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Conference Scientific Committee

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The Conference Scientific Committee coordinates the development of the scientific programme of The Union World Conference on Lung Health.

Katharina Kranzer, Chair

Professor Katharina Kranzer is a clinical microbiologist and epidemiologist. Katharina is currently based in Zimbabwe, a high TB/HIV and MDR-TB burden country, where she leads several TB focused studies on diagnostics, transmission, comorbidities, rehabilitation and social protection. She has a keen interest in capacity building both with regards to laboratory and research capacity.

Katharina leads two large fellowship programs across six African countries funded by the Wellcome Trust and EDCTP focused on PhDs and postdocs. From 2015-2018, she directed the National and Supranational TB Reference Laboratory (SRL) in Germany. In her capacity as SRL Director she supported training, quality control and drug resistance surveys in several Central Asian and African countries.

Conference Scientific Committee members

Members have a two year term and will serve on the committee for 2025 and 2026.

Name Key expertise Gender Region
Katharina Kranzer (Chair) Clinical microbiologist, physician, epidemiologist, diagnostics, screening     F Africa
Daria Podlekareva (Local Chair) Physician, DR-TB     F Europe
Simon Tiberi (TB section) ID physician, clinical drug trials (adults)     M Europe
Chishala Chabala (Adult and Child Lung Health section) Paediatrician, clinical trials (PK, HIV, TB), lung health     M Africa
Jyoti Mathad (HIV section) Obstetrician, immunologist     F North America
Garima Bhatt (Tobacco Section) Public health researcher, Tobacco cessation, advocacy, policy     F Europe
Finn McQuaid Mathematical modeller     M Europe
Hojoon Sohn  Health Economist, diagnostics, epidemiologist     M South-East Asia
Sarah Bernays Social scientist, vulnerable populations, implementation science     F Asia-Pacific
Sadia Shakoor Microbiologist     F South-East Asia
Julio Croda TB transmission (geospatial), prisons, vaccines     M Latin America
Joseph Baluku Chronic pulmonary disease incl NCDs     M Africa
Pranay Sinha Physician, epidemiologist, health economist, nutrition     M North America
Zahedul Islam UCAP representative     M Europe
Kobto Koura Director, Union TB Department     M Europe