Professor Chris Drakeley

Professor Chris Drakeley is an immunologist in the Department of Infection Biology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine where he leads a group whose work focuses on malaria transmission. The research areas cover the basic biology, immunology, chemotherapy, entomology and intervention trials aiming to better elucidate the key factors that govern transmission from humans to mosquitoes. The work aims to understand transmission dynamics in malaria endemic settings to provide researchers and programmes information on how to reduce transmission for control and elimination of malaria.

Professor Drakeley has a GI Biology degree in Immunology and obtained his PhD from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine during which time he was based at the MRC unit in The Gambia. From 1997–2007 he worked in the United Republic of Tanzania initially at the Ifakara Health Institute and subsequently the Joint Malaria Programme in Moshi. He has held a Fellowship and University award for the Wellcome Trust and led large research programmes on Plasmodium knowlesi and the development of serological surveillance for malaria. He has worked closely with numerous international research partners as well providing advice to WHO and regional partners on several expert review groups. He advises the United Kingdom Government and NGOs on malaria.

Professor Drakeley has published more than 450 scientific papers on all aspects of malaria and NTD surveillance. He was director of the Malaria Centre at LSHTM for 10 years and has provided support for several research capacity strengthening and mentoring initiatives.