Francisca Mutapi (Winner of the University of Edinburgh Chancellor’s Award for Impact (2017) and David Livingstone Medal, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (2016))
Professor in Global Health Infection and Immunity, Deputy Co-Director TIBA

Contact details
- Tel: +44 (0)131 650 5456
- Email: F.Mutapi@ed.ac.uk
Address
- Street
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Rm. 140B, Ashworth Building
- City
- Post code
Background
February 2019-currently: Senior Advisor to the Principal on Africa
March 2018-currently: Co-Director, Global Health Academy (University of Edinburgh)
July 2017-currently: Deputy Director TIBA Partnership (Tackling Infections to Benefit Africa) NIHR Unit at the University of Edinburgh.
August 2017-currently: Professor (Global Health Infection and Immunity), School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh.
2014-July 2017: Reader, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh.
2011-2014: Senior Lecturer, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh.
2005-2011: Research Fellow in Infection and Immunity, University of Edinburgh.
2002-2005: MRC Research Training Fellow in Molecular Parasitology, University of Edinburgh.
2001-2002: University Lecturer in Comparative Epidemiology, Department of Clinical Veterinary Studies, University of Glasgow.
2001: University Lecturer in Microbiology, Birkbeck College, University of London.
1999-2000: Departmental Lecturer in Molecular Parasitology, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford.
1999-2000: Retained College Lecture in Infectious Diseases, Pembroke College, University of Oxford.
1998- 2000: College Lecturer in Statistics and Experimental Design in Biology and Psychology, St Hilda’s College, University of Oxford.
1997-1999: Postdoctoral Fellow, Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
Qualifications
DPhil, Biological Sciences, Linacre College, University of Oxford.
BSc Hons, Biological Sciences, University of Zimbabwe.
Responsibilities & affiliations
Membership of Learned Socities
Elected Fellow, Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE)
Elected Fellow, Zimbabwe Academy of Sciences (FZAS)
Elected Fellow, African Academy of Sciences (FAAS)
Elected Fellow, Africa Science Leadership Program and Future Africa Fellow (run by the Global Young Academy and the Robert Bosch Foundation)
2015: Elected Fellow, African Science Institute.
Honorary Academic appointments
2017-currently: Honorary Professor, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.
2016-currently: Visiting Research Fellow, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford.
Undergraduate teaching
Parasite Biology
Animal Biology
Medical and Veterinary Epidemiology
Research summary
My group conducts basic scientific research to inform the policy, practice and control of Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD). Currently we are conducting fundamental research on the host immunology and epidemiology, parasite molecular biology and drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenetics in people exposed to the second most important parasitic disease in Africa, schistosomiasis. Through this work, we have contributed to shaping national and global NTD policies by working closely with stakeholders including the World Health Organisation and local governments in affected countries, impacting millions of lives.
Our translational and fundamental research is contextual, ensuring we do not study schistosomiasis in isolation but rather within a host, a community and a health system. Thus, our host studies investigate the biology of schistosome parasites within a host ecosystem taking into account host factors including co-infections, comorbidities and microbiota. We investigate dynamics of infection and disease within this ecosystem as well as the impact of antihelminthic treatment. Our diagnostic and intervention innovation studies focus on the health system set-up where the diagnostic and intervention tools are to be implemented as well as the community response to them
My group’s fieldwork is conducted in Zimbabwe though a long-running collaborative research programme, the “Understanding Bilharzia” Programme which involves two local institutions in Zimbabwe, the National Institutes of Health Research and the University of Zimbabwe. The objective of the work is to inform schistosome control policy in terms of types of control strategies (chemotherapy and vaccination), diagnosis of infection and morbidity and evaluation of control programs.
Our studies are relevant to host-parasite biology, parasite immunology, helminth population biology, control and public health and have recently contributed to the revision of the World Health Organisation's guidelines on the treatment of paediatric schistosomiasis as well as the formulation and implementation of a national schistosomiasis control programme in Zimbabwe.
Knowledge exchange
My group's work haas contributed signficantly to global policy, practice and control of Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD).
Most notably, my group's work has led to the World Health Organization (WHO) revising the pediatric schistosome treatment policy. Prior to our studies, children below 5 years old were excluded from schistosome treatment with the drug of choice, praziquantel (PZQ). My group’s immunology, epidemiology and field studies challenged this health inequity, providing PZQ safety and efficacy data, on which basis, the WHO revised the pediatric schistosomiasis treatment policy, making ~50 million more African children eligible for schistosome treatment.
Affiliated research centres
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Efficacy of praziquantel has been maintained over four decades (from 1977 to 2018): A systematic review and meta-analysis of factors influence its efficacy
(19 pages)
In:
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, vol. 15
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009189
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
SARS-CoV-2 serological testing in front line health workers in Zimbabwe
In:
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Accepted/In press) -
What are SARS-CoV-2 genomes from the WHO Africa region member states telling us?
