Featured Researchers
Meet Our Members
Collins G. Adeyanju
Research Associate, Universität Erfurt and Bernhard-Nocht-Institut für Tropenmedizin (BNITM)
Focus: vaccine hesitancy, health behavior, health communication, decision-making, sub-Saharan Africa, global health policy
Research: Collins researches health-seeking behaviors, especially among vulnerable or marginalized groups. His dissertation focuses on social and behavioral influences on vaccine decision-making in sub-Saharan African countries. He has also worked on a number of projects investigating social, political and economic infrastructures in the region and the wider implications for local populations. Having previously worked with the Federal Government of Nigeria and international development organizations, his research not only contributes to academic debates but also to global health policy.
What advice do you offer to aspiring researchers? There are always more ways than one to answering a research question and it is okay to ask for help and collaborate with others within or outside of your disciplinary area.
Sylvia Agbih
PhD candidate, Bielefeld University
Focus: Refugee health, migration, health care ethics, philosophical anthropology, inter-cultural studies and racism
Research: Sylvia’s current work as philosopher in the interdisciplinary graduate school FlüGe - challenges of global refugee migration for the German health care system - is concerned with social and health-related inequalities for asylum seekers. In this context Sylvia is working on a critical reflection of concepts of vulnerability, and tries to understand migration and racism as social determinants of health.
Which historical figure would you invite to dinner? James Baldwin
Prof. Dr. Dr. med. Till Bärnighausen
Alexander von Humboldt Professor for Global Health, Director of Heidelberg Institute of Global Health (HIGH), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Heidelberg University
Focus: Population health interventions, health systems, randomized controlled trials, causal inference, design research, implementation science, data science
Research: Till’s research focuses on identifying, designing and testing novel interventions to boost population health, addressing prevention and treatment needs for major diseases such as HIV, diabetes, hypertension and depression. He has led more than 30 large-scale population-based and health systems randomized controlled trials and more than 100 quasi-experiments in Africa, Asia and Europe. His work has also contributed to our understanding of the major structural and behavioral drivers of population health and he has contributed novel applied methods for public health and health systems research.
What advice do you offer to aspiring researchers? (i) master methods from disparate disciplines, (ii) work with people from diverse backgrounds, (iii) carefully craft your pictures and papers
Dr. Benjamin Bodirsky
Senior Scientist, Potsdam-Institut für Klimafolgenforschung
Focus: food system, land system, planetary health, simulation models
Research: Benjamin studies long-term transitions and transformations of the global food system. He investigates drivers of change in human diets and their consequences on nutrition, food security and dietary health. With an interdisciplinary research group, he also studies the effects of agricultural production on greenhouse gases, nitrogen pollution or biodiversity loss. Global warming and air pollution pose many risks to human health and are therefore of central importance for global health.
If you could live two lives what would your non-research career be? Architecture always fascinated me, as it interweaves engineering and ecology with the pursuit to create social, enjoyable and healthy environments.
Prof. Dr. Dr. Sören Becker
Director of the Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes
Focus: Infection diagnostics, neglected tropical diseases, bacterial infections and and multi-resistant pathogens
Research: Sören has had vast experience in collaborative clinical and diagnostic research work in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and South Asia, with a focus on strongyloidiasis and other neglected tropical diseases. His training and education in infectious disease epidemiology, microbiology and virology has influenced his expansive research, which is especially concerned with infections in low-income settings. Throughout the pandemic, Sören has also been active in communicating scientific developments to the public, including clarifying common questions about vaccines.
What do you do for fun? Play with my son, read, run, travel(hopefully again once the pandemic is under control)
Prof. Peter Boor, MD, PhD
Senior consultant pathologist, Uniklinik Aachen
Focus: Pathology, digital pathology, artificial intelligence & deep learning, chronic kidney disease, fibrosis
Research: Peter is the Chair and Heisenberg Professor of Translational Nephropathology, head of Digital Pathology and Electron Microscopy Facility, and group leader of the LaBooratory of Nephropathology. His team focuses on development of AI and particularly deep learning algorithms for augmented histopathological diagnostics. His team also focuses on mechanisms, novel diagnostic and therapeutic options for renal fibrosis and chronic kidney disease (CKD), a disease affecting about 10% of the world’s population.
What book do you recommend to our community? Rolf Dobelli, "The Art of Thinking Clearly"
Prof. Dr. Sandra Ciesek
Director of the Institute for Medical Virology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe Universität Frankfurt
Focus: hepatology, virology, infectious diseases, diagnostics, therapeutics
Research: Sandra’s early research career focused on the influence of cells in the immune system on Hepatitis C and she has since expanded her research expertise. Her team’s early research on the novel SARS-Cov-2 virus proved that asymptomatic transmission was possible. Throughout the pandemic, she has also been active in communicating scientific findings to the public and has been an outspoken advocate for knowledge sharing among virology institutes in order to improve policy decisions.
