Maternal and neonatal vaccination

Partner universities:

• National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece)
• Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium)
• University of Bucharest (Romania)
• University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa)

Professors:

• Arnaud Marchant, MD, PhD, is Director of the European Plotkin Institute for Vaccinology at the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), a joint initiative with the University of Antwerp to accelerate the evaluation of vaccines for pandemic and endemic pathogens. He has more than 20 years’ experience in infectious disease and vaccine immunology and worked at the Medical Research Council Laboratories, The Gambia, and at the Weatherall Institute for Molecular Medicine, Oxford. His main research interest is infectious diseases in vulnerable populations and his activities are integrated in international networks, with support from the European Commission, the CEPI, HERA and the US NIH. He is teaching vaccinology in national and internal courses.
• Clare Cutland, MBBCh, DCH, PhD, is the Scientific Coordinator of the African Leadership in Vaccinology Expertise (Wits-Alive). She coordinates the Masters of Science (Med) in the field of vaccinology degree and a biennial short course in vaccinology (Afro-ADVAC) at The University of the Witwatersrand. She has extensive experience as a clinical trialist, having conducted many vaccine trials and studies in South Africa, especially focused on maternal and infant immunisation. She has contributed to assessment of vaccine safety through her involvement in the Brighton collaboration, GAIA definition development and field-testing, and active vaccine safety surveillance studies. She has co-authored >150 peer-reviewed journal articles and a book chapter.
• Vana Papaevangelou, MD, PhD, is a distinguished pediatrician and infectious disease expert from Greece. She is a professor at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and serves as the director of the 3rd Pediatric Clinic at the Attikon University Hospital. She has been a prominent figure in Greece's COVID-19 response, particularly as a member of the Health Ministry’s committee of experts. Throughout the pandemic, she has been active in advising on vaccination campaigns, especially emphasizing the safety and efficacy of vaccines for children and addressing concerns related to complications such as myocarditis​.
• Lavinia Ruta, PhD, is a lecturer at the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Chemistry, with dual expertise in pharmacy and chemistry. Her research primarily focuses on applied biochemistry and molecular biology, particularly on understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern yeast cells' response to environmental stress. Her research also delves into the pro-oxidant and antioxidant activities of organic compounds. Furthermore, she is involved in a project on wound healing and monitoring using smart hydrogels. Beyond her scientific research, she participates in social projects that examine the pharmacological and toxicological aspects of recreational drug use among young people.
• Luminita Marutescu, PhD, is Associate Professor at University of Bucharest, Faculty of Biology, vice-president of Romanian Association of Cytometry (2017-present), member of the CIVIS Hub1 Educator team. She participated in 29 national and 4 EU projects investigating antimicrobial resistance. Her work on the duration of SARS-CoV-2 humoral and cellular immunity induced by vaccination or after natural infection supported the idea that head and neck cancer patients are immunologically competent to mount immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection.