🌍✨ Expanding Horizons, Advancing Science

Today, the spotlight is on Merveille Scholastique ESSETCHEOU, a SSACAB fellow and PhD candidate in Biostatistics, who recently completed a scientific mobility programme in the United Kingdom. This experience represented more than academic travel—it provided an opportunity to establish international collaborations, exchange knowledge, and contribute to cutting-edge scientific research.

Merveille's research focuses on the causal modelling of malaria transmission in West Africa using advanced statistical approaches, including Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Her work seeks to unravel the complex interactions between environmental, socio-economic, and individual factors that drive malaria transmission, generating evidence that can inform more effective public health policies and interventions.

🔬 Key research contributions:

Advancing causal modelling approaches in epidemiology
Developing Bayesian Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) frameworks
Investigating the drivers of malaria transmission and antimalarial drug resistance

As a SSACAB fellow, Merveille exemplifies the programme's commitment to developing the next generation of African research leaders who are addressing critical health challenges through innovative, data-driven solutions.

This journey has been supported by the SSACAB programme, Romain Lucas Glèlè Kakaï, and Dr. Salako K. Valère, Prof David Macleod and Prof Ziv SHKEDY special appreciation is also extended to Dr. Souand Peace and Dr. Ariane HOUETOHOSSOU, whose guidance, generosity, and scientific mentorship have played an important role in shaping and enriching her research journey at LABEF.

Through initiatives such as scientific mobility and collaborative research, LABEF continues to contribute to advancing knowledge and strengthening public health research capacity across Africa and beyond.