Meet the speakers

Dr Anthony A Marfin

Anthony A Marfin MD, MPH, a physician in PATH’s Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, directs PATH’s Vaccine Introduction and Impact group, PATH’s Japanese Encephalitis (JE) Vaccine Projects and the PATH component of the Typhoid Vaccine Acceleration Consortium (TyVAC). Dr. Marfin is an infectious diseases and pulmonary medicine physician and was a before joining PATH. Dr. Marfin is a global subject matter expert on yellow fever (YF), JE, YF and JE vaccination; transfusion-associated acute and chronic viral infections; typhoid; and the control of mosquito-borne viruses, zoonotic and emerging infectious diseases. In addition, he directed CDC’s Global Disease Detection and Response Center for North Africa and Southwest Asia (Cairo, Egypt); was the Deputy Director of CDC’s Division of Vector-Borne Diseases (DVBD); and was the Deputy Director of CDC’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine. Dr. Marfin received his MD and MPH (Epidemiology) at the University of California. He was trained as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at CDC before serving as a medical epidemiologist at U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for 23 years.

Major Responsibilities in EPI:

• Monitoring and Evaluation of the Programme Performance (Routine immunization coverage and vaccine preventable diseases surveillance)
• Financial Management for both routine and supplementary immunization activities mainly for development, coordination and tracking of the detailed budget for recent nationwide JE catch-up Vaccination Campaign and the Gavi HSS 2 Grant
• Providing technical assistance to state and regions and townships to strengthen routine immunization and developing microplan and work plan (particularly on identification of priority/high risk areas and catch up vaccination of the missed children)
• Planning and implementation of Post-introduction Evaluation of Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine Introduction in Myanmar (2019)

Mr Bruce Langoulant

Bruce Langoulant is the Chairperson of Meningitis Centre Australia and the father of a pneumococcal meningitis survivor. His daughter Ashleigh experienced meningitis as a 6 month old in 1989 and has significant intellectual and physical disabilities. Over many years Bruce has used his family’s experience to advocate for greater awareness and preventative vaccines as the best defences for parents of vulnerable children. His understanding of disability and caring for a child who is now a young woman has enabled him to contribute to many discussions on a first hand basis. This experience underpins his role of Chairperson of the Disability Services Commission Board in Western Australia.

Bruce is also a Trustee and Vice President and Asia Pacific Region Leader for the Confederation of Meningitis Organisations Ltd based in Bristol England.

CoMO is a co supporter of ASVAC

Dr Clint Pecenka

Clint Pecenka, PhD, MPP, is Director of Health Economics and Outcomes Research in the Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access at PATH. Prior to joining PATH, he worked at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, where he was a Program Officer and Economist on the Development Policy and Finance team. He has also worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and taught economics at Carleton College. Dr. Pecenka’s economic expertise includes costing, impact analysis, cost-effectiveness, and demand forecasting for vaccines. He also has experience in research design and the development and validation of economic tools. He currently works across a range of diseases and interventions, including rotavirus, other diarrheal diseases, typhoid, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, pneumonia, and malaria. In addition to his work on health economics, he has expertise in development, behavioral and experimental economics, and policy. He has a PhD in applied economics and a master’s in Public Policy from the University of Minnesota. He received his undergraduate degree from Iowa State University in industrial engineering.

Dr Craig Burgess

Craig Burgess has worked for JSI Research and Training Institute Inc. since August 2015. He is currently the Civil Society Organization (CSO) constituency Gavi board member, is a member of WHO’s Immunization Practices Advisory Committee (IPAC) and is an adviser to the Civil Society Engagement Mechanism for UHC2030.

Over the last 25 years, he has worked on a broad range of public health issues related to equity, integration, primary health care, infectious disease control, immunization, community engagement and health sector coordination. This has included working for National Health Services, Médecins sans Frontières, MERLIN, UNAIDS, WHO, UNICEF and the Gavi Vaccine Alliance secretariat. He has lived and worked in India, Indonesia, Kenya, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Viet Nam, South Sudan, UK, Australia, Switzerland and the USA.

He is a primary healthcare physician by training at Saint Andrews and Manchester Universities in the UK. He has a Masters in Health Policy, Planning and Financing from London School of Economics, an MBA from the Open University and various post graduate qualifications in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Child Health, Obstetrics & Gynecology and General Practice.

