH

Universitäts-Kinderspital beider Basel (UKBB), CH Universitätsklinikum Bonn (UKB), DE Université de Genève, CH

Université de Lausanne, CH

Université de Neuchâtel, CH

Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako (USTTB), ML Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny (UFHB), CI

University of Antwerp, BE

University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwest Switzerland (FHNW), CH

University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), CH University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland (HES-SO), CH

University of Basel, CH

University of Bergen (UiB), NO

University of Bern, CH

University of Bologna, IT

University of Buea, CM

University of Calabar, NG

University of California San Francisco (UCSF), US

University of Cambridge, GB

University of Cape Town, ZA

University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), US

University of Dundee, GB

University of Ghana, GH

University of Ghent, BE

University of Gothenburg, SE

University of Groningen (RUG), NL University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), GH University of Heidelberg, DE University of Ibadan (UI), NG University of KwaZulu-Natal, ZA University of Lugano, CH University of Luzern, CH University of Maiduguri, NG University of Malawi, MW University of Maryland, US University of Montpellier, FR University of Nebraska, US University of Oxford, UK University of Pécs, HU University of Sao Paulo (USP), BR University of Strasbourg, FR University of the Witwatersrand, ZA University of Turin, IT University of Utrecht, NL University of Vienna, AU University of Warwick, GB University of Washington (UW), US University of Zurich, CH Weizmann Institute of Science, IL Yale University, US

*The list reflects all Swiss TPH partners and funders that are within our staff-managed project database.

Concept and edits: Layla Hasler

Additional contributions: Sabina Beatrice-Matter, Myrta Brunner, Silija Körkel, Lukas Meier, Jürg Utzinger, Department Heads and Swiss TPH staff members

Layout and design: Neeser Müller Görner, Basel

Pictures: Adobe stock photos, AIMS, Alice Kayibanda/Fairpicture, Annette Boutellier, CDC/Frank Collins, CIDRZ, Danielle Powell, Driton Paqarada, Familystart, Françoise Brand, Freepix, Guardian News & Media Ltd 2024, Christian Heuss, Henry Mazunda, James Gathany, Joachim Pelikan, Justin Makangara/Fairpicture, Kenneth Nars, Magali Rochat, Olivier Brandenberg, Rita Rabahn/University of Geneva, and Swiss TPH staff

Cover photo: Olivier Brandenberg

Printing: Gremper AG

Copyright: Swiss TPH, 2024