What advice do you offer to aspiring researchers? Leave all dreams and paths open and always try to achieve what you want.
Prof. Dr. Mizeck Chagunda
Professor and Chair Animal Breeding and Husbandry in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim
Focus: Agriculture, nutrition, and health
Research: Mizeck’s research focuses on developing livestock systems that are efficient, sustainable, and those that protect the environment while contributing to human food- and nutritional security for a healthy future. Most recently, his research has informed animal breeding and husbandry practices that improve productivity, reduce disease and produce wholesome products while mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from ruminants in Europe and sub-Saharan Africa.
Which historical figure would you invite to dinner? I would invite one of the three ladies whose contribution to science was recently featured in the movie, “Hidden Figures”. Katherine Johnson, the American mathematician whose calculations of orbital mechanics at NASA were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights.
Dr. Timo Falkenberg
Senior Research Associate, Institute for Hygiene and Public Health, Universitätsklinikum Bonn
Focus: one health, planetary health, urban health, health systems, environmental health risks, medical geography
Research: Timo applies a One Health lens to examine environmental risks, wastewater and disease transmission especially in urban areas. Influenced by his interdisciplinary background and PhD in Medical Geography, he advocates for health-conscious urban planning for disease mitigation and health promotion.
What piece of advice has stuck with you? Never be afraid to ask the difficult questions, as only those will lead you to innovate solutions. You have to leave your comfort zone to make progress.
Prof. Dr. Detlev Ganten
President World Health Summit
Focus: Molecular medicine, genetics, genomics, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases; evolutionary medicine and global health.
Research: As a researcher, Detlev identified basic mechanisms of the development of cardiovascular diseases and hypertension, leading to more effective prevention and treatments.
As the founding president of the World Health Summit and the “M8 Alliance”, he has created a unique space for thousands of experts to come together to address global health challenges and support informed solutions.
Which book would you recommend to our community? Karl Popper: The Logic of Scientific Discovery
Dr. Jagadeesh Gandla
E-learning specialist, Technische Universität München
Focus: digital health, cancer pain, entrepreneurship
Research: Jagadeesh pairs his varied academic background with entrepreneurial spirit in pursuit of cross-sectoral global health solutions. Building on his training in biotechnology, he completed his PhD on pancreatic and bone cancer pain at Heidelberg University. His focus shifted towards healthcare entrepreneurship during his time at EIT Health, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology. Currently he is developing a digital platform for One Health resources together with the CYSTINET-Africa team in Munich.
What advice do you offer to aspiring researchers? Think outside the box and equip yourself with the necessary skill sets that are essential in the market like networking, critical thinking, being proactive, etc.
Prof. Dr. Renate Hartwig
Research Fellow, Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien (GIGA) and Georg-August Universität Göttingen
Focus: health economics, family economics, development economics, demography
Research: Exploring the relationship between health and development is at the center of Renate’s research. Her recent work has focused on the role of religion for health and development. She studies how religion influences health seeking behavior and practices and studies religious discrimination in access to care in a multitude of contexts, including Burkina Faso and Indonesia. Her research illuminates important barriers and the effects that they can have on the economy and transcends disciplinary borders.
What piece of advice has stuck with you? Do not take things for granted, have an open mind and stay curious.
Prof. Dr. Elke Hertig
Professor of Regional Climate Change and Health, University of Augsburg
Focus: Regional/ local climate change, statistical downscaling, temperature extremes, vector-borne diseases, urban ecology
Research: Elke operates at the intersection of health science and the environment and was recently appointed to a Heisenberg-Professorship at the University of Augsburg. A geographer by training, Elke has expanded her research to include the health impacts of climatic factors (e.g. heat, ozone pollution) under current and future climate change. Her statistical models help provide a scientific basis for guidelines, including for the WHO.
Which historical figure would you invite to dinner? I would invite Alexander von Humboldt to dinner. He was a truly interdisciplinary researcher and has inspired many disciplines. It would be most interesting to hear about his expeditions and how he built his huge scientific and social network.