Dr Edsel Salvaña

Director
Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
National Institutes of Health
Philippines

Dr Gagandeep Kang

Professor Kang is the Executive Director, Translational Health Science Technology Institute (THSTI), an autonomous institute of the Department of Biotechnology. Prior to joining DBT, Prof. Kang was Professor and Head of the Wellcome Trust Research Laboratory, and the Division of Gastrointestinal Sciences at the Christian Medical College (CMC) in Vellore.

Professor Kang has built a strong inter-disciplinary research program that has demonstrated the complex relationships between infection, gut function and physical and cognitive development. She has also built national rotavirus and typhoid surveillance networks, established laboratories with validated assays to support vaccine trials and conducted phase 1-3 clinical trials of vaccines. Based first at an outstanding medical college and now at the THSTI, she has established a strong training program for students and young faculty in clinical translational medicine aiming to build a cadre of clinical researchers studying relevant problems in India.

With over 350 publications, she is internationally recognized for her contributions to biomedical research. She serves on or has served on the scientific advisory committee of several national and international institutions, including the Wellcome Trust, UK, the DBT-Wellcome Trust India Alliance, the International Vaccine Institute, International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and the World Health Organization.

Dr Han Htay Htay

I am currently leading the early clinical development team of Takeda Vaccines, and actively working on Zika virus vaccine development (phase 1 stage). I have been working as a clinical research physician in vaccine development industry for more than 20 years and published more than 60 vaccine clinical development related articles to-date. My previous work in vaccine clinical development includes rotavirus vaccine, paediatric DTP combination vaccines, Tdap vaccine, MMR vaccine, hepatitis A vaccine, and maternal immunization. I obtained my medical degree from Myanmar and went on to learn vaccinology, epidemiology and bio-ethics from the courses delivered by the Foundation Merieux and University of Geneva, Harvard School of Public Health, and Singapore General Hospital. I am currently based in Boston, MA in the USA.

Dr Hiroyuki Moriuchi

Dr. Moriuchi is presently a Professor of Pediatrics at Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Japan. He also serves as a Councilor of several academic societies including Japan Pediatric Society, Japanese Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases, and Japanese Society for Clinical Virology.

He dedicated himself to the basic research and clinical practice of herpesviruses and HIV-1 at NIH, USA between 1990 and 1999.

He received Young Investigator Award from American Society for Microbiology in 1996, and several awards from NIAID in 1999.

He contributed to establishment of nation-wide measures to prevent mother-to-child infection of human T-cell leukemia virus-I in Japan as a principle investigator. He is currently a member of the study groups for congenital toxoplasmosis and cytomegalovirus infection, and has engaged in birth-cohort studies for congenital infections, including rubella and Zika, in Vietnam.

He was a President at The 9th Asian Congress of Pediatric Infectious Diseases in 2018.

Dr H.T.Wickramasinghe

Dr.H.T.Wickramasinghe is a Consultant Pediatrician from Sri Lanka. He was the President of the Asian Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases from 2013 to 2014. Currently he is a board member of the World Society Of Pediatric Infectious diseases representing Asian Society of Pediatric Infectious diseases. Though a general Pediatrician by profession, Dr. Wickramasinghe is a person of many interest in the field of Pediatrics. His main interest has always been Pediatric Neurology. In this sphere, his contribution to children with neurological disabilities was commendable especially at a time where there was no Pediatric Neurologists in Sri Lanka.

Dr. Wickramasinghe single handedly managed three epidemics of Japanese Encephalitis and a massive epidemic of Shigella Dysentery while working in a semi urban city in the early 1980s. This instigated an unrelenting interest in infectious diseases. Currently his interest is diverted to Pediatric Vaccinology. He has been a resource person for many national and international conferences and have presented many lectures on Pneumococcal vaccine, polio end game strategy and vaccine hesitancy.

Dr. Wickramasinghe was actively involved in the Postgraduate Training of Junior Pediatricians. He was the Secretary to the Board of Studies in Pediatrics at the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine in Sri Lanka from 1995 to 1999. In 1999, he left Sri Lanka to take up a position as the Head of the Department of Pediatrics at RIPAS Hospital in Brunei, where he was employed for 8 years and returned to Sri Lanka in 2008. He had been the president of the Sri Lanka college of Pediatricians in 2008-2009 and organized South Asian regional Pediatric conference in 2009 in Colombo.

