Name: Kokouvi KASSEGNE

Gender: Male

Native place：Togo  

Date of birth：June 1982

Email: ephremk@hotmail.fr / kassegnek@sjtu.edu.cn

Telephone：Mobile (+86) 13456725590

Address：1 Building, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai 2000025, China

Title: Research Assistant Professor (Eligible to supervise Masters and PhDs)

Position：Researcher (Team Leader)

Degree：PhD

Professional Preparation

Sept. 2002 – Jul. 2005  University of Lomé, Togo Natural Sciences  BSc  

Sept. 2005 – Jul. 2006  University of Lomé, Togo  Life Sciences (Distinction)  MSc

Sept. 2008 – Dec. 2013  Zhejiang University, China  Pathogenic Organisms PhD

Appointments

Dec. 2020 – Research Assistant Professor, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China

Apr. 2019 – Nov. 2020  Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Medicine, Jiangnan University, China

Oct. 2015 – Dec. 2018  Postdoctoral Research Fellow, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases (NIPD), China CDC

Jan. 2014 – Jun. 2015 Research Assistant, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, China

Research Expertise

Research area

Vector-borne zoonotic infection and humoral immunity

Main research contents

I have spent the seven years of my career studying molecular epidemiology, infection and host immunity to vector-borne diseases, especially malaria. I started my research team with primary research interest and expertise targeted to Plasmodium-human host interactions: (1) mechanisms underlying the roles surface proteins play in disease severity or immune evasion, (2) humoral immune responses to vector-borne infections, and (3) genetic and genomic research to understand evolution and antigenic variations and host immune responses. As an application-oriented lab, my research pursues basic research that has significant translational and long-term impacts to public health, e.g., for the development of vaccine candidates and serological markers. Approximately seven years ago, I also started leading field-based epidemiological studies at both molecular and immunological levels in African settings.

I also have a keen interest in zoonosis research: (1) the environmental and bioclimatic determinants of zoonotic infections and (2) host immune defense to these infections. I currently lead a pilot study on transmission risks of tick-borne pathogens in Chongming Island, China under One Health perspectives. 

Scientific Projects Led

1. SJTU – UCL, SJTU Global Strategic Partnership Fund (2022 SJTU-UCL), WH610160501, Designing Multiepitope-based Vaccine against Severe Malaria from Immune Mapped RIFFIN Antigens using Immunoinformatic Approach, Feb 2023 – Jan 2024, Direct funds 50K CNY, PI.

2. SJTU SoM (SGH, Chinese CTDR), 2022 Education and Teaching Project, SGHJYJX2022-02, Infectious Disease Control and Prevention and Biosecurity, Sep 2022 – Dec 2022, Direct funds 60K CNY, PI.

3. SJTU SoM (SGH, Chinese CTDR), Scientific and Technological Innovation Project, SGHKJCX2022-04, Diagnosis, mapping, and transmission risk assessment of ticks and tick-borne pathogens and allied studies, Jan 2022 – Dec 2022, 150K CNY, PI.

4. SJTU SoM (SGH, Chinese CTDR), Scientific and Technological Innovation Project, SGHKJCXM2021-05 Diagnostics for tick-borne diseases in the One Health context, Jan 2021 – Dec 2021, Direct funds 300K CNY, PI.

5. Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality, 2021 "Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan" "the Belt and Road" International Cooperation Project / "the Belt and Road" International Joint Laboratory Construction, 21410750200, Lancang Mekong Joint Laboratory for Tropical Disease Prevention and Control, Oct 2021 – Sep 2024, Direct funds, 1.3 million CNY, Participant.

6. Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology of the Chinese Ministry of Health NIPD at China CDC (Chinese CTRD), Open Project, NHCKFKT2021-04, Immuno-proteogenomic relation between P. falciparum RIFIN antigens associated with clinical immunity against malaria severity and antigenic variations under host immune selection, Sep 2021 – Aug 2024, Indirect funds 80K CNY, PI.

7. SJTU, Young Faculty Research Project, 21X010501074, Natural immune responses to peptide domains of the malaria falciparum RIFIN variants and their interaction with red blood cell cerebral receptors, Dec 2020 – Dec 2023, Direct funds 100K CNY, PI.

.

