Global Public Health
ETH for Development (ETH4D) has been supporting the following projects in the field of Health.
Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, yet it remains a major burden in resource- limited settings, largely because of poverty-related risk factors and barriers to screening and treatment. In Ethiopia (a use case for this project), screening often depends on visual inspection of the cervix after applying acetic acid (VIA) or Lugol’s iodine (VILI) to identify suspected precancerous lesions before progressing to cancer. WHO recommends VIA/VILI as affordable and feasible approaches that do not require laboratory infrastructure, but their accuracy highly varies depending on the experience of providers, especially in peripheral clinics where screening is often performed by nurses and midwives. Infections and other conditions can also mimic or mask precancer lesions, leading to missed disease and unnecessary treatment or referral. These gaps create an important development challenge: unequal access to timely and reliable care for underserved women, resulting in higher costs, travel burden, and preventable losses in health and productivity.
The project addresses these limitations by improving VIA/VILI-based screening and supporting same-visit decision-making in primary care settings in Ethiopia. Using currently available cervical images and additional images prospectively collected during routine speculum examination in rural clinics of Ethiopia, we will develop and test a locally trained AI model for use on low-cost Android smartphones. The model will analyze paired cervical images captured before and after VIA/VILI procedure to support two linked tasks: identification of suspected precancerous lesions and assessment of whether visible findings are suitable for same-visit local treatment, referral, or follow- up. Unlike other AI studies, the system is designed for low-resource settings: it works offline and determines same-visit management decisions, supporting primary care workers.
The project will deliver internally trained and validated AI model, a usable mobile health app for image capture and on-device decision support, and acceptability assessment among women, providers, and health-system partners.
Focus countries: Ethiopia
Contact: Prof. Dr. Ender Konukoglu
Partners: external page Sidama Regional Health Bureau, external page Hawassa University
Exploring Phage-Encoded Modified Peptide Natural Products as a New Frontier for Antibacterial Discovery
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the ability of microorganisms to evolve and survive exposure to drugs that were previously effective against them, is projected to cause 39 million deaths by 2050, with sub-Saharan Africa bearing the highest burden. In Kenya, the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a bacteria that can lead to blood- and bone infections, reaches 84.1% in some hospitals, yet new approaches to stop the bacteria from growing, remain scarce.
Nature has long been a great source of antibiotics, many come from microbes and plants. One natural antibiotic called ribosomally synthesized and post‑translationally modified peptides (RiPPs). Cells build these proteins normally at first, but then special enzymes modify them, making them much better at fighting bacteria. Bacteriophages (i.e., viruses that infect bacteria) represent an underexplored potential source of antibacterial molecules. They offer a unique opportunity to discover new substances that kill microorganisms or stop their growth and reveal the hidden metabolism . We hypothesize that bacteriophages, a type of virus that infects and replicates inside bacteria and archae, a will serve as a privileged source of novel antibacterial RiPPs with functions against the host bacteria or microbial competitors.
This project will carry out the first systematic study of antibacterial peptides encoded by bacteriophages (phages) in Kenyan bacterial samples. It follows a two-part strategy. Part A will test and validate the laboratory method used to produce these peptides outside their natural host. Part B focuses on discovering new peptides from Kenyan phages. We will collect and analyze Staphylococcus aureus phages from wastewater samples in Kenya, creating a local phage collection that could form the basis of a future national phage biobank. Using computer-assisted analysis of genetic data, we will search for new peptide-producing gene clusters in Kenyan samples and in public genetic databases. The most promising peptides will be produced in the lab and tested against drug-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and six other bacteria identified by the World Health Organization as priority drug-resistant threats (known as the ESKAPE pathogens). We will also study the genetic signals that control when these peptides are produced during the phage's life cycle. Finally, we will use a gene-silencing technique (CRISPRi-ART) to determine what role these peptides play in the interaction between phages and their bacterial hosts. This project supports Kenya's National Action Plan on antimicrobial resistance, strengthens local scientific capacity through a public phage collection and the Phage Hunters Training and Research Program (co-founded by the applicant in 2024), and highlights the value of African phage diversity in the search for new natural antibacterial compounds. Expected results include new candidate antibacterial peptides, an established phage collection, and trained Kenyan researchers.
Focus country: Kenya
Contact: Alice Auko Owiti
Partners: external page The Technical University of Kenya (TUK) - Kenya, external page Kenya Institute of Primate Research (KIPRE) - Kenya
Grant: ETH4Doctoral Scholarship
Iron and Vaccine-preventable Viral Disease
Dealing with the current COVID-19 pandemic requires a better understanding of health conditions that modulate the immune response to the virus as well as ensuring the efficacy of future vaccines.
