Dr Anna Last
Clinical Associate Professor
United Kingdom
I have been working on the epidemiology and control and elimination of malaria and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) at LSHTM since 2010. I completed a Wellcome Trust Clinical PhD Fellowship at LSHTM on the molecular epidemiology of trachoma and ocular Chlamydia trachomatis infection on the Archipelago of Guinea Bissau between 2011-2014. I continued my research in trachoma in Guinea Bissau through an NIHR Clinical Lectureship at LSHTM between 2015-2017. Following my appointment as an Associate Professor, from 2017-2019 I led a network of integrated studies on NTDs (including soil-transmitted helminths, lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis, yaws and scabies) and malaria in Guinea Bissau through an MRC Global Challenges Research Foundation Award. I continue my involvement in trachoma research as a Co-investigator on a Wellcome Trust Collaborative research programme towards the elimination of trachoma in Ethiopia (Stronger-SAFE). Currently I am the PI for MATAMAL, a Joint Global Health Trials Scheme-funded cluster randomised placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the impact of mass administered ivermectin for malaria control on the Archipelago of Guinea Bissau.
I have directly influenced the delivery of interventions and their evaluation through participation in working groups such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funded multidisciplinary group ‘The Ivermectin Roadmappers’, following a World Health Organization (WHO) technical consultation on ivermectin for malaria control. I contribute to MESA (originally the Malaria Eradication Scientific Alliance),
hosted by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria Control, Elimination and Eradication at IS Global (Barcelona) to strengthen the evidence base through research into malaria control interventions. I have been an active member of the London Centre for Neglected Tropical Diseases Research (LCNTDR), launched in 2013 following the London Declaration in 2012, with a focus on operational research in NTDs and have participated in the WHO Alliance for the Global Elimination of Trachoma (GET2020) for the last decade. I am currently a technical adviser to the WHO for the consultation on Trachoma End-Game Challenges and am involved in discussions related to access and implementation of interventions towards the elimination of NTDs. I have supported national trachoma control
programmes in Guinea Bissau, The Gambia and Ethiopia through research and capacity building throughout my research career.
My primary field study site is the remote Archipelago of Guinea Bissau. Over the last seven years, with my field team and colleagues in Guinea Bissau, MRC The Gambia and at LSHTM, I have established infrastructure including an experienced field research team, social science researchers, field laboratory technicians and field entomologists.
I hold an Honorary Consultant position at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, where I have a weekly outpatient clinic and look after inpatients with infectious and tropical diseases.
I have directly influenced the delivery of interventions and their evaluation through participation in working groups such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funded multidisciplinary group ‘The Ivermectin Roadmappers’, following a World Health Organization (WHO) technical consultation on ivermectin for malaria control. I contribute to MESA (originally the Malaria Eradication Scientific Alliance),
hosted by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria Control, Elimination and Eradication at IS Global (Barcelona) to strengthen the evidence base through research into malaria control interventions. I have been an active member of the London Centre for Neglected Tropical Diseases Research (LCNTDR), launched in 2013 following the London Declaration in 2012, with a focus on operational research in NTDs and have participated in the WHO Alliance for the Global Elimination of Trachoma (GET2020) for the last decade. I am currently a technical adviser to the WHO for the consultation on Trachoma End-Game Challenges and am involved in discussions related to access and implementation of interventions towards the elimination of NTDs. I have supported national trachoma control
programmes in Guinea Bissau, The Gambia and Ethiopia through research and capacity building throughout my research career.
My primary field study site is the remote Archipelago of Guinea Bissau. Over the last seven years, with my field team and colleagues in Guinea Bissau, MRC The Gambia and at LSHTM, I have established infrastructure including an experienced field research team, social science researchers, field laboratory technicians and field entomologists.
I hold an Honorary Consultant position at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, where I have a weekly outpatient clinic and look after inpatients with infectious and tropical diseases.
Affiliations
Department of Clinical Research
Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases
Centres
Malaria Centre
Teaching
Tropical Medicine in International Health MSc (LSHTM): Including the supervision of over 25 MSc students' summer projects at our field site on the Archipelago to date. I am Co-Module Organiser for the TMIH module 3462 (Practical Skills in Clinical Research). Personal Tutor, Teaching, Exam Board and Programme Committee.
Diploma of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (LSHTM) (Personal Tutor, Teaching and Exam Board)
Undergraduate Medical Students (UCL) and doctors in training (UCLH)
Diploma of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (LSHTM) (Personal Tutor, Teaching and Exam Board)
Undergraduate Medical Students (UCL) and doctors in training (UCLH)
Research
Clinical tropical medicine
Malaria
Neglected Tropical Diseases
Clinical trials
Since 2010 my research has focused on malaria and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
I have coordinated a series of trachoma research projects based at our field site on the Bijagós Archipelago of Guinea Bissau looking at host-pathogen interactions, pathogen genomics, molecular and spatial epidemiology of ocular Chlamydia trachomatis infection and its control and elimination. This research has directly contributed to the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem in this region. My continued interest in trachoma elimination is realised through my involvement with Stronger-SAFE, a Wellcome Trust-funded research programme which aims to develop novel WASH interventions to be used in combination with antibiotic mass drug administration towards the elimination of trachoma in Ethiopia.