1. Author/Editor, Global One Health Index Report 2022, 2024 (to be in press).

2. Research Topic Editor (Jianhai Yin, Kokouvi Kassegne, Leshan Xiu). One Health in Clinical Microbiology. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, Clinical Microbiology. Dec 20232 – Aug 2023 ( https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/47996/one-health-in-clinical-microbiology)

3. Research Topic Editor (Jun-Hu Chen, Yang Hong, Kokouvi Kassegne, Moses Okpeku, Bin Zheng). Control and Prevention of Tropical Diseases by Advanced Tools and the One Health Approach. Frontiers in Microbiology, Infectious Agents and Disease. Jul 20232 – Apr 2023 (https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/44108/control-and-prevention-of-tropical-diseases-by-advanced-tools-and-the-one-health-approach/magazine)

4. Kassegne K and Chen JH (2019). Immunoproteomic Platform for Antigen Screening of Human Parasitic Infections for Serodiagnostic and Vaccine Development. In book: Tropical Diseases in China: Neglected Tropical Diseases and Malaria. Edition: Public Health in China Series, Ed. Li LM. Chap: 3. People's Medical Publishing House, 172-182.

Indicators of Esteem and International Recognition

Appointments as External Examiner for the Award of postgraduate degree

1. Husein BAGULO, Contribution of Zoonotic and WASH-Related Transmission Routes to the Burden of Hepatitis E in Ghana. Integrative Biomedical Sciences (PhD); University of Edinburgh, (United Kingdom); Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh International Institute, Zhejiang University (China); 2024 (Examiner)

International Symposia and Trainings

2024 Guest speech, visiting for scientific research exchange on SJTU – UCL, SJTU Global Strategic Partnership Fund (2022

SJTU-UCL), “Immunity to malaria and vaccine research: 60-year journey of hope?”, London, June 20, 2024.

2024  Invited speech, The 7th Symposium on Surveillance Response Systems Leading to Tropical Disease Elimination, “Advances  

in Immunity to malaria: Computational immunology for the rational design of multiepitope vaccine candidates for

severe malaria”, Shanghai, June 17, 2024.

2024  Invited speech, International Forum on One Health and Tropical Disease Prevention and Control and International Training

Courses on Essay Writing in English, “Progress in global malaria vaccine research: 60-year journey of hope?”, Haikou,

March 29, 2024.

2023 Invited speech, visiting for scientific research exchange, SJTU SGH-UCL Institute of Global Health workshop, “Pathways

towards malaria eradication by One Health approach: Could China’s journey of malaria elimination extended to Africa?”

London, Nov 27, 2023.

2023  Invited speech, visiting for scientific research exchange, SJTU SGH-LSHTM workshop, “Integrated omics approaches to

study human malaria parasites”, London, Nov 28, 2023.

2023   Instructor, "Belt and Road" Training Course on Prevention and Control Technology of Tropical Diseases in Lancang

Mekong Region, “Current questions in global malaria research: Who is infected? “, Shanghai, Nov 20, 2023.

2023  Invited speech, Joint meeting of Japanese Society for Medical Entomology and Japanese Society for Parasitology, South

Japan Blanches “Multi-omics approaches to study human malaria parasites from genomics“, Fugan, Oct 28, 2023.

2023   Instructor, "Belt and Road" Training Course on Mosquito-borne Infectious Diseases in Asian Countries & Workshop on

Scoping Review Competence Building For Young Scientists, “Mosquito-borne Disease Prevention and Control: Current

Questions in Global Malaria Research”, Shanghai, Sep 20, 2023.  

2023  Invited speech: The 2023 Global Challenge Forum of the SJTUSoM, SGH, Chinese CTDR, “What do you know about

malaria?”, Shanghai, Jul 18, 2023.

2023 Invited Speaker, “Control of emerging infectious diseases: A case study of One Health practice for ticks & tick-

borne infectious agents control in Chongming Island of Shanghai, China”, Training Course of Systems Thinking for  

One Health, OHAC Workshop, by (SGH, Chinese CTTDR) SJTU SoM, SJTU-UoE One Health Center, Shanghai,

China, 8^th May 2023.

2023   Proposal Revision Facilitator, Training Course of Systems Thinking for One Health, OHAC Workshop, by (SGH,

Chinese CTTDR) SJTU SoM, SJTU-UoE One Health Center, Shanghai, China, 10-12^th May 2023.