While immunization programs have achieved high coverage on the African continent, vaccines often underperform compared to high-income countries. Why vaccines do not work as well in Africa remains uncertain. Malnutrition likely plays a role. Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) weakens the adaptive immune response and thereby may impair response to vaccines. In Kenya, anemia affects 25% of women of reproductive age.
This experimental study with 112 participants aims to assess whether IDA in Kenyan women impairs their immune response to viral vaccines and whether iron treatment improves their response. Participants will be randomly assigned to a treatment (immediate iron-treatment) and control (delayed iron-treatment) group to measure differences in vaccine response to three anti-viral vaccines (influenza, yellow fever, and measles-rubella).
The findings will clarify the potential role of IDA, and its treatment, in maximizing the efficacy of future COVID-19 vaccines in Africa.
Focus Country: Kenya
Contact: Dr. Nicole Stoffel
Partners: external page School of Public Health, Jomo Kenyatta University, Msambweni District Hospital
ETH4D Grant: ETH4D Research Challenges Grant
Point-of-care Diagnosis of Trichomoniasis to Improve Linkage to Care and Combat Antimicrobial Resistance in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant threat to public health, particularly in regard to the control of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Amongst STIs, trichomoniasis, caused by the parasite T. vaginalis, remains one of the most common. Infection with T. vaginalis is associated with serious health consequences, including adverse pregnancy outcomes and an increased risk of transmitting HIV to sexual partners. Trichomoniasis and its complications disproportionately affect communities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
In the absence of appropriate diagnostics, resource-limited countries rely on syndromic management, which results in inappropriate treatment and contributes to the development of resistance to nitroimidazoles, the only effective drug class available. An essential first step in mitigating the impact of trichomoniasis is the deployment of effective diagnostic tests and timely linkage to appropriate care.
The Foundation for Innovative Diagnostics (FINDx) highlights low cost, fast time to results, and ease of use and specimen collection to ensure implementation of diagnostic testing at the point-of-care in resource-limited settings. Currently available molecular diagnostic platforms, whilst highly accurate, are prohibitively complex and expensive, making nationwide introduction in LMICs unfeasible.
Building upon existing technology from ETH Zurich, the project develops a novel low-cost point-of-care diagnostic test to detect both the presence of T. vaginalis and antimicrobial resistance genes. This test will combine a novel CRISPR-Cas12 based biosensing assay with highly-scalable microfluidic architectures and has been designed around the requirements of FINDx.
Focus Countries: Zambia
Contact: Dr. Daniel Richards
Partners: external page Centre for Infectious Disease Research (Zambia), Kanyama General Hospital
ETH4D Grant: ETH4D Research Challenges Grant
Digital Solutions for Perinatal Depression in India
Depression and anxiety during pregnancy and/or the first year postpartum (”the perinatal period”) affect up to 22% of women in India with little to no access to timely care or intervention. Some of the biggest barriers to seeking and obtaining early help during this time are mothers' limited access and engagement with traditional face-to-face treatment services due to lack of trained mental health professionals, sociocultural customs in traditions, high costs, geographical distance to services, logistical issues, and perceived stigma associated with seeking help, prompting many women to seek digital solutions.
The research has developed such an app with the aim to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and utility of using a decision-making app for perinatal depression and anxiety in India. In doing so, the effectiveness of the decision-making skills of women will be compared to treatment decisions conducted by healthcare workers trained in mental health.
Focus Country: India
Contact: Dr. Sonali Mohanty Quantius
Partners: external page White Swan
ETH4D Grant: ETH4D Research Challenges Grant
Development and Implementation of a Multiplexed Point-of-care Diagnostic Test for Dengue Virus Infections
Infectious diseases pose a significant threat to human health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Mosquito-borne viruses are of particular concern due to the prolific reproduction rates of mosquitos and their rapidly expanding habitats. The rapid spread of Dengue virus (DENV) over the last 50 years perfectly exemplifies the impact of mosquito-borne viruses. Though DENV was once localized to a few tropical countries, it is now endemic throughout the Americas and Southeast Asia. Best estimates of the dengue disease burden suggest that over half of the world’s population lives in dengue risk areas and that there are 390 million dengue infections alone per year, of which 96 million manifest clinically. Estimates place the total annual global cost of dengue at 8.9 billion USD. Unfortunately, populations living within LMICs bare a disproportionate burden. The reasons for this are multifaceted, consisting of interconnected geographical, social, and economic factors.