Apart from being passionate about Pediatrics, Dr. Wickramasinghe is also a wildlife enthusiast and a wildlife photographer. He is also interested in collecting scientific literature on herbal medicine.

Prof Janet Englund

Dr. Englund’s research interests include the study of the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of viral respiratory diseases in children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised hosts. She studies new viral vaccines and novel methods of antiviral therapy for respiratory viruses including influenza, adenovirus, parainfluenza viruses, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Dr. Englund has a longstanding interest in maternal immunization and was a coinvestigator of maternal immunization with influenza virus vaccines in Nepal sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and RSV vaccines in Seattle As a Clinical Associate at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, she is actively involved in transplant-related protocols and in studies of the prevention, treatment and outcome of respiratory viral diseases in transplant recipients of all ages.

Dr. Englund’s research group at Seattle Children’s Hospital Research Institute is part of the New Vaccine Surveillance Network of the US Centers for Disease Control. This group assesses vaccine effectiveness of rotavirus and influenza virus vaccines in population-based studies and is involved in epidemiological studies of respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus, EVD-68, and norovirus. Dr. Englund is also involved in studies of new respiratory vaccines and antivirals including vaccines for the prevention of RSV in infants, children, and pregnant women, and antivirals in healthy and immunocompromised children. She is also studying new methods to diagnose viral respiratory.

Dr. Englund has participated in national and international organizations including lecturing at international vaccine courses such as ADVAC,INDVAC, and has participated in the CDC-sponsored Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRPBAC), and the maternal immunization safety group at WHO. She is past president of PIDS, past board member of IDSA and the WHO Influenza working group, and a member of the Publication Committee and Influenza Working Group of the Infectious Disease Society of America.

Dr Jin Oh Kim

Regional Director of Medical Affairs, Vaccine
MSD Asia-Pacific Region

Industry Career

Jan 2018 - Present
Regional Director of Medical Affairs, Vaccines, MSD AP region
Jan 2017 - Dec 2017
Regional Associate Medical Director, Vaccines, MSD AP region
Dec 2013 - Dec 2016
Vaccine Medical Team Manager, GMA, MSD Korea
Jul 2012 - Nov 2013
Medical Advisor in Osteoporosis, Rheumatology, Vaccines, GMA, MSD Korea
Aug 2010 - Jul 2012
MSL (Medical Science Liaison) in CNS and Immunology, UCB Korea

Academic Career

Aug 2007 – Jul 2010
Rheumatology Research Lab, Division of Rheumatology, University of Washington, USA
Post-doc Research Scientist
Mar 2002 - Aug 2007
School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Korea
PhD in Immunology
Mar 1993 - Feb 1999
School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Korea
Doctor in Medicine

Dr Kathleen M. Neuzil

Dr. Kathleen Neuzil, a Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics and Director, Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, is an internationally recognized research scientist and advocate in the field of vaccinology. Her capabilities range from proficiency in epidemiology and clinical trials to expertise in vaccine research and development, partnerships with developing country vaccine manufacturers, and knowledge of and experience with WHO policy and Gavi processes.

Dr. Neuzil’s work has spanned dozens of low resource countries with multiple vaccines, including rotavirus, human papillomavirus, influenza, meningococcal, Japanese encephalitis, malaria and most recently typhoid conjugate vaccines. Dr. Neuzil currently leads TyVAC, the Typhoid Vaccine Acceleration Consortium, with the goal to accelerate the use of typhoid conjugate vaccines in Gavi-eligible countries. Dr. Neuzil's research capabilities are complimented by 20 years of involvement in domestic and international policy, including membership on the Centers for Disease Control’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. She is currently a member of the World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE).

Dr. Neuzil graduated summa cum laude from the University of Maryland, received her medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and her Masters of Public Health degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. She completed her Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases training at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Neuzil has published over 200 peer-reviewed manuscripts, chapters and editorials on vaccines and infectious diseases.