2023  Trainee, “Masterclass in Scientific Writing and Publishing”, Nature Master Classes, 11-13^th April 2023, virtual.

2023  Invited Speaker, “Across the Tropics - A Landlocked Country of Southern Africa, Zimbabwe”, Training course on

China-Africa cooperation and technical assistance in schistosomiasis control, by NIPD at China CDC (Chinese

CTDR), Shanghai, China, 21^st March 2023.

2023  Invited Speaker, “Ticks and Tick-borne Zoonotic Diseases: from vector biology & public health importance to the

One Health approach and beyond”, 2023 UC Davis Education Conference on One Health for Food Safety, Agriculture,

and Animal Health, 6^th February 2023, virtual.

2022  Session Chair, “The Second China-UK Forum on One Health – One Health for All”, Workshop on Tropical

Diseases Research and Control, by (SGH, Chinese CTTDR) SJTU SoM, 18^th November 2022, virtual.

2022  Poster Presenter, “Evidence based on One Health index Assessment of Zoonoses in Sub-Saharan Africa”, 7^th World

One Health Congress (WOHC 2022), Singapore, 7-11^th November 2022.

2022  Group Session Chair, “Zoonotic Diseases”, One Health Action Commission workshop, 7^th World One Health

Congress (WOHC 2022), Singapore, 8^th November 2022.

2022  Invited Speaker, “Global Health and Malaria Control: from infectious diseases in general, to malaria in Particular”,

Global Health Perspectives Forum, by (SGH, Chinese CTDR) SJTU SoM, Shanghai, China, 16^th July 2022, virtual.

2021  Invited Speaker, “Emerging Zoonoses: A One Health Challenge”, One Health Early Career Researcher Workshop, by

The University of Edinburgh, NIPD at China CDC (Chinese CTDR), SJTU-UoE One Health Center, (SGH, Chinese

CTDR) SJTU SoM, 9^th December 2021, virtual.

2018  Invited Speaker, “WHO-ANDI Demonstration Project: Development of easy to use and affordable biomarkers as

diagnostics for Types II & III diseases”, The 2018 Annual Conference of the Chinese Society of Preventive

Medicine, by NIPD at China CDC (Chinese CTDR), Beijing, China, 16^th August 2018.

2018 Invited Speaker, “High-Throughput Screening Assays for the Development of Malaria Surveillance Tools”, The 4^th

Symposium on Surveillance Response System Leading to Tropical Diseases Elimination, by NIPD at China CDC

(Chinese CTDR) Shanghai, China, 26^th June 2018.

2018   Speaker, “High-Throughput Screening Platform for the Discovery of Malaria Blood-Stage Molecules”, Queenstown

Molecular Biology Annual Meetings – Drug Discovery and Societal Impact in Conjunction with the 10^th National

Forum on New Technologies in Drug Discovery and the 7^th Meeting of Chinese Network for Drugs and Diagnostics

Innovation, Shanghai, China, 22^nd March 2018.

2017   Invited Speaker, Round table discussion on The Responsibilities and Obligations of Young Leaders in Global Health

of “Young Generation Leaders in Global Health”, Belt and road High level Meeting for Health Cooperation–

Toward a Health Silk Road, Beijing, China, 17^th August 2017.

2017 Speaker, “New Technologies for the Development of Diagnostic Tools and Vaccines for Human Parasites”, BIT’s 9^th

World Congress of Vaccine: New Technologies, New Vaccines, Beijing, China, 29^th March, 2017.

2017  Invited Speaker, “High-Throughput Screening Assays for the Development of Malaria Surveillance Tools”,

Queenstown Molecular Biology Annual Meetings–Drug Discovery and Basics Science in Conjunction with the 9^th

National Forum on New Technologies in Drug Discovery and the 6^th Meeting of Chinese Network for Drugs and

Diagnostics Innovation, Shanghai, China, 16^th March 2017.