It is widely accepted the lack of effective track-trace-treat programs has played a central role in the rise of DENV infections. The key to these programs is effective diagnostic technologies. Unfortunately, contemporary diagnostics rely on complex laboratories and highly-trained personnel. This greatly limits their utility within LMICs. To remedy this, researchers are focusing on developing point-of-care (PoC) diagnostic devices. These devices harness modern advances in engineering and biochemistry to miniaturize assays into simple, portable, and cost-effective formats. Unfortunately, to date, PoC diagnostics have failed to reduce the impact of dengue; clearly, there is an urgent need for innovation. In this project, we will leverage novel technologies developed within ETH Zürich to create a highly sensitive and specific diagnostic test for DENV. This work will be supported by a strong framework of clinicians, virologists, engineers, and biochemists from Switzerland and Colombia. This team will drive the work from conception through to implementation within Colombia.
Focus Country: Colombia
Contact: Andrés Javier Bello Hernández, Prof. Andrew deMello
Partners: external page Dr. Andreas Neumayr (Swiss TPH), external page PD Dr med. Stefan Stübinger (University of Basel), external page Prof. Ruben Godoy (Universidad Nacional de Colombia),
external page Fernando de la Hoz (Universidad Nacional de Colombia)
ETH4D Grant: E4D Doctoral Scholarship
Using iDNA to Understand and Prevent Rift Valley Fever in Rwanda
Rift Valley Fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne viral disease that affects both humans and livestock, causing serious health and economic impacts in eastern and southern Africa. In Rwanda, outbreaks can be triggered by environmental factors like heavy rains—but new evidence suggests that the diversity of animal hosts might also play a key role in how the virus spreads and persists.In this pilot project, we are testing an innovative, non-invasive surveillance tool called invertebrate-derived DNA (iDNA). By collecting blood-fed mosquitoes from Akagera National Park and nearby farms in Rwanda’s Eastern Province, we can identify the animals they have fed on and detect the presence of the RVF virus. This will help us understand whether higher biodiversity reduces the risk of severe outbreaks and supports healthier ecosystems.The insights gained will strengthen One Health strategies—linking ecosystem conservation with public health—and could be applied to monitor other vector-borne diseases in tropical countries. Because iDNA sampling is low-impact and scalable, it has the potential to be a powerful addition to national disease surveillance systems.
The project is a close collaboration with Rwandan partners, including Dr. Beth Kaplin and Dr. Venuste Nsengimana from the Center of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management at the University of Rwanda, Dr. Noel Gahamanyi from the National Research Lab at the Rwanda Biomedical Center, Dr. Anselme Shyaka from the Centre for One Health at the University of Global Health Equity, Janvier Uwayezu from the University of Rwanda’s Department of Biology, Dr. Julius Nziza from Gorilla Doctors in Kigali, and Dr. Olivier Nsengimana from the Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association.
Focus Country: Rwanda
Contact: ,
Partners: external page Center of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management at the University of Rwanda, external page National Research Lab at the Rwanda Biomedical Center, external page Centre for One Health at the University of Global Health Equity, external page Gorilla Doctors, external page Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association
ETH4D Grant: ETH4D Pilot Grant
Sharing Pathogen Genomic Data
In collaboration with the non-profit organization Pathoplexus and the Central Public Health Laboratories (CPHL) in Uganda, this project will strengthen rapid sharing of pathogen genome data in African countries. We will expand the Pathoplexus platform to support additional pathogens that are of high priority in Africa, improve usability and access, enable sharing of raw data, and use automated methods to clean and improve data quality. This supports routine surveillance and is particularly relevant during public health emergencies such as Ebola and mpox, where the ability to share and analyze data quickly is critical for early response and containment.
The work will be guided by the needs of our partners. We will set priorities together, test features in their workflows, and adjust based on regular feedback. An essential part of the project is a set of in-person and virtual workshops to discuss the platform with public health stakeholders and to provide hands-on training for laboratories.
Ultimately, the improved Pathoplexus platform will help labs respond more effectively to disease outbreaks and day-to-day tasks, reducing barriers to data sharing and empowering local researchers and health authorities. The tools and software developed will be open-source and adaptable for broader global use.
Focus Country: Uganda
Contact: ,
Partners: external page Central Public Health Laboratories (Uganda), external page Pathoplexus (Switzerland)
ETH4D Grant: ETH4D Research Challenge Grant
Accessible Diagnostics for Chlamydia & Gonorrhea
Amongst sexually transmitted infections (STIs), chlamydia and gonorrhoea, caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), are amongst the most prevalent. These infections are associated with serious health consequences, including genital discharge, urinary discomfort, non-menstrual bleeding in women, and an increased risk of transmitting HIV to sexual partners. Moreover, CT and NG infections often occur simultaneously and most cases are asymptomatic. CT and NG infections disproportionately affect communities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
An essential first step in mitigating the impact of these diseases is the deployment of effective diagnostic tests and timely linkage to appropriate care. Both the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Foundation for Innovative Diagnostics (FIND) highlight low cost, fast time to results, ease of use, and specimen collection as key factors for ensuring access to diagnostic testing at the point-of-care in LMICs. Currently available diagnostic platforms, whilst highly accurate, are prohibitively complex and expensive, making widespread introduction in LMICs unfeasible.