Dr Kim Mulholland

Kim Mulholland is an Australian paediatrician, trained at Melbourne University and the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. With post-graduate training in immunology, respiratory medicine and tropical medicine he joined the Medical Research Council Laboratories in 1989, where he developed a program of research covering all aspects of the problem of childhood pneumonia. This included studies of the aetiology, clinical signs, and treatment of pneumonia cases, with particular reference to very young infants and malnourished children. These studies guided WHO policy in the field and contributed to the development of the strategy of Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI), as well as guiding oxygen and antibiotic management for hospitalized children. His Hib vaccine trials were the first to demonstrate the capacity of conjugate vaccines to prevent bacterial pneumonia, and paved the way for Hib vaccine introduction in Africa. After six years in the Gambia he joined WHO where he oversaw the development of standardized methods for the evaluation of pneumonia vaccines in developing countries. Since leaving WHO in 2000 he has continued to work in the pneumonia field with particular emphasis on vaccines. He was one of the founders of the Global Action Plan for Pneumonia, and one of the leaders of the successful Hib Initiative project that saw the introduction of Hib vaccines into the poorest countries of the world. During the same period he established leading pneumococcal microbiology and immunology laboratories at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), Melbourne, along with major field research programs in Vietnam, Fiji and Mongolia, and growing programs in Indonesia and Laos. He currently holds professorial appointments at the MCRI in Melbourne and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in UK.

Prof Kyaw Zin Wai

Kyaw Zin Wai, MMedSC (Paed), MRCPCH (UK), DrMedSc (Paed), is a Clinical Professor and Incharge of Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Yankin Children Hospital. He has been working as a paediatrician specialized in intensive care since 1995 after getting Australian College of Pediatrics’ Travelling Fellowship in 1994. For this fellowship degree, he learned Pediatric Intensive Care in Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, Camperdown, New South Wales. Dr. Kyaw Zin Wai’s another expertise is treating children with Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever and involved in many clinical studies related to Dengue Shock Syndrome. In addition to his clinical work on Dengue and Intensive Care, he also contributed ‘’Pediatric Management Guideline on Dengue Virus Infection’’ to Myanmar Pediatric Society. He received his undergraduate degree from University of Medicine 1, Yangon. He had his doctorate degree in 2013 and his publication was ‘’Effectiveness of colloid (gelofusine) in the initial resuscitation of dengue severe shock’’.

Prof Lulu C Bravo

Lulu Bravo is a Professor Emeritus at the College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila. She is the former Vice Chancellor for Research and Executive Director of the National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila (2005 – 2011) and current head of the Vaccine Study Group of the NIH – UPM.

She is the President of the Immunization Partners in Asia Pacific (IPAP), current Executive Director and past President of the International Society of Tropical Pediatrics (ISTP) 2008 – 2011, past Chair and Founder of the Asian Strategic Alliance for Pneumococcal Disease Prevention (ASAP) 2007 – 2011, and Executive Director, Sec-General (1998 – 2006) & past President of the Asian Society for Pediatric Infectious Disease (ASPID) 2006 – 2008. She has served in various capacities in many other Asian medical and professional societies and as WHO Technical Advisor. She has served as well in national medical organizations such as PMA, PPS, PIDPS, PSMID and the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination (PFV) of which she is the founding President and current Executive Director. In the international scene, she is a member of the Rota Council, Pneumococcal Awareness Council of Experts (PACE) and member of the Dengue Vaccine Initiative (DVI). Her work has earned for her various national and international honors and awards in the professional, academic and research fields, including the Outstanding Physician (2009) and the prestigious Dr. Jose P. Rizal Memorial Award for Academe (2011) given by Philippine Medical Association, the 2012 Asian Outstanding Pediatrician Award given by the Asia Pacific Pediatric Association and 2018 Outstanding Professional in Medicine given by the Professional Regulation Commission of the Philippines. As vaccine advocate, she was named Pneumonia Fighter in 2018 by the JustActions Organization, a US-based movement and corporation associated with People Empowerment.

Dr. Lulu Bravo completed her MD, pediatric residency and subspecialty training in infectious disease at Philippine General Hospital-College of Medicine of the University of the Philippines Manila. She supplemented her fellowship in pediatric infectious disease at the University of Texas Southwestern Health Science Center in Dallas, USA in 1986.