Prof. Dr. med. Achim Hörauf
Director of the Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Universitätsklinikum Bonn
Focus: immunology, microbiology, parasitology and infectious diseases, epidemiology
Research: Achim’s research on filarial diseases, a group of neglected tropical diseases, has crucially advanced antibiotic development. His discovery of the Wolbachia-filaria endosymbiotic relationship and the corresponding efficacy of readily available antibiotics on filarial diseases brought about numerous, similar clinical trials. His team also developed a new antibiotic, Corallopyronin A, which fights human filariasis, multi-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, as well as Neisseria gonorrheae and Chlamydia trachomatis, amongst other microorganisms. Achim has worked closely with pharmaceutical companies through a Gates Foundation-funded platform, as well as with DNDi (Drugs for Neglected Disease Initiative) to advance antihelminthic drugs.
What piece of advice has stuck with you? Do not speculate on impact factors which your research might achieve, but try to achieve real impact.
Felix Holl
Research Associate at the DigiHealth Research Group Institute, Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences; PhD candidate, LMU Munich
Focus: Medical informatics, global health informatics, e-health, information management, telemedicine
Research: Felix uses mHealth applications and health informatics to improve both health care access and services. His current work at DigiHealth examines the status and potential of digitalization in health care. He is an advocate for the field of Global Health Informatics. This work is complemented by his doctoral studies in medical informatics.
What’s the best piece of advice you have been given? To try to be mindful of the situation you are in and not be preoccupied with other things. It’s easy to get distracted by messages buzzing in your phone during a meeting, especially during the current online meeting era. But giving the person you’re interacting with the full attention improves professional and personal relationships and leads to better outcomes.
Prof. Dr. Nils Hoppe
Professor of Ethics in Law in the Life Sciences, Director of the Centre for Ethics and Law in the Life Sciences and Dean of Research, Leibniz University Hannover
Focus: Bioethics, health law, health policy, research governance
Research: Nils’ academic career began with his early studies of medical law and human rights law, developed further with his PhD in law, and has expanded to include bioethics. His interdisciplinary expertise has informed his work as a long-standing external ethics expert for the European Commission as well as his research concerning bioethics and law in the practice of science. Nils has a particular interest in the construction of governance frameworks that reconcile conflicting rights in science and technology.
If you could live two lives what would your non-research career be? I do live two lives! I have a non-research career as a lawyer in London and very much enjoy helping to solve complex legal problems. If I had not become a researcher, I would have stayed in the practice of law full time.
Prof. Dr. Lena Maier-Hein
Head of the Division Computer Assisted Medical Interventions, German Cancer Research Center (DFKZ)
Focus: Surgical data science, computational biophotonics, machine learning
Research: Lena has spent her career at the intersection of computer science and medicine, harnessing the power of data to improve healthcare practices. Lena and the research team she leads candidly state their mission to get “the right information to the right person at the right time.” Recently her team has been working on innovative ways to effectively collect and analyze data to inform better surgery practices.
What’s the best advice you have been given? Although, or because I have trouble adhering to it: "The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything – including exciting projects and other cool stuff." -Sebastian Wirkert adapted from Warren Buffet
Dr. Zsuzsanna Izsvák
Group Leader Max-Delbrück-Centrum für Molekulare Medizin (MDC)
Focus: genetics, developmental biology, evolution, genome engineering, stem cell research
Research: Zsuzsanna conducts experimental biomolecular research relating to genomic manipulation. She studies the impact of mobile DNA segments, so-called transposable elements on mammalian host cells. Her research has shed light on ways in which genetics affect human physiology and ultimately health since nearly 60% of the human genome is derived from transposable elements. Her research provides an effective bridge between basic research and clinical translation. Her team has developed a novel gene therapy for cancer treatment.
What advice do you offer to aspiring researchers? Follow your genuine curiosity!
Prof. Dr. Stefanie Klug, MPH
Full Professor and Chair of Epidemiology, Technical University of Munich
Focus: Disease prevention, cancer epidemiology, molecular epidemiology, statistical methods, systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses, human papillomaviruses (HPV) and cervical cancer
Research: Stefanie’s research is dedicated to preventing chronic diseases. Her work draws largely on conducting population-based studies as well as secondary data analyses, supported by advanced epidemiological and biostatistical methods. Insights from her research have directly impacted health policy in Germany, for example, regarding cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination.
Which historical figure would you invite to dinner? I would love to have dinner with John Snow, a 19th century British physician and early epidemiologist. It would be great to learn about his thoughts and ideas of using statistical and epidemiological methods to investigate, document, analyze and in the end prevent outbreaks of Cholera before even knowing that a bacterium caused the epidemics.
Carine Karnouk
Counseling Psychologist and PhD candidate, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Focus: global mental health, psychotherapy, needs assessments, cultural sensitivity, action-oriented research
Research: Carine is a practicing counseling psychologist and researcher involved in mental health care projects in Germany and in Switzerland. As a part of the MEHIRA project (Mental Health in Refugees and Asylum Seekers) based at Charité, she tests culturally and contextually adapted mental health interventions for Arabic-speakers. Carine also validates and translates scales, with an eye to cultural factors. This evidence-based approach seeks to improve global mental health care, especially in overlooked populations.