Following on from my trachoma research in West Africa, in 2017 we conducted a network of vector and disease mapping studies on the Bijagós Archipelago (DTNMaPa Bijagós: Mapeamento de Doenças Tropicais Negligenciadas e Paludísmo no Archipelago Bijagós) to characterise the epidemiology of malaria and other co-endemic NTDs (lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminths, yaws and scabies) with a view to developing and testing diagnostics and interventions towards the elimination of these diseases as public health problems. This has been followed with our current cluster randomised placebo-controlled trial (MATAMAL) which aims to evaluate the impact of seasonal ivermectin mass drug administration on malaria and ivermectin-susceptible NTDs.
I have worked with colleagues at LSHTM to develop and evaluate novel molecular diagnostics for use in NTD research. The multidisciplinary approach we have made has led to local and international collaborations. In Guinea Bissau I have strong collaborative relationships with the directors of the National Programme for Eye Health (Programa Nacional de Saúde de Visão (PNSV)), the National Program for Malaria Control (Programa Nacional de Luta Contra Paludísmo (PNLCP)) and the National Program for NTDs (Programa Nacional de Doenças Tropicais Neglegenciadas (PNDTNs). I also work closely with programme implementing partners (Sightsavers International in Guinea Bissau and The Fred Hollows Foundation in Ethiopia).
I am currently involved in collaborations with the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute for pathogen genomic work from our trachoma studies (Ethiopia), Imperial College London for mathematical modelling work from our malaria studies (Guinea Bissau), the University of Trento (Italy) for metagenomic studies and NIH/NIAID (USA) for forthcoming clinical trials.
Malaria
Neglected Tropical Diseases
Clinical trials
Since 2010 my research has focused on malaria and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
I have coordinated a series of trachoma research projects based at our field site on the Bijagós Archipelago of Guinea Bissau looking at host-pathogen interactions, pathogen genomics, molecular and spatial epidemiology of ocular Chlamydia trachomatis infection and its control and elimination. This research has directly contributed to the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem in this region. My continued interest in trachoma elimination is realised through my involvement with Stronger-SAFE, a Wellcome Trust-funded research programme which aims to develop novel WASH interventions to be used in combination with antibiotic mass drug administration towards the elimination of trachoma in Ethiopia.
Following on from my trachoma research in West Africa, in 2017 we conducted a network of vector and disease mapping studies on the Bijagós Archipelago (DTNMaPa Bijagós: Mapeamento de Doenças Tropicais Negligenciadas e Paludísmo no Archipelago Bijagós) to characterise the epidemiology of malaria and other co-endemic NTDs (lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminths, yaws and scabies) with a view to developing and testing diagnostics and interventions towards the elimination of these diseases as public health problems. This has been followed with our current cluster randomised placebo-controlled trial (MATAMAL) which aims to evaluate the impact of seasonal ivermectin mass drug administration on malaria and ivermectin-susceptible NTDs.
I have worked with colleagues at LSHTM to develop and evaluate novel molecular diagnostics for use in NTD research. The multidisciplinary approach we have made has led to local and international collaborations. In Guinea Bissau I have strong collaborative relationships with the directors of the National Programme for Eye Health (Programa Nacional de Saúde de Visão (PNSV)), the National Program for Malaria Control (Programa Nacional de Luta Contra Paludísmo (PNLCP)) and the National Program for NTDs (Programa Nacional de Doenças Tropicais Neglegenciadas (PNDTNs). I also work closely with programme implementing partners (Sightsavers International in Guinea Bissau and The Fred Hollows Foundation in Ethiopia).
I am currently involved in collaborations with the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute for pathogen genomic work from our trachoma studies (Ethiopia), Imperial College London for mathematical modelling work from our malaria studies (Guinea Bissau), the University of Trento (Italy) for metagenomic studies and NIH/NIAID (USA) for forthcoming clinical trials.
Research Area
Clinical trials
Disease control
Hygiene
Global Health
Diagnostics
Clinical care
Epidemiology
Genetic Epidemiology
GIS/Spatial analysis
Medicine
Molecular epidemiology
Operational research
Randomised controlled trials
Disease and Health Conditions
Malaria
Trachoma
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)
Tropical diseases
Eye health
Vector borne diseases
Skin diseases
Sexually transmitted infections
Country
Ethiopia
Guinea-Bissau
Gambia
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa (developing only)
Selected Publications
Data for risk factor survey of active trachoma in the Oromia region of Ethiopia
2023
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine