Laureates of the UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences
2015 laureates
Professor Manoel Barral-Netto (Brazil)
Head of Research and Director of the Centro de Pesquisas Goncalo Moniz-FIOCRUZ-BA.
He has dedicated most of his career to the study of Leishmaniasis and Malaria and has contributed to the development of science and control tools in the area of transmissible diseases and the neglected diseases of poverty.
Professor Balram Bhargava (India)
Professor of Cardiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.
He is a cardiologist specializing in biomedical innovation, public health and medical education. His contribution in developing innovative, effective and affordable tools for the management of cardiovascular diseases has had a huge social impact in resource-poor environments.
Dr. Amadou Alpha Sall (Senegal)
Head of the WHO collaborating Centre on Arboviruses and Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses in Dakar.
He has made cutting-edge contributions in developing and disseminating diagnostic and control tools for viral diseases like Ebola, Chikungunya, Dengue and other vector borne diseases with potential global impact.
2014 laureates
Professor Hossein Baharvand (Iran)
Professor of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology at the Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology and the Head of Department of developmental biology at the University of Science and Culture.
In 2003, he established the first mouse and human induced pluripotent stem cells in Iran. His contribution to the development of stem cell resource and translational research has led to numerous applications in regenerative medicine.
André Bationo (Burkina-Faso)
Soil scientist and President of Action for Integrated Development.
He specializes in soil chemistry, soil fertility, agricultural production, environmental issues and natural resource management. He has contributed to improving agriculture in Africa through his outstanding fundamental and translational research in soil fertility management.
Instituto de Medicina Tropical von Humboldt (IMT) at Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
The Institute was founded in 1968 with the mission of promoting education and research on the most prevalent tropical diseases in Peru. It has performed high quality research and contributed to controlling diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, leishmaniasis, leptospirosis, HIV-AIDS and others.
2012 laureates
Dr. Maged Al-Sherbiny, Egypt
President, Centre for Science and Technology of the Non Aligned Movement (NAM S&T Centre) and President, Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT).
Born in 1963, his scientific efforts and contributions concentrate on combating endemic diseases in Egypt and Africa through intensive research for vaccine development and diagnostics, targeting the diseases Hepatitis C and Schistosomiasis.
Dr. Felix Dapare Dakora, South Africa
Professor and Holder of the South African Research Chair in Agrochemurgy and Plant Symbioses at Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria.
Born in 1952, Professor Felix D. Dakora has over fourteen years of postdoctoral research studied the molecular ‘conversation’ between legumes and soil. He has contributed to building local capacities in agriculture thereby tackling the issue of food scarcity in Africa.
Dr Rossana Arroyo, Mexico
Professor at the Centre for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV-IPN), Mexico.
Born in 1955, Dr. Rossana Arroyo stands as one of the leaders in the study of molecular pathogenesis of trichomonosis in Mexico. The trichomonad community as well as leaders in parasitology recognize her work nationally and globally. Her research will help improve human life by controlling amoebiasis and trichomonosis, two parasitic diseases that still afflict human populations worldwide.