Nicole Achee
Scientific Director
Nicole L. Achee, PhD, is a Research Professor within the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Notre Dame. She has a combined 20 years of experience in vector behavior research related to the epidemiology and control of arthropod-borne diseases, including evaluation of vector ecology, habitat management and adult control strategies, disease risk modeling using GIS and remote sensing technologies, and evaluation of chemical actions against mosquitos under both laboratory and field conditions. Achee was the principal investigator of a research program funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation focused on the development of spatial repellents to reduce human-vector contact for dengue prevention. She is currently a PI for a trial to generate evidence of the protective efficacy of spatial repellents for prevention of malaria and dengue for use towards full WHO recommendations.
Achee is a Working Group member for the WHO Pesticide Evaluation Scheme, is a Councilor and the Past-Chair of the American Committee of Medical Entomology of the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, a Vector Control Working Group representative of Roll Back Malaria, a lead scientist for the WHO Guidelines for Efficacy Testing of Spatial Repellents, and committee member for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine study: Gene Drives on the Horizon: Advancing Science, Navigating Uncertainty, and Aligning Research with Public Values. Achee co-Directs the Belize Vector and Ecology Center in Belize and serves as lead PI for the REDI-NET program .
This project is made possible thanks to Unitaid funding and support. Unitaid is a global health agency engaged in finding innovative solutions to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases more quickly, effectively, and for affordable prices, in low- and middle-income countries. Unitaid’s work includes funding initiatives to address major diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, as well as HIV co-infections and co-morbidities such as cervical cancer and hepatitis C, and cross-cutting areas, such as fever management. Unitaid is now applying its expertise to address challenges in advancing new therapies and diagnostics for the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as a key member of the Access to COVID Tools Accelerator. Unitaid is hosted by the World Health Organization.