London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Tell us about your current research

I work on Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and cervical screening modelling, specifically on economic evaluation of such strategies in LMICs. I have been working on modelling the health and economic impact of locally manufactured HPV vaccination in China, as well as the impact of the combination of HPV vaccines and cervical screening in Ethiopia. With active engagement of stakeholders in these two countries, I aim to generate timely evidence to support decision-making on implementing optimal strategies that can help achieve the cervical cancer elimination goal in these contexts.

How did you first become interested in vaccines?

I have a background in public health, and I became interested in vaccine research when I learned about the impactful roles of preventive interventions, especially vaccines, in tackling population health problems. The HPV vaccine stood out as a powerful tool to reduce cervical cancer burdens and inequities in women’s health globally. However, there are still inequalities in access to such vaccines globally, especially in LMICs. This motivated me to conduct research that can bridge scientific evidence with practical implementation.

What do you hope to achieve during your time as a member of the Vaccine Centre?

I hope to learn from and collaborate with researchers with diverse expertise in the Centre. Through my research, I hope I can contribute to increasing equitable access and affordable HPV vaccination in low-resource settings and to help translate modelling evidence into practical insights that align with the Centre’s mission of ensuring equitable vaccine access and reducing vaccine-preventable disease globally.

What do you find particularly interesting working as a member of the Vaccine Centre?

The Vaccine Centre offers a unique environment with diverse perspectives. I value the opportunities to exchange ideas with colleagues across different areas of vaccine research. This cross-disciplinary interaction inspires my own work and broadens its potential applications, and allows me to engage and learn about research that is beyond my expertise.

Where do you think your research will take you?

My current research focuses on policy-related vaccination implementation and vaccine impact modelling. Building on my work in HPV vaccination and cervical cancer elimination, I hope to expand to other vaccine-preventable diseases, with particular attention to improving equity in low-resource settings. I also hope to help bridge the gap between modelling and decision-making by collaborating with global organisations, local policymakers and practitioners to ensure strategies are both realistic and impactful for global health.

What are some of the real-life implications of your work?

My work helps identify the most efficient and sustainable ways for HPV vaccination and screening programme implementation given the local availability of resources. This can guide countries in resource allocation to maximise population health. As I work on policy-related questions that are proposed by local stakeholders, my work will generate evidence that informs the policy on the implementation or expansion of HPV vaccination and cervical screening to achieve cervical cancer elimination within the country.

What do you like doing in your spare time?

I’ve been doing weightlifting for about four years and normally hit the gym three or four times a week. I also enjoy walking my dog in parks and playing with my cat using a teaser wand, like a ‘catch the mouse’ game.

What would you consider an interesting or fun fact about yourself?

I am not much of a gamer, but I somehow own several consoles: 3ds, Switch 1 and 2, and an Xbox.

How can people get and stay in touch with you?

I can be reached at [email protected] and on LinkedIn.