In collaboration with the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ), and Kanyama General Hospital (KGH), our team will develop a low-cost point-of-care diagnostic test to detect and differentiate CT and NG infections. This test will combine a novel CRISPR-Cas12 based biosensing assay with highly-scalable microfluidics and has been designed around the requirements of the WHO and FIND. By combining the expertise of the teams at ETHZ and CIDRZ, we hope to develop and field-test a device that satisfies these requirements. The support of ETH4D not only provides funding for basic research, prototyping, and field testing, but also facilitates the ongoing collaboration between ETHZ, CIDRZ, and the Government of Zambia.
Focus Country: Zambia
Contact: ,
Partners: Prof. Dr. Albert Manasyan, external page The Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) ; Prof. Dr. med. Nicola Low, University of Bern
ETH4D Grant: ETH4D Research Challenge Grant
Breathe Easy: Smart Monitoring of Large-Scale Agricultural Burning to Curb Air Pollution
Air pollution is a growing environmental and public health concern across Sub-Saharan Africa. According to the World Health Organization (2025), approximately 7 million premature deaths occur globally each year due to exposure to poor air quality. In Malawi, air quality is severely affected by widespread biomass burning for agriculture, cooking, and urban waste disposal. These practices release pollutants such as black carbon, particulate matter (PM), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which pose significant risks to both ecosystems and human health.
Despite its severity, Malawi’s air quality monitoring infrastructure remains inadequate. Most existing monitoring stations are confined to urban centers and often rely on outdated equipment. Rural and high-risk areas, such as agricultural zones, remain largely unmonitored. Furthermore, existing systems lack real-time capabilities, offer limited spatial coverage, and often operate without integration into public health or environmental management frameworks.This project proposes an innovative, drone-based air pollution monitoring solution, integrating thermal and multispectral sensors with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Twin technology. The system will allow for three-dimensional environmental data collection and predictive modeling of pollution events in real time.
Focus Country: Malawi
Contact: , Prof. Elizabeth Tilley, Prof. Jan Wegner
Partners: external page Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences
ETH4D Grant: ETH4D Doctoral Scholarship
Communities across Africa are facing their worst food crisis in 40 years, with rising rates of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and anemia. Humanitarian groups distribute ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTFs), but in Kwale County, Kenya, low community awareness limits their use and impact. In collaboration with the Kenya Red Cross Society in Kwale County, this project will develop culturally tailored education campaigns to boost RUTF acceptance and track treatment outcomes. It will also address concerns about excess iron in RUTFs, which can harm undernourished children with impaired iron absorption. By studying iron absorption during treatment, the project aims to design safer iron supplementation strategies that delay iron until children can better absorb it. This combined approach hopes to improve the safety, effectiveness, and uptake of RUTFs to better combat SAM and anemia.
Focus Country: Kenya
Contact: Prof. Dr. Nicole Stoffel
Partners: Christophe Zeder, Mohamed Mwaenzi (Kenya Red Cross Society), Dr. Edith Mwasi, MD (Ministry of Health, Msambweni County Referral Hospital, Msambweni, Kenya), Prof. Simon Karanja (Jomo Kenyatta University), Suzanne Nyilima (Jomo Kenyatta University), Prof. Stephen Hennigar (Pennington Biomedical Research Center)
ETH4D Grant: Humaniarian Action Challenges
Safer Artisanal Gold Mining
Worldwide there are about 20 million artisanal and small-scale gold miners. Most of them are poor individuals, trying to make a living by searching for gold. In Burkina Faso alone there is an estimated one million artisanal miners, working in dangerous conditions to secure a livelihood.
One popular method by small-scale gold miners is gold amalgamation, which uses mercury to extract the gold from gold ore. This method makes small-scale gold miners the largest human cause of mercury pollution in the world. Mercury pollution has serious environmental and health impacts. As it is not biodegradable, it can be absorbed in certain crops and fish, negatively influencing even neighbouring non-mining communities.
Although mercury is extremely dangerous for humans, various studies have shown that miners, including those in countries like Burkina Faso, seldom use protective gear, such as gloves, masks or retorts. The research investigated miners’ knowledge, perceptions and preferences of mercury use and personal protective gear by visiting miners on four different artisanal mining sites in the north of Burkina Faso.
Focus country: Burkina Faso
Contact: external page Prof. Isabel Günther
Partners: external page Fastenaktion
ETH4D Grant: ETH4D Research Challenges Grant