Employing (Home) Organisation: Centre Pasteur du Cameroun
Project title: Capacity building in genomics to understand the epidemiology of viral hepatitis in Cameroon
I am an early career virologist specializing in the field of neglected, emerging/re-emerging viral diseases. After completing my Ph.D. on the epidemiology of viral hepatitis E in 2022, I obtained a two-year postdoctoral position in Cameroon for studying the hepatitis E virus using the One Health approach. I’m currently a junior researcher at the Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, where I’m carrying out research to understand the epidemiology of hepatitis viruses and improve access to viral hepatitis screening in Cameroon.
Summary of Project Destination
Viral hepatitis continues to be a major public health problem in Cameroon. Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major etiology of emerging viral hepatitis in Africa but it remains neglected in terms of public health awareness and funding. In Cameroon, HEV infection is largely unknown. Mutation and recombination are responsible for the diversity of hepatitis C virus (HCV), which has a strong impact on treatment sensitivity. In our recent study we confirmed the high genetic diversity of HCV in Cameroon, with the circulation putative recombinant strains and a significant number of non-typable subtypes. My fellowship will address a significant gap in our understanding of the viral infections, especially in regions with limited public health resources, and will contribute to global efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030.
Summary of Fellowship Plan
I will be placed for three months at the Maimonides Institute for Biomedical Research of Cordoba (IMIBIC) in Spain, a leading laboratory reference for many pathogens including hepatitis E virus and hepatitis C virus in Europe. The research environment at IMIBIC, under the direction of Dr Antonio Rivero-Juarez, will enable me to develop my expertise in advanced genomic techniques, bioinformatics and molecular epidemiology. This collaboration will not only enable me to improve my scientific skills, but also facilitate the transfer of these technologies to my home institution, thereby enhancing local capacity to meet the challenges of public health in Cameroon.
Quote
“Building genomics capacity to understand the epidemiology of viral hepatitis in Cameroon is of crucial importance and will contribute to global efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030.”
Dr. Modiyinji expects to start his fellowship in January 2026