London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Tell us about yourself and your background

I’m a clinical epidemiologist with a background in infectious diseases and a special interest in maternal and child health during emergencies and outbreaks. My career has taken me from working as a medical doctor in Italy to leading and coordinating clinical trials and vaccine research in Africa.

What is the focus of your work here at LSHTM?

My work focuses on vaccine research for emerging infections such as Ebola virus disease, with a particular focus on populations often underrepresented in clinical trials, especially children, and pregnant and breastfeeding women.

I have provided scientific leadership and coordination for multiple vaccine trials implemented in Sierra Leone and Tanzania. I also served as the responsible physician for a large vaccine study conducted during the 2018–2020 Ebola outbreak in North Kivu and Ituri provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The trial vaccinated around 20,000 adults and children, including 1,221 pregnant women, and generated valuable safety data on vaccine use during pregnancy. I also collaborate on research related to Lassa fever and HPV vaccination.

What impact do you hope your research will have?

My research aims to support more equitable vaccine policies for emerging infections by generating evidence to ensure that children and pregnant women are included in both clinical research and public health planning.

I hope my work will contribute to better-informed strategies for vaccine development and delivery during emergencies, ensuring that no one is left behind.

Tell us about your role as the MARCH Centre Child theme co-lead, what do you hope to achieve through this role?

As Child theme co-lead, I work alongside Professor Amaya Bustinduy to engage students and researchers interested in child health. Together, we aim to create a strong focal point at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine for research and collaboration in this area.

While global progress in child survival has been remarkable - more children are surviving today than ever before - millions still die each year from preventable causes, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

In this role, I’m especially keen to support students and early-career researchers, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and raise the visibility of under-researched areas, particularly child health in humanitarian and outbreak-prone settings.

World Children's Day offers the opportunity to advocate, promote, and celebrate children's rights. How does research at LSHTM linked to the Child theme in the MARCH Centre work towards achieving this?

Research linked to the Child theme is firmly grounded in advancing children’s rights, from improving access to life-saving interventions like vaccines, to addressing the social and structural factors that shape health outcomes. This work spans global contexts, including the UK, where children in deprived areas continue to face systemic barriers that limit their potential.

Whether studying the burden of Lassa fever in infants in West Africa or developing child-centred wellbeing models in London, our research ultimately aims to ensure that all children not only survive, but also thrive.

What is your biggest achievement to date, or something you’re most proud of?

Completing my PhD by prior publication was a particularly proud moment. It brought together years of research on vaccine safety and immunogenicity in the context of Ebola virus disease, while allowing me to stay actively involved in projects I care deeply about - all while navigating life as a busy mum. 

I dedicated my thesis to my son, and I hope it inspires him to follow his own dreams.

Outside of your professional life, what hobbies or activities do you enjoy in your free time?

When my son was younger, we loved making puppets, they brought a bit of magic to everyday life and helped us stay positive during the COVID-19 lockdown. I also enjoy cooking for friends and family, singing karaoke with my son (which always brings lots of laughter!), and dancing Argentine tango, which helps me unwind and connect with others after a busy week.