In:
BMJ Global Health, vol. 6
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004408
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Comment/debate (Published) -
Schistosoma haematobium infection is associated with alterations in energy and purine-related metabolism in preschool-aged children
(23 pages)
In:
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, vol. 14
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008866
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Association of schistosomiasis and risk of prostate cancer development in residents of Murehwa rural community, Zimbabwe
(11 pages)
In:
Infectious Agents and Cancer, vol. 15
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13027-020-00327-2
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Investigating a strategy for quantifying schistosome infection levels in preschool-aged children using prevalence data from school-aged children
In:
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, vol. 14
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008650 O
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics of praziquantel: A review of variable drug exposure during schistosomiasis treatment in human hosts and experimental models
In:
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008649
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article (Published) -
Positive impact of preventative chemotherapy during a national helminth control program: Perception and KAP
In:
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, vol. 14
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008494
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Editorial (Published) -
Efficacy and safety of single 40 mg/kg oral praziquantel in the treatment of schistosomiasis in preschool-age versus school-age children: An individual participant data meta-analysis
In:
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, vol. 14
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008277
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Six rounds of annual praziquantel treatment during a national helminth control program significantly reduced schistosome infection and morbidity levels in a cohort of schoolchildren in Zimbabwe
In:
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, vol. 14
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/ journal.pntd.0008388
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Oxygen provision in Sub-Saharan Africa to fight COVID-19
In:
BMJ Global Health, vol. 5
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002786
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Clinical morbidity associated with S. haematobium infection in pre‐school age children from an endemic district in Zimbabwe
In:
Tropical Medicine and International Health
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/tmi.13451
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
The gut microbiome but not the resistome is associated with urogenital schistosomiasis in preschool-aged children
In:
Nature
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-020-0859-7
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
The pathogenesis of fungal-related diseases and allergies in the African population: The state of the evidence and knowledge gaps
In:
International archives of allergy and immunology, pp. 1-13
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1159/000506009
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Elevation of C-reactive protein, P-selectin and Resistin as potential inflammatory biomarkers of urogenital Schistosomiasis exposure in preschool children
In:
BMC Infectious Diseases, vol. 19, pp. 1071
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-019-4690-z
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
Africa should set its own health-research agenda
In:
Nature, vol. 575, pp. 567-567
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-03627-9
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Comment/debate (Published) -
Strengthening national health research systems in the WHO African Region - progress towards universal health coverage
In:
Globalization and Health, vol. 15
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-019-0492-8
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (Published) -
In-depth proteomic characterization of Schistosoma haematobium: Towards the development of new tools for elimination
(23 pages)
In:
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, vol. 13, pp. e0007362
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0007362
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
The anthelmintic drug Praziquantel promotes human Tr1 differentiation
In:
Immunology and Cell Biology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/imcb.12229
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article (E-pub ahead of print) -
Population level changes in schistosome specific antibody levels following chemotherapy
In:
Parasite Immunology, pp. e12604
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/pim.12604
Research output: Contribution to Journal › Review article (E-pub ahead of print)
2020: UK Department for International Development (DFID) Science Advisory Group
2020: World Health Organisation, Member, WHO Diagnostic Technical Advisory Group (DTAG) for neglected tropical diseases. Schistomiasias s Sub-group.
2019-ongoing: UK Department for International Development (DFID) Accelerating Sustainable Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ASCEND) Steering Committee
2019-ongoing: Board Member –Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases.
2019-ongoing: Senior Adviser to the Principal (University of Edinburgh) on Africa
2019-ongoing:: UKRI GCRF Strategic Advisory Group
2018- ongoing:World Health Organisation Africa Region Director’s Independent Advisory Group
2018-ongoing: World Health Organisation Expert Advisory Group: Guidelines for implementation of control and elimination of schistosomiasis and verification of interruption of transmission
2018-ongoing: Royal Society/African Academy of Science Future Leaders – African Independent Researchers (FLAIR) Fellowships steering committee.
2017-ongoing: Grand Challenges Africa (GC Africa) Steering Committee member. Grand Challenges Africa is a multi-million dollar funding body lead by the African Academy of Sciences and the New Partnership for Africa's Development funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. FM is one of 9 committee members responsible for:
2015-ongoing: Independent Strategic and Scientific Advisory Board of the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA). AESA is a pan-African platform established in 2014 as a partnership between the African Academy of Science (AAS) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), and supported by three global funders (Wellcome Trust, DIFID, Gates) to promote long-term development of research leadership, scientific excellence and innovation in Africa.
2015-2016: Chair -WHO committee on treatment of Schistosomiasis in preschool-age children and paediatric Praziquantel formulations WHO, Department of Control and Neglected Tropical Diseases.
2010-2012: WHO committee reviewing results from studies on the treatment of young children for schistosomiasis, WHO, Department of Control and Neglected Tropical Diseases.
2018-ongoing: Chair, UK Department of Health, National Institutes for Health Research (NIHR) Global Health Research Funding Panel- call 2 (Groups).
2018-ongoing: UK Department of Health, NIHR Research Professorships panel.
2017 –ongoing: Deputy Chair, UK Department of Health NIHR –GCRF Funding Panel- Units and Groups
2015-2017: Wellcome Trust Seeds Award Funding Committee.
2016: Wellcome Trust Population and Public Health Expert Review Group, co-opted member.