Saving lives, one diagnosis at the time

Valérie D’Acremont is a specialist in tropical medicine who researches new methods for diagnosis of acute fever in developing countries. Her work contributes to better targeted treatment and preventing the over-prescription of antibiotics. (SRF, swissinfo.ch)

D'Acremont is a clinical epidemiologist heading the Clinical Research Unit at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health (TPH) Institute Basel and recently appointed professor at the faculty of medicine at the University of Lausae (UNIL).

In her 40s and a mother of three, among a host of other activities she coordinates the SAfia project. Its purpose is to study DNA sequencing methods which could help identify disease-causing organisms. It’s hoped the project can strengthen the surveillance of illnesses involving sudden fever in Africa.

At the begiing of 2017, the project received the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with a grant of $2.5 million (CHF ) over two years.