Dr Mathu Santosham

Dr. Mathu Santosham is a Professor in the Departments of International Health and Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). He is the Director Emeritus of the Center for American Indian Health (CAIH) and the Senior Advisor for the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) at the Department of International Health at JHU.

Dr. Santosham is internationally known for his work on oral rehydration therapy and childhood vaccines. He conducted landmark vaccine efficacy trials, including rotavirus vaccine, H. influenzae type b (Hib, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Through his advocacy, these vaccines now save 3 to 5 million lives a year in the US and across the globe. ORS is credited with saving over 50 million lives since 1980.

For his contributions in public health, he has received several awards including: Albert Sabin Gold Medal Award; the Fries Prize for Improving Health and the Prince Mahidol Award for Public Health.

Dr. Nakorn Premsri

Director, National Vaccine Institute (NVI), Thailand

Dr. Nakorn Premsri is the Director of the National Vaccine Institute, Thailand, appointed in February 2019. He has had extensive experience in health promotion, disease prevention and control and public health program management. Dr. Nakorn completed his medical training from the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand in 1993 and started his career at the Ministry of Public Health, as the director of a district hospital in 1993-1996. He became the Chief of Social Medicine Department at Sakaew Crown Prince Provincial Hospital in 1998, after completing the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) at the Division of Epidemiology, Ministry of Public Health in 1996 -1998. In 2003 he worked as a research investigator in the world’s largest HIV Vaccine Phase III trial (RV144, Thai Trial) and became the Director of Principal Recipient Office for the Global Fund to Fight Against AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) in 2009, before being appointed the Director of Bureau of Epidemiology, Department of Disease Control in 2017.

Dr Philippe Buchy

Dr. Philippe Buchy is a physician with a specialization in Clinical Pathology and holds a PhD in virology. He worked for 16 years with the Pasteur Institute as a Virologist. His areas of interest included research on arboviruses, influenza and other respiratory viruses, encephalitis, zoonotic and emerging diseases. He headed several National and WHO reference centres on influenza, H5N1, rabies and arboviruses. Dr. Buchy authored over 180 publications in peer-reviewed journals as well as several book chapters and WHO guidelines. He was awarded the Mérieux Foundation Prize in 2014 in recognition of his research on infectious diseases in developing countries. In June 2014, he joined GSK vaccines as Director of Scientific Affairs and Public Health in Intercontinental region.

Dr Ping-Ing Lee

Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Children’s Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.

Dr. Ping-Ing Lee graduated from the medical faculty of the National Taiwan University, and obtained his Ph.D. from Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Taiwan University. He is currently serving as associate professor of the Department of Pediatrics at the College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, and is attending physician at the Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Children’s Hospital. Dr. Lee serves as the chair of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Center for Disease Control, Department of Health, Taiwan. He is the leader of pediatrics in Taiwan and is currently the president of Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society of Taiwan and Taiwan Immunization Vision and Strategy. He is also former president of Asian Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases. Dr. Lee is engaged in pediatrics, infectious diseases, vaccination, pneumonia, hepatitis and gastroenteritis. He has published more than one hundred peer-reviewed academic papers in English, and more than two hundreds health-related articles for the public in Chinese.

Dr Prabda Praphasiri

Epidemiology, Influenza Program Thailand

Prabda Prapasiri, Dr.PH is Epidemiologist of Influenza Program in Thailand ministry of public health and US CDC collaboration (TUC). Dr. Praphasiri earned Dr.PH degree in epidemiology and PhD in medical anthropology from Mahidol University.  He holds a MPH from Chaing Mai University and M.A. in women’s study from Thammasart University.

Dr. Praphasiri joined TUC in 2003 as a research and surveillance coordinator in International Emerging Infectious Program (IEIP), TUC. Eight years of his working at TUC has been spent in Nakhon Phanom province, to conduct active population- based surveillance for pneumonia disease. He was a first as a key member of IEIP to help strengthen the active surveillance system in the Nakhon Phanom province. His technical expertise and leadership have contributed to an improved understanding of the burden of respiratory disease in Thailand, and established the evidence-base for policy recommendations.  He also has contributed to a capacity building surveillance and epidemiological skill for locally staff in the province.

