Background
I basically have a background of medical analysis technician after 5 years of university studies in Cameroon. The latter, which constitutes my baseline in health biology, earned me a Bachelor degree in Biological and Biochemical Analysis and a Master degree in Clinical Immunology.
My entry into the world of research was influenced by my enrollment in the Ecole Doctorale Regionale d’Afrique Centrale for a second Master in Tropical Infectiology, which was funded by a merit scholarship from the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF). As part of this Master, I completed my very first research internship in the BAMEE laboratory of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, where my work focused on the “Cell dynamics associated with amicrofilaraemia in a murine model of filariasis“.
Thence, I became unconditionally passionate about scientific research. I then took the courses and successfully passed the exams and obtained my second master, after which I ranked second of the class, which gave me access to a merit scholarship of AUF for a thesis in mobility between two research laboratories located in different countries.
Between May 2015 and June 2018, Delia realised interesting thesis in two laboratories: the Centre International de Recherche Médicale de Franceville (CIRMF) in Gabon and the Institut Pasteur (IP) of Paris, France. It focused on clinical aspects and molecular epidemiology of Human T Lymphotropic Virus infections in Gabon. Serological analysis combined with molecular technics permitted me to identify female gender, age (elderly), multiple hospitalization, ethnic group (pygmies) and monkey bite as the main risk factors for HTLV-1 acquisition. Phylogenetic analyses also revealed a great diversity of the virus.
Research:
- Areas of interest:
Virology, Population genetics, Entomology, Parasitology, Zoonosis, Neglected and poverty-related diseases
- Research – an overview of her research areas(s)
By my thesis I am a researcher in virology and I really appreciated to work on HTLV-1. I started my postdoc in September 2018 at the LSTM research unit at CRID where I currently lead research on contemporary geneflow associated with insecticide resistance mechanism in the major malaria vector Anopheles funestus. The project which is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gate’s foundation is aimed at tracking contemporary gene flow of the vector across Africa, in order to predict speed and the direction of the resistance allele. For this project field mosquito populations were collected from nine (09) localities in six 0(6) countries including Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, DR-Congo. I performed several amplification and sequencing, and data were used for molecular analysis using population genetics technics.
I also enjoy this postdoc on insecticide resistance in malaria vectors. On this later thematic, I mostly applied the molecular biology skill acquired during my PhD. I learned a lot on population genetics and I am very pleased to work on malaria which is the major public health disease in sub-Saharan Africa.
To optimise my expertise, I equally launched a virology project on ‘Arbovirus circulation in Rural Cameroon and behaviour of their main vectors’. The project is funded by Global Challenges Research Fund through the Partnership for Increasing the Impact of Vector Control (PIIVeC) for Operational Research Projects. It aims at providing new data on arboviruses circulation in rural communities in Cameroon, targeting mainly Dengue, Zika, Chikungunya and Yellow fever viruses. Studying main arboviral vector diversity and behaviour to generate useful information for vector control and tackle the possible emergence of zoonotic arboviruses in the human population, is also an important goal of the study.
In parallel to this project, I am developing two other project ideas. Indeed, I am currently developing a project on point-of-care tests for arbovirus diagnostic in Cameroon. For that I am in collaboration with the THSTI in India where I will learn technics for test development and technology transfer will allow me to develop appropriate diagnostic tools for local context. Likewise, I am in collaboration with the virology institute of Marburg university in Germany and we are developing a project on zoonosis targeting mainly Lassa virus.
Indeed, data on the epidemiology of the viruses circulating and causing outbreaks in Africa are quite rare. A high percentage of arboviruses currently having serious public health impact at global scale is of African origin and also occurs on the continent, either sub-clinically or as outbreaks. However, less attention is pay to them. In addition, the co-endemicity they have with malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, associated with low awareness regarding their circulation represent a great obstacle to arboviruses monitoring. Because of all these reasons, I am plan to focus career in developing research axes on neglected and poverty-related diseases, especially viral diseases.
- Research Areas:
Virology, Population genetics, Entomology, Parasitology, Zoonosis, Neglected and poverty-related diseases
- PhD Students:
- Miss DJOUKWA NOUAGE Lynda, Université de Yaoundé 1.
- Mr BINYANG Achille, Université de Yaoundé 1.
Publications
1. Djuicy DD, Mouinga-Ondémé A, Cassar O, Ramassamy JL, Idam Mamimandjiami A, Bikangui R, Fontanet A, Gessain A. (2018) Risk factors for HTLV-1 infection in Central Africa: A rural population-based survey in Gabon. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 12(10): e0006832. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0006832
2. Djuicy D. D., Jack Hearn, Murielle Wondji, Helen Irving, Fredros Okumu, and Wondji C.S. (2020). CYP6P9-Driven Signatures of Selective Sweep of Metabolic Resistance to Pyrethroids in the Malaria Vector Anopheles funestus Reveal Contemporary Barriers to Gene Flow. Genes (Basel). 2020 Nov 5;11(11):1314. doi: 10.3390/genes11111314
3. Djuicy DD, Cassar O, Mouinga-Ondémé A, Filipone C, Idam Mamimandjiami A, Bikangui R, Gessain A (2020). Molecular Epidemiology of 178 HTLV-1 Strains Infecting Rural Populations from Gabon and Cameroon and Complete Sequences from Rare HTLV-1 Central African Genotypes. (in submission process)
