VALIDATE Fellows

VALIDATE Fellowships are competitively awarded to excellent Early Career Researcher (Associate) Members to fund two years' independent scientific research with the aim of producing initial/pilot data, and a funding and experience track record, that can be used by the Fellow to go on to obtain independent external funding and launch their career as a Principal Investigator and/or Group Leader. Find out more about our VALIDATE Fellows and their research below.

 


2025 - 2027

Camila Freitas
Preclinical evaluation of a novel recombinant chimeric vaccine for protection against tegumentary leishmaniasis
Dr Camila Freitas, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil
Monika Looney

Pilot study to investigate tissue-based immunological profiles associated with TB with single-cell spatial resolution in human lymph nodes

Dr Monika Looney, South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative, University of Cape Town (SATVI, UCT), South Africa
Robert Krause

Measuring the immunogenicity and efficacy of a novel DNA-launched therapeutic for tuberculosis in both murine and human models

Dr Robert Krause, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Mariano Maio

Boosting BCG Vaccine Efficacy through Metabolic Modulation of T Memory stem Cells: Implications for Mycobacterium tuberculosis Protection

Dr Mariano Maio, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas en Retrovirus y Sida (INBIRS), Argentina
Zimvo Obasa

Evaluating the Immunogenicity and Efficacy of Curdlan-PLGA Nanoparticles Encapsulating Mycobacterium tuberculosis Antigens

Dr Zimvo Obasa, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

2024 - 2026

Susana Flores Villalva

Elucidating the microbicidal and regulatory functions of bovine neutrophils during a natural Mycobacterium bovis infection

Dr Susana Flores Villalva, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP), Mexico
Paula Niewold

Translating protective immune signatures in the lung to peripheral biomarkers for TB

Dr Paula Niewold, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Netherlands
Paniela Pagliara

Evaluation of a recombinant chimeric protein vaccine with adjuvant for the protection against visceral leishmaniasis

Dr Daniela Pagliara Lage, Federal University of Minas Gerais (FUMG), Brazil
Thao-Thy Pham

Establishing the immunogenicity of the first naturally presented Leishmania epitope vaccine candidates in Ethiopian cutaneous leishmaniasis

Dr Thao-Thy Pham, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Belgium
Elena Stylianou

Defining the mechanism of BCG-priming and its impact on subunit vaccine boosting

Dr Elena Stylianou, University of Oxford, UK
Happy Tshivhula

Probing extreme phenotypes to determine correlates of risk for recurrent TB: a step towards optimised vaccine development

Dr Happy Tshivhula, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

2022 - 2024

Nastassja Kriel

Identifying persister Mycobacterium tuberculosis biosignatures

Dr Nastassja Kriel, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Cristian Segura-Cerda

Evaluation of the efficacy of BCGΔBCG1419c vaccination plus a booster of EsxG/EsxH-derived peptides to prevent tuberculosis progression caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains prevalent in Latin America

Dr Cristian Segura-Cerda, CIATEJ, Mexico

2018 - 2021

Jomien Mouton

Identification of latency associated antigens and biosignatures associated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Dr Jomien Mouton, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Rachel Tanner

Characterising the BCG-induced antibody response to inform the design of improved vaccines against M.tuberculosis, M.leprae and M.bovis

Dr Rachel Tanner, University of Oxford, UK