Meet Our D-SINE-Africa Team

Meet Our D-SINE-Africa Team

Program Leadership

Alain Chichom-Mefire, MD - University of Buea
Dr. Chichom is a Professor of General Surgery and the Vice-Dean in charge of Research and Cooperation at the Faculty of Health Sciences at University of Buea. He was the Head of the Department of Surgery in the same faculty for over a decade. He also serves as the Director of Research for Cameroon at PASE-UCLA. He has designed and implemented a curriculum for undergraduate training in general surgery for the University and teaches a module on non-communicable diseases to MPH and PhD students in the Buea’s Department of Public Health and Hygiene. He has mentored over 90 medical students, 20 MPH students and three PhD students in their research. Dr. Chichom’s research work has been oriented towards improving the care of the injured in Cameroon. He developed a collaborative program with research partners in UCSF and UCLA, with whom he designed two programs, earning funding from the NIH. He co-mentored numerous trainees from UCSF and UCLA, serving as their Cameroon mentor and direct supervisor for their in-country fieldwork.

Alan Hubbard, PhD - UC Berkeley
Dr. Hubbard is a Professor of Biostatistics, Co-Director of the Biomedical Big Data pre-doctoral (T32) training program, co-Director of the Center of Targeted Learning, Director of the computational biology Core E of the SuperFund Center at University of California, Berkeley (NIH/EPA), and is a consulting statistician on multiple federally funded and foundation projects. He has worked on a diverse range of projects, but most of his work has focused on semi-parametric estimation in high- dimensional data. His current methods-research focuses on precision medicine, variable importance, statistical inference for data-adaptive parameters, and statistical software implementing targeted machine learning methods, including a significant body of work applying machine learning in the study of acute trauma.

Catherine Juillard, MD, MPH – UCLA
Dr. Juillard is an Associate Professor of Surgery at University of California, Los Angeles, a trauma surgeon and founding co-Director of PASE-UCLA, which aims to improve access for quality surgical care in LMICs. She has over 13 years of experience leading research studies in Cameroon and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), which focus on improving access for quality trauma care, including serving as MPI with Dr. Chichom for NIH-funded projects on mHealth and trauma QI. She and Dr. Chichom have had a research partnership in Cameroon since 2008, with a successful track record of collaborative project execution, trainee mentoring (both US and SSA), funding, and publication. Dr. Juillard has mentored over 40 trainees, of which 15 are LMIC trainees who have had successful publications, including first-author publications, in peer-reviewed journals under Dr. Juillard’s mentorship.

Georges Nguefack-Tsague, PhD - University of Buea
Dr. Nguefack-Tsague is an Associate Professor of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon. He currently teaches coursework in Biostatistics, Data Science and Health Informatics. His research addresses topics in data analysis, programmatic mapping and size estimation of populations most at risk of HIV, HIV modelling, and health information systems, health research secondary data analysis, in particular demographic and health survey (DHS) data. His expertise in secondary data analysis has led him to be the coordinator of Working Group “Data Mining and Big Data Analytics” and the Work Set “Secondary Data Analysis of Demographic Health Surveys (DHS) in Africa” of the Pan African Health Informatics Association (HELINA). He is author of more than 75 publications in peer reviewed journals, and a book. Dr. Nguefack-Tsague has directly mentored 64 students, 5 junior faculties, and 15 residents in disseminated in SSA.

Internal Advisory Board

Senior Advisors:
Gregory Edie Halle Ekane, MBBch, Associate Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Buea
Steven Shoptaw, PhD, Professor of UCLA Family Medicine, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences
Dan Joseph Stein, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry and Head of Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town

Additional Advisory Board Members:
Matthew Lebreton, Director, Mosaic, Senior Research Fellow, Center for Tropical Research and Coordinator, Congo Basin Institute – Cameroon
Lucy Ndip, PhD, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research, University of Buea
Risa Hoffman, MD, PhD, Associate Clinical Professor, UCLA Division of Infectious Diseases and Director of the Global Health Program at the UCLA School of Medicine
Sassan Saatchi, PhD, Principal Scientist, Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems Group Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
Martin Ekeke Monono, MD FRCS, World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
Georges Alain Etoundi Mballa, MD Director of Disease Control, Epidemics and Pandemics for the Ministry of Public Health of Cameroon , Co-PI on the ongoing CTR study to inform injury prevention policy and introduce quality improvement initiatives at partner hospitals
Prof Luois Richard Njock MD, Secretary General of the Ministry of Public Health
Henry Nkumbe, MD, CEO, Magrabi Ico Cameroon Eye Institute (MICEI)
Edwin Minang, National Coordinator, Cameroon Road Safety Foundation (CAROSAF)
Anne Njoyong (Trauma Patient)
Agbor Augustine Nkongho (Bonesetter)

Scientific Advisory Board

A 7-member board will be developed with representation from Trauma/Surgery, Public Health, Data Science, Biostatistics, Technology and expertise in complex organizational management.