In the eight years working with Influenza program, Dr. Praphasiri has made strong relationship with various ministry and academic partners and has helped CDC’s influenza program start new projects that are mutually beneficial to the United States and Thailand. Most of these projects have to do with influenza vaccine implementation and uptake. He is a key person to help Thailand conduct pivotal Phase III RCT of a seasonal trivalent inactivated split virion influenza vaccine. This task will bring Thailand has capacity to produce influenza vaccine to support the country and SEA region. In all his projects he has worked well with both local and U.S. expert.

Dr Pramod Jog

• Chair of the subcommittee of IPA on communication, public affairs, advocacy
• Working on a project on Vaccine Hesitancy (IPA)
• Chairman of Advisory Committee on Vaccines & Immunization Practices(ACVIP) of Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) 2015-17
• Member of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) for Govt. of India- (2016).
• Member of the India Expert Advisory Group (IEAG) for introduction of Rotavirus vaccine in the National Immunization Program of India (2016).
• Successful Advocacy to the Govt. of India as IAP President in 2016, which led to the inclusion of the Rotavirus vaccine & Pneumococcal vaccine in the national immunization schedule.
• Started the ‘IAP Immunizeindia’ a vaccination reminder cell-phone app, with 2 million children enrolled already and expanding.
• Conducted a pre conference workshop on Immunization in the triennial UNAPSA conference (Union of National African Pediatric Societies & Associations ) in Abuja, Nigeria in Jan 2018 & acted as faculty (delivered talks on history of vaccination, value of vaccination, basics of immunology, AEFI, evaluation of a vaccine trial, vaccine hesitancy, etc.) & delivered a talk in the plenary session on ‘Polio Eradication-Indian Experience’.
• Senior consultant to UNICEF, India
• Awarded for the best performance at Advanced Course in Vaccinology ( ADVAC), Annecy, France 2011.
• Master trainer & evaluator at the Advanced Course in Vaccinology organized by Child Health Foundation (CHF) at New Delhi, India  in 2011
• Master trainer for the workshops conducted by IAP on Science of Vaccinology (SoV) & Advanced Science of Vaccinology (ASoV) across India from 2007.
• Core committee Member of the National Polio Surveillance Project (NPSP) of WHO, UNICEF, Govt. of India & IAP, 1997
• Member of the Immunization Committee of IAP (1999-2001).
• Member of the Polio Eradication Committee of IAP since1995
• Divisional coordinator of a nationwide project of WHO, UNICEF & IAP for quality reinforcement of Universal Immunization Program (UIP) by training of medical practitioners -1987
• Delivered over 1200 speeches at National and International pediatric conferences.
• Authored numerous publications in national & international Journals.
• Authored chapters in Pediatric Textbooks on vaccinology & infectious diseases.
• Editor of ‘The Pediatric Review Journal’ since 1985.
• Active participation in the biannual Rota Council meetings held in Bangkok (2012), Delhi (2014) & Melbourne (2016); faculty at ASVAC, Singapore (2017)
• Founder of the “Goodbye Polio” program (1984) - The first mass polio Immunization program in India. It covered 417 slum areas and multiple tribal areas in the Western part of the country.

Dr Ranjan Kumar Pejaver

Chief of Neonatology-People tree Meenakshi Hospitals,
Hon Professor of Neonatology, KIMS, Bangalore.
Has been practicing Neonatology since the last 35 years.
President elect 2020, National Neonatology Forum of India
Editor in chief- Perinatology. Indexed in EmBase, Scopus and CINHAL
Member of editorial board and Reviewer of several National and International journals.
Past President, Federation of Asia Oceania Perinatal Societies (FAOPS) and currently the advisor of FAOPS.
Member of the education committee of world association of Perinatal Medicine 2015-2018
Is actively involved in research & cost effective innovations.
91 national and International publications; 119 national and International presentations. 32 major Research projects.
Winner of the India CNN-IBN award 2015 & ET Telecom award 2016 for best innovation. (Immunize India)