Editorial and Board Memberships

2024 -  Editorial Board Member, Scientific Reports (ISSN: 2045-2322)

2022 -  Editorial Board Member, Science in One Health (ISSN: 2949-7043)

2020 -  Editorial Board Member, Molecular Biology & Nanomedicine (ISSN: 2707-4692)

Research Management and Membership of Professional Bodies

2022   Instructor, “Prevention of imported of malaria at China borders and rural ecological revitalization, experience

of malaria control and elimination in China”, Global Challenge Forum, SJTU SoM.

2022 -   Co-investigator, molecular epidemiology of malaria, Ethiopia, (Wolaita Sodo University)

2021 -  Co-investigator，infection and immunity to malaria, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Centre for

Tropical Diseases Research at China CDC

2020 -  Fellow, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

2017 -   Co-investigator, molecular epidemiology of malaria, Nigeria (Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic)

2017 -   Investigator, molecular epidemiology of malaria and other zoonotic diseases, Togo (University of Lomé)

2017   Consultant and Instructor, “Australia-China-Papua New Guinea Trilateral Pilot Cooperation on Malaria

Control Project”, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Centre for Tropical Diseases Research at China

CDC

2016 – 2017 Scientific Advisor and Investigator, The United Nations Office for Project Services-funded WHA-WHO

demonstration project “Development for Easy to Use and Affordable Biomarkers as Diagnostics for Types II

and III Diseases”, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Centre for Tropical Diseases Research at China

CDC.

Honors and Awards

Apr. 2023  Certificate of Training, “Masterclass in Scientific Writing and Publishing”, Nature Master Classes, Nature

Publishing Group  

Sept. 2022  Excellent Instructor Honor, “Prevention of imported of malaria at China borders and rural ecological

revitalization, experience of malaria control and elimination in China”, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of

Medicine.

Mar. 2021 Young Faculty Startup Fund for Scientific Research Project (100K CNY), Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Dec. 2019  Scientific Research Project of Public Health Research Centre prize (30K CNY), Jiangnan University

Aug. 2018  Excellent Youth Academic Report, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Centre for Tropical Diseases

Research at China CDC, Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, Global Health Unit

Sept. 2007  Doctoral Fellow Scholarship, China Scholarship Council (CSC).

Lectures

2024 –  “Global emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases”, at graduate levels  

2022 –  I provide seasonal lectures (in French) on “Agents pathogènes et maladies infectieuses” to public health

agents and young scientists from provincial institutes of parasitic diseases of China.

2021 –  I am responsible for courses construction and lectures on “Infectious disease Control and Prevention and

Biosecurity” at graduate levels

Research Training and Mentorship

I trained a dozen of young scientists and health professionals (during implementation researches “Australia-China-Papua New Guinea Trilateral Pilot Cooperation on Malaria Control Project” [2017] and “Development for Easy to Use and Affordable Biomarkers as Diagnostics for Types II and III Diseases” [2016 – 2017]) from:

· Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kenya)

· Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (Egypt)

· University of Lagos (Nigeria)

· University of Health and Allied Sciences (Ghana)

· Central Public Health Laboratory (PNG)

· University of PNG (PNG)

· PNG Institute of Medical Research (PNG)

These trainings have promoted capacity building for tropical disease control, e.g., malaria control, and have been awarded by the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Centre for Tropical Diseases Research at China CDC.

I participated in the guidance of postgraduate research projects from:

· National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Centre for Tropical Diseases Research at China CDC (China),

· Kunming Medical University (China)

· Jiangnan University (China)

· Zhejiang University – University of Edinburgh Institute (China)

Postgraduate Research Supervision

I am academic advisor having supervised postgraduate student project placements (1 PhD and 4 Masters):

1. Yin-Shan Zhu, MPH (2023 –), Assessment of transmission risk of tick-borne pathogens in Chongming Island, China

2. Zhi-Shan Sun, MPH (2022 –), Identification of potential vaccine targets and assessment a multi-antigen epitopes vaccine construct for severe malaria.

3. Jin-Xian Ying, MPH (2021 –), Identification of conserved RIFIN multi-epitope candidates and their antigenicity in vaccine constructs

4. Han-Qing Zhao, PhD (2021 –), Development of serological markers of exposure to monitoring the continued absence of P. vivax local transmission on border regions of Yunnan Province, China.

5. Si-Wei Fei, MPH (2020 – 2023), Study on the spatial distribution of ticks and the potential risk of tick-borne disease transmission in Chongming Island, Shanghai.