Administrative Core

Director: Alain Chichom-Mefire, MD, Professor of General Surgery, University of Beau

Deputy Directors: Catherine Juillard MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Surgery at University of California, Los Angeles and co-director of UCLA Department of Surgery’s Program for the Advancement of Surgical Equity (PASE)
Salome Maswime,MD, Associate Professor and the Head of the Global Surgery Division at the University of Cape Town

Hub Administrator: Fanny Dissak-Delon, MD, PhD, MPH, Public Health Officer, Cameroon Ministry of Public Health Littoral Regional Delegation

US Based Program Manager: Rasheedat Oke, MD, MPH, UCLA Department of Surgery’s Program for the Advancement of Surgical Equity (PASE)

Core Officers
Seed Grant Program Officer: Lucy Ndip, PhD, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research, University of Buea
Partnership Officer: Chanceline Ndongo Bilounga, MD, Senior Public Health Officer, Cameroon Ministry of Public Health

Administrative Staff
Vivian Ayamba Eta, PhD, (Coordinator), Lecturer, Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea
Divine Esuh-Nnoko, PhD (Finance Manager), Finance Administrator / Internal Controller / Management Controller / Liaison Officer, Accounting Office, University of Buea
Fabian Ntah Ncho (Administrative Analyst), Research Administrative Assistant, Division of Research and Publications, University of Buea

Data Management and Analysis Core (DMAC)

Leadership Team
Alan Hubbard, PhD, Professor of Biostatistics at the University of California, Berkeley
Georges Nguefack-Tsague, PhD, Associate Professor of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon

Other Faculty
Mama Foupouagnigni, PhD, Chief Academic Officer of the AIMS Global Network and President of AIMS Cameroon
Rhoderick Machekano, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor of Biostatistics, Stellenbosch University
Abdel Njouendou, PhD, Lecturer and Site Data Manager/Research Officer, TAKeOFF research project, University of Buea
Data Analysts: Roland Bruno Mfoundoum and Yannick Emalio

Administrative Support
Victor Teghen, IT Manager, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea

Capacity Building Core

Leadership Team
Mama Foupouagnigni, PhD, Chief Academic Officer of the AIMS Global Network and President of AIMS Cameroon
Sandra McCoy, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor in the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health

Training Coordinator: Daniel Tcheutia, PhD, AIMS Cameroon

Other Faculty
Sithombo Maqungo, MBChB, Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Cape Town
Marco Garuti, PhD, Academic Director, African Institute Mathematical Sciences-Cameroon
Dickson Nsagha, PhD, Professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Public Health and Hygiene and Vice-Dean in-Charge of Programmes and Academic Affairs of the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea
Georges Nguefack-Tsague, PhD, Associate Professor of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon
Gregory Edie Halle Ekane, MBBch, Associate Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the University of Buea
Alan Hubbard, PhD, Professor of Biostatistics at the University of California, Berkeley
Kevin Yana Njabo, PhD, Associate Director and Africa Director, Center for Tropical Research, Congo Basin Institute. Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of California, Los Angeles
Edward Livingston, MD, Health Sciences Clinical Professor of General Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles
Michael Williams, MBA, Director of Global Operations University of California Los Angeles

Project 1: Equity Surveillance

Principal Investigators
Georges Nguefack-Tsague, PhD, Associate Professor of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon
Alan Hubbard, PhD, Professor of Biostatistics at the University of California, Berkeley

Co-Investigators
Salome Maswime,MD, Associate Professor and the Head of the Global Surgery Division at the University of Cape Town
Catherine Juillard MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Surgery at University of California, Los Angeles and co-director of UCLA Department of Surgery’s Program for the Advancement of Surgical Equity (PASE)
Fanny Dissak-Delon, MD, PhD, MPH, Public Health Officer, Cameroon Ministry of Public Health Littoral Regional Delegation

Project 2: Trauma Outcomes Prediction

Principal Investigators
Catherine Juillard MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Surgery at University of California, Los Angeles and co-director of UCLA Department of Surgery’s Program for the Advancement of Surgical Equity (PASE)
Alain Chichom-Mefire, MD, Professor of General Surgery, University of Beau

Co-Investigators
Nicholas Tendongfor, PhD, Associate Professor of Medical Microbiology and Biostatistician and head of Department of Public health and Hygiene at the University of Buea
Sandra McCoy, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor in the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health
Alan Hubbard, PhD, Professor of Biostatistics at the University of California, Berkeley
Sithombo Maqungo, MBChB, Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Cape Town
Fanny Dissak-Delon, MD, PhD, MPH, Public Health Officer, Cameroon Ministry of Public Health Littoral Regional Delegation

Seed Grant Administration
Lucy Ndip, PhD, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research, University of Buea
Sandra McCoy, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor in the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health