Dr Roger Glass

Dr. Glass is the Director of the Fogarty International Center and the Associate Director for Global Health at the NIH.  He graduated from Harvard's College, Medical School and School of Public Health and received a doctorate in microbiology from the Univ. of Gothenberg, Sweden.  Dr. Glass' research interests are in the prevention of gastroenteritis from rotavirus through the use of vaccines.  He established the Viral Gastroenteritis Unit at CDC and trained a generation of epidemiologists and laboratory researchers to address the global problem of gastroenteritis. Dr. Glass has received numerous awards including the Charles C. Shepard Lifetime Scientific Achievement Award presented by the CDC in recognition of his 30-year career of scientific research application and leadership, the Dr. Charles Merieux Award from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases for his work on rotavirus vaccines in the developing world, the Albert B. Sabin Gold Medal Award, Georgetown University’s Cura Personalis Award, Research!America’s Geoffrey Beene Builders of Science Award, Rice University’s Rice 360˚ Institute for Global Health Award, the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Humanitarian Award from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, and the Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health 2018 Alumni Award of Merit. He is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine. Dr. Glass has co-authored more than 600 research papers and chapters.

Dr Sajjad A Desai

Dr. Sajjad A Desai, is a graduate (MBBS) and post‐graduate (MD) of Dr V. M. Medical College, Solapur with specialization in Clinical Pharmacology. He joined Serum Institute of India Ltd. (SIIL), Pune in 2006 and is working as Deputy Medical Director. Today, Serum Institute is the largest manufacturer of vaccines in the world.

After post‐graduation in 2001, he has worked in several pharmaceutical companies in R & D ‐ Clinical Research. Since 2006, he is working with Serum Institute of India Pvt Ltd and is involved in clinical development of new vaccines and biologicals as well pharmacovigilance activities.

He has publications in peer reviewed scientific journals.

Prof Saw Win

Graduated from Institute of Medicine (1) in 1979 and obtained M.B, B.S degree.

Postgraduate qualifications - DCH (1986), M.Med.Sc (Paed.) (1992), MRCP (UK) (1995), DCH (Glasgow) (1985), DTM&H (London) (1986), MRCPCH (2002), FRCP (Edin) (2009) Dip. Med. Ed (2009)

Served as Government Employee from 1982 in various posts starting as Clinical Tutor and retired as Professor and Head, Department of Pediatrics, University of Medicine (1), Yangon in 2013.

Former Chairman of Myanmar Pediatric Society (2011-2013), Council Member of APPA and APF (2011-2013), Honorary Secretary General of Myanmar Medical Association (2014-2018), Council Member of Asian Pediatric Pulmonary Society (2012-2018).

Currently practicing as Clinical Director of In-patient Paediatric Department in Parami General Hospital and Senior Consultant Pediatrician in Bahosi Hospital.

Currently Patron of Myanmar Pediatric Society, Vice Chairman of National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) Practices, Editorial Board Member of Myanmar Journal of Current Medical Practice (MJCMP) and Pediatric Respirology and Critical Care Medicine (PRCM).

Selected as a member of WHO - South East Asia Region, Immunization Technical Advisory Group (SEAR-ITAG) since June 2015 up to now.

Presented and published more than 70 research papers and articles on adolescent smoking, immunization, childhood asthma, newborn care, medical education, childhood nutrition and dengue hemorrhagic fever.

Special interests are in Immunization, Dengue Hemorrhagic, Childhood Asthma and Medical Education.

SHELLEY ANN F. DE LA VEGA

MD, MSc (ClinEpi), FPCGM

AFFILIATION IN INSTITUTIONS AND POSITIONS

Academic Title:

• Professor 2, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila

Administrative Position:

• Director, Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, UP Manila
• Director, Institute of Health Policy and Development Studies, 2011-2013

Organizational Position

• Founding President, Philippine College of Geriatric Medicine 2012-2014
• President, Philippine Foundation for Vaccination Inc. 2019 March-present

MEMBERSHIP IN SOCIETIES AND POSITIONS

2015 - 2017 Current
1. Department of Health Technical Working Groups

1. Vice Chair, Standards of Care for the Elderly in all Healthcare
   Settings; newly signed DOH Administrative Order 2017-001, January 30,2017.
2. Consultant Health and Wellness Program for Senior Citizens
3. Consultant, Essential Primary Healthcare Guarantees for the Lifestages

2. DSWD

1. Consultant, National Coordinating and Monitoring Board
2. Review and Strategic Planning for the Philippine Plan of Action for Senior Citizens 2018-2022

