What is your role at MRCG?

I am a PhD student in the Disease Control and Elimination group.

Tell us about a project you’re currently working on.

My research focuses on evaluating molecular-based diagnostic tests for detecting asymptomatic and low-density Plasmodium infections.

First, I aim to assess the performance of these tests in detecting low-density malaria infections. Since the goal is to deploy them at the community level, I am also evaluating their usability and acceptability in rural African settings, considering the perspectives of both potential users and community members for whom the tests are intended.

One of these tests, called Dragonfly, has shown promising results in our study conducted in The Gambia and Burkina Faso. We successfully deployed it in real-world settings—outside health facilities and directly within communities—bringing testing closer to those who need it most.

When and how did you start working on malaria?

As a medical doctor, I frequently encountered malaria cases while working on the east coast of Madagascar, where I am from. Later, during my MSc in Tropical Medicine and International Health, I had the opportunity to study submicroscopic malaria infections in central Madagascar—cases that are missed by conventional diagnostic tests like microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) but can be detected using more sensitive methods such as PCR.

Tell us about your most recent publication.

I am currently finalizing a paper on the performance of the Dragonfly technology. In the meantime, I co-authored a review with other PhD students from the Digital Diagnostics for Africa Platform.

In this review, we propose best practices for selecting molecular diagnostics for point-of-care testing of infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa.

‘When I’m not working, I am…’

Having lived in West Africa for the past two years, I’ve developed a strong interest in the region's and the Sahel's geopolitics. Recently, I’ve been reading extensively on these topics. Also, since I live just five minutes from the beach, I enjoy relaxing there with friends after a busy workday.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

“Invest in a good coffee machine.”