What advice do you offer to aspiring researchers? (i) Surround yourself with a culturally diverse and multidisciplinary team (ii) Accept your limitations and focus on building on your strengths (iii) Be realistic and practical with your expectations towards yourself and others
Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Kinfe
Head of functional neurosurgery and stereotaxy, department of neurological surgery, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg
Focus: brain stimulation, spinal neuromodulation, robotics, lasersurgery, chronic pain
Research: Thomas studies experimental and clinical molecular outcome measures relevant for the pathophysiology of chronic pain. His clinical research draws in part on deep brain stimulation, epidural cranial (cortex) simulation as well as stereotactic ablative procedures (laserablation, ultrasound lesioning). He has also led research in novel neurotechnologies and novel operative approaches using robotics, laserablation and/or MR-based operative strategies. His team's clinical research interests in innovative neurotechnologies (robotics, laserablation, BCI) contribute to the implementation of novel, restorative neurotherapeutics.
If you could live two lives what would your non-research career be? To engage myself and contribute to re-build my country Eritrea.
Prof. Dr. Iris-Tatjana Kolassa
Head of the Department of Clinical and Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Universität Ulm
Focus: Traumatic stress, childhood maltreatment, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, depression, gene x environment interactions, immunometabolism and mental health, developmental programming, aging and dementia, life-style psychology (exercise, diet, relaxation)
Research: Iris draws on the fields of clinical psychology, molecular biology and neuroscience in her research on chronic and traumatic stress. Her work links stress and secondary illnesses, such as the premature onset of age-related diseases. Her approach truly builds bridges across disciplines and leads to new insights on the role of immunometabolism in the pathophysiology of mental disorders including developmental programming of intergenerational trauma. Her research has shed light on the possible reversibility of degeneration due to stress.
What do you do for fun? I practice and enjoy choral and solo classical singing and spend as much free-time as possible with my kids.
Dr. Daniel Opoku
Senior Research Fellow, Department Health Care Management, Berlin University of Technology
Focus: digital health, mobile health, health systems
Research: Daniel recently completed his doctoral thesis, which was concerned with improving non-communicable disease management using innovative digital health technologies as well as strengthening the health system in his home-country Ghana. Through a capacity building in health systems research and management, Daniel continues to support knowledge exchange between researchers and students from TU Berlin and KNUST in Ghana. His ongoing research concentrates on illuminating the potential and feasibility of mHealth interventions for strengthening health care systems, with a main focus on managing NCDs in sub-Saharan Africa.
What piece of advice has stuck with you? Question everything.
PD Dr. Tania Pastrana
Postdoctoral research associate, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen
Focus: palliative care, cancer, pain management, access to essential medicines
Research: Exploring experiences of palliative care, Tania brings together her training in biomedicine and medical anthropology. Her research centers both patients’ as well as caregivers’ experiences of severe disease and suffering nearing the end of life. She has been involved in numerous research projects across Latin America and formerly presided over the Latin American Association of Palliative Care. Her work is not only decidedly interdisciplinary and international but also strongly impact-oriented.
What do you do for fun? I love to dance to the sound of most rhythms.
Prof. Dr. François Paquet-Durand
Associate Professor and Project Lead, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen
Focus: Ophthalmology, cell biology, retinal diseases, pharmacology, biochemistry, affordable medicines, neurology
Research: François is interested in understanding neuronal cell death mechanisms and developing new ways of preventing neurodegeneration, particularly in the context of rare hereditary retinal diseases. His research has contributed to the finding that non-apoptotic cell death mechanisms appear to play a preeminent role in neurodegenerative diseases that cause blindness. Ultimately, this knowledge may support the clinical translation of novel treatments for blinding diseases. In the context of Global Health Research, he wants to promote the interests of patients suffering from rare diseases in developing countries.
What book do you recommend to our community? "1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus" by Charles C. Mann
Prof. Dr. Katharina Schaufler
University of Greifswald, Pharmaceutical Microbiology
Focus: Pharmaceutical microbiology, antimicrobial resistance, functional and phylogenetic genome analysis, One Health
Research: Katharina is examining factors that contribute to the success of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Her research seeks to characterize resistance, while also investigating virulence and fitness determinants. Ultimately, her research group aims to better understand and to fight successful pandemic pathogens.
What’s the best piece of advice you have been given? Don't forget your heart.
