S3E4: Innovation and hope

S3E4: Innovation and hope

Author: Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp April 24, 2025 Duration: 27:28

From new ways to control mosquitoes to the rise of African-led research: tune in to see the future of disease elimination. This episode will take you deep into the Peruvian Amazon, where our researchers are collecting blood samples, to a high-tech insectary in the heart of Antwerp, Belgium, where large swarms of mosquitos and tsetse flies are bred.

For more information on Transmission, go to www.itg.be/podcast.

This episode features:

  • Jakke (Jan) Van Den Abbeele, parasitologist and insect molecular biologist, Head of the Unit of Trypanosoma (ITM)
  • Anna Rosanas-Urgell, parasitologist and malariologist, Head of the Unit of Malariology (ITM)
  • Ruth Müller, biologist and entomologist, Head of the Unit of Entomology (ITM)
  • Veerle Vanlerberghe, epidemiologist and education coordinator at Department of Public Health (ITM)
  • Halidou Tinto, ITM alumnus, parasitologist and Head of Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro in Burkina Faso
  • Francesca Falconi, ITM alumna, microbiologist at Instituto de Medicina Tropical Alexander von Humboldt, Lima, Peru

Follow ITM and our work on:

To learn more about ITM's research on disease elimination, visit  www.itg.be/en/research/disease-elimination

Strategy & Creation: Onlyhumans

Creation & Production: Sonhouse


Produced by the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Transmission is an award-winning series that moves far beyond the laboratory walls. This podcast follows the intricate, often unpredictable paths of researchers and doctors as they engage with global health challenges where they happen. You’ll hear firsthand accounts from the field-whether that’s a remote village grappling with an Ebola outbreak, a city navigating the complexities of COVID-19, or a conflict zone where healthcare is a fragile lifeline. The conversations delve into the human stories behind the science, tackling difficult subjects like the stigma surrounding HIV or the preventable tragedy of maternal mortality. It’s about the real-world application of medicine and the pursuit of equity in health, from engaging with indigenous communities to understanding the social dynamics that allow diseases to spread. Tune in for a grounded, thoughtful exploration of what it truly takes to build a healthier world. Each episode of this podcast connects the dots between scientific discovery, cultural context, and the lived experiences of both caregivers and communities, offering a nuanced perspective you won’t find in a textbook.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 15

Transmission
Podcast Episodes
S1E3: A leap of faith [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:12
Why do or don't we follow advice from healthcare professionals and authorities? What have previous outbreaks taught us about this "human factor"? Follow our researchers as they pitch their tent under snake-filled trees a…
S1E2: Solving the riddle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:36
Meet the members of the Outbreak Research Team. Follow in the footsteps of the most talented scientists as they travel the world to get a grasp on global health challenges, or toil away in hi-tech labs to solve the compl…
S1E1: And so it begins... [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:03
Listen to real-life stories from the frontlines of the fight against Ebola and other deadly infectious diseases. Get ready to learn more about where outbreaks start and why, and how viruses evolve, leaping from animals t…
Transmission: Trailer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:48
Transmission is the new podcast of the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp. Our enlightening and intimate series shares the personal and professional experiences of researchers and physicians as they relentlessly b…