After careful consideration of all applications submitted to WHO, the following individuals are proposed for membership of the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Arbovirus (TAG-Arbovirus). They are to serve in their personal capacities to represent the broad range of disciplines relevant to emerging and re-emerging arboviruses. In evaluating the applications submitted, consideration was given to attaining an adequate distribution of technical expertise, geographical representation and gender balance.
- Dr Thomas Scott is a distinguished Professor of mosquito transmitted disease ecology and epidemiology in the University of California, United States of America. He is originally from the United States of America.
- Dr Marietjie Venter is a Professor of the Zoonotic Arbovirus and Respiratory Virus Research Programme at the Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. She is originally from South Africa.
- Dr Ehsan Mostafavi is the director of the Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases in Pasteur institute of Iran, Iran. He is originally from Iran.
- Dr Chantal Reusken is a principal Virologist at the Centre for Infectious Disease Control of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in Bilthoven, the Netherlands. She is originally from the Netherlands.
- Professor Suresh Mahalingam is the director of the Global Virus Network (GVN) Centre of Excellence in Arbovirology at the Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Australia. He is originally from Malaysia.
- Dr Samuel Dadzie is a Senior Research Fellow at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Ghana. He is originally from Ghana.
- Dr Maria Guzman is the head of the Center for Research, Diagnostic and Reference at the Institute of Tropical Medicine Pedro Kouri in Cuba. She is originally from Cuba.
- Professor Fabrice Simon is a chief executive officer of RISK&VIR, Marseille, France. He is originally from France.
- Mrs Tammy Allen is a senior Lecturer at James Cook University, Australia. She is originally from Australia.
- Dr Hmooda Kafy is the head of Integrated Vector Management Department in the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) in Sudan. He is originally from Sudan.
- Dr Nuno Faria is a reader in Virus Evolution at the Imperial College London, United Kingdom. He is originally from Portugal.
- Professor NG Lee Ching is a group Director of Environmental Health Institute at National Environment Agency, Singapore. She is originally from Singapore
- Dr J. Erin Staples is a Medical Epidemiologist at Arboviral Disease Branch, Division of Vector-borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States of America. She is originally from the United States of America.
- Dr Naveen Rai Tuli is a Public Health Specialist in South Delhi Municipal Corporation, India. He is originally from India.
- Professor Maria Eugenia Grillet is a Full Professor at the Universidad Central de Venezuela, Venezuela. She is originally from Venezuela.
- Dr Jean-Michel Heraud is a Virologist at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Senegal. He is originally from France.
- Dr Anoja Dheerasinghe is the Head of the Vector Surveillance & Vector Control Unit, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka. She is originally from Sri Lanka.
- Dr Kleber Luz is an Associate Professor at Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. He is originally from Brazil.
Pursuant to WHO’s rules and practices, and in order to enhance WHO’s management of conflicts of interest, as well as strengthen public trust and transparency in connection with WHO advisory groups involving the provision of technical advice, the names and brief biographies of the individuals selected for TAG-Arbovirus Membership are now disclosed for public notice and comment.
Should you wish to comment on any of the individuals, please send your comment to GLAI@who.int with subject, “Public comments on TAG-Arbovirus members” by 6 December 2021.
WHO will treat the comments received through this public notice and comment process confidentially. Comments and perceptions brought to the attention of WHO through this process are an integral component of WHO’s conflict of interest assessment policy and will, subject to WHO’s rules, practices, and policies, be carefully reviewed by WHO. WHO reserves the right to discuss information received through this process with the relevant expert and otherwise within the Organization as appropriate, with no attribution to the provider of the information. WHO, may, in its sole discretion, take appropriate action in accordance with its rules, practices, and policies, based on any information received.