PD Dr. med. Thi Minh Tam Ta
Consultant Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist, Head of the university outpatient clinic for Vietnamese migrants, Co-Head Global Mental Health Working Group, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Focus: Global mental health, migration, culture and medicine, women’s mental health, genetic and sociocultural determinants of psychiatric disorders, interdisciplinarity in research methods
Research: Tam Ta investigates the interplay of cultural, social, gender and genomic factors on mental health, mental health literacy, mental illness and treatment. Her interdisciplinary psychiatric-anthropological research aims to understand affective efforts of the heterogeneous Vietnamese migrants and transnationals. She established a university cooperation between Charité and Hanoi Medical University and created a national network for mental health in Vietnam. Tam Ta promotes cooperation in Mental Health Research and scientific capacity building in the Global South.
Which historical figure would you invite to dinner? Mrs. Vo Thi Thang, a Vietnamese cultural icon known as the woman with the “Triumphant Smile.”
Lauren Tonti
PhD Candidate, Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy
Focus: Public health law & legal epidemiology, social determinants of health, health equity
Research: Lauren draws insights from her background in legal studies and public health to examine health governance in the context of vaccines, maternal mortality and mental health. Her dissertation compares the legal determinants of telehealth quality across jurisdictions. In addition to studying supra-national health institutions, she takes a comparative and multilevel approach to national health systems. Recently Lauren has made valuable contributions regarding the legal and ethical debates emerging around COVID-19 vaccination privileges.
What book do you recommend to our community? Hard to choose just one!
The New Public Health Law (Scott Burris, Micah L. Berman, Matthew Penn, and Tara Ramanathan Holiday)
Epidemiology and the People's Health: Theory and Context (Nancy Krieger)
Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present (Harriet A. Washington)
Medical Bondage: Race, Gender, and the Origins of American Gynecology (Dierdre Cooper Owens)
Prof. Dr. Ansgar Wübker
Hochschule-Harz and Ruhr-University Bochum, researcher at health department at RWI-Leibniz Institute for Economic Research
Focus: Health economics, applied econometrics, policy evaluation, health care inequity
Research: Ansgar applies his background in economics to policy-relevant issues in health. Broadly speaking, his research analyzes individual health behavior (e.g. cancer prevention), hospital markets and applied econometrics. His research seeks to draw on economic principles to shine light into where we can improve hospital care and inform policy.
What advice do you offer to aspiring researchers? A deep interest in the topic, hard work and a willingness to face challenges head-on are important ingredients for a happy and successful research career.
Prof. Dr. Martin Wolkewitz
Professor, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg
Focus: statisticalmodeling, mathematics, epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance
Research: Drawing on his background in mathematics and epidemiology, Martin develops models regarding hospital-acquired infections. Using data in part from clinical trials, his team has modelled the effect of COVID-19 on national intensive care-capacities, factors contributing to the risk of contracting pneumonia in hospitals, and the health outcomes associated with antimicrobial resistance. His research not only aims to innovate statistical methods but also to increase patients’ and policy makers’ understandings of data.
Which historical figure would you invite to dinner? Larry Brilliant
Dr. Cica Vissiennon
Research Group Leader, Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Universität Leipzig
Focus: traditional and plant-based medicines, molecular biology, pharmacology
Research: Cica investigates traditional and plant-based medicines in Western Africa from a pharmacological perspective. Her team explores the bio-molecular functioning of natural substances used in traditional medicines like medicinal plants such as myrrh and chamomile but also insects like termites used in medical practice. Her work uniquely brings together pharmacology and ethnomedicine to counter prejudiced misconceptions around traditional medicines.
Which historical figure would you invite to dinner? I love dinner parties so I would invite a series of guests, starting with ancient philosophers like Socrates and Aristotle: It would be fascinating to exchange about classical questions such as the meaning of life but also get their views on our current global challenges. Next in line would be Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald - for their great music of course!
See full profile in the Global Health Research Directory.
Maike Voss
Associate and Project Lead of the Global Health Governance Research Team, German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP); part-time PhD student, London School for Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Berlin Office
Focus: Health policy research, political sciences, global health governance, health security
Research: Maike is leading a project at SWP that examines the challenges and opportunities for German global health development policy, with an eye to achieving the sustainable development goals. Ultimately, the group hopes to identify policy-relevant recommendations for German and global health policy in line with the health in all policies approach.
What book do you recommend to our community? One book that I regularly give away to friends and family is "Factfulness" by H. Rosling. This book explains what I spend my working day with and what I worry about. For researchers and for those who want to become one, I recommend "Corpus Delicti" (J. Zeh) and "Biocapitalism" (K. S. Rajan).