Pr Nicolas MEDA
Burkina Faso
Prof. Meda is a medical epidemiologist, senior research scientist, trialist, evaluator, Professor of Public Health, international expert on health and development, particularly, in HIV/AIDS, epidemic-prone diseases, nutrition, and women & children’s health. He established an international reputation in the field of the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV & other viruses through collaboration with various north and south academic & research networks and institutions. His research results were instrumental in launching the first PMTCT programs in Sub-Saharan Africa. He has conducted extensive multicentre international clinical trials. The most recent trial was the development of the Ebovac2 vaccine with Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) for the prevention of EBOLA virus disease. He held several high-level positions in his career, including coordinator of French National Agency for AIDS Research (ANRS) activities in Burkina Faso, Director-General of Centre MURAZ, and Health Minister. He has accumulated more than 25 years’ experience of working in health research, higher education, international consultancy, and senior management interacting with high-profile actors in global health landscape. He is the author of more than 300 articles published in international journals, a reviewer of different scientific journals, and member of several national and international public health programs steering committees, scientific review committees and networks. Now Executive Director of the Centre of Innovation for Development at the Presidency of Burkina Faso, Prof. Meda works to co-construct with all stakeholders, innovative solutions to development challenges, in particular, the social and economic transformation of women and girls.