2018 - Current
1. Department of Health Technical Working Groups

1. Vice Chair, Standards of Care for the Elderly in all Healthcare
   Settings; newly signed DOH Administrative Order 2017-001, January 30, 2017.
2. Technical Consultant, DPCB Health and Wellness Program for Senior Citizens
3. Technical Consultant, Mental Health Medication Access Program
4. Member, National Immunization Committee

Dr Siu Lun (John) Tam

Dr John Tam is currently the Visiting Professor at the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He also serves as the Director and Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Alliance for the Control of Influenza, a position he held over 15 years ago as the founding chairman. Dr Tam had worked as Technical Officer of the Initiative for Vaccine Research at the World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva, Switzerland and was responsible for the global research and development of seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines as well as the focal point for influenza policy development under SAGE and the technical lead for the WHO Global Action Plan for Influenza Vaccines. He also served as Scientist at the Global Influenza Programme of WHO, Geneva and was responsible for the development and implementation of the WHO Public Health Research Agenda for Influenza including the coordination of influenza vaccine research and global seasonal influenza vaccine recommendations. John also worked in a leading role in the pharmaceutical industry on vaccine research and development. Prior to these, he was Professor in the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong for 15 years. Dr Tam received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from the University of Toronto majoring in virology, microbiology and biochemistry, and his Ph.D. degree from the University of Hong Kong on virology. John has been active in the field of medical virology and his interest included influenza and other viral respiratory tract infections, viral diarrhoeal diseases, viral hepatitis and virus-associated cancers. He had published over 180 peer-reviewed articles relating to his fields of interest. During the outbreak of avian influenza in Hong Kong in 1997 and the SARS outbreak in Asia in 2003, John had served as advisor to the WHO, the Hong Kong government and other regional health authorities. He received the Bronze Bauhinia Star (B.B.S.) medal from the Government of Hong Kong SAR in 2004.

Mr Stephane Guichard

Mr Stephane Guichard started working on immunization programme in 1987-1988 with Medicines sans Frontiere in Aden South Yemen. In 1989 he joined John Snow Inc./Reach project in Haiti as EPI programme manager in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. In 1992, he left Haiti to join Mahidol University in Salaya Thailand to receive his Master Degree in Primary Health Care Management in 1994. 1994-2000 he worked with UNICEF Area Office for Central Asian Republics and Kazlhstan in Almaty, Kazakhstan in charge of EPI programme in the five CAR republics. In 2000, he worked as technical officer in UNICEF Supply Division and in 2001, he joined the WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia as techncial Officer EPI. In 2008, he became the Regional Advisor for Vaccine Quality and Management. His area of expertise cover a wide range of immunization activities including vaccine management, vaccine safety post-marketing surveillance and National Regulatory Authority capacity strengthening. In his 15 years with SEARO, he was assigned from 2008 to 2014 in WHO country office in Thailand and also in WHO-HQ from November 2015 to December 2016 to establish mOPV2 and syringes global stockpile as part of GPEI startegy to respond to polio outbreaks. He is currently working with WHO-SEARO as Regional Advisor for Vaccine Quality and Management.

Dr Stephen Chacko

I am a medical doctor from India with post graduate degree in public health from John’s Hopkins University, USA. I have been working in the immunization related areas in the field over 18 years in four WHO Regions (AFRO, EMRO, EURO and SEARO). I have extensive experience in the design, field implementation, monitoring and evaluation of immunization programs, surveillance and control of communicable diseases.

I am proficient in resource mobilization for public health programs, training and capacity building.

Since June 2018, I am working in the WHO country office Myanmar as team leader for Immunization program. Before moving to Myanmar, I had worked at various WHO offices including Bangladesh, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, 7 African countries and India.

Terms of reference of current assignment at the WHO country office Myanmar;

• To provide support to strengthen vaccine preventable disease control including increasing and maintaining immunization coverage for all EPI vaccines
• Improve surveillance quality for vaccine preventable diseases in Myanmar
• Maintain the polio free status in the country and provide support for measles elimination
• Support to introduce new and underutilized vaccines in the country
• Facilitate the capacity building for the laboratory diagnosis of Vaccine Preventable Diseases
• Provide technical support to improve the health system in the country

Prof Terapong Tantawichien

Chairman, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand

Assistant Director of Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, Thailand.

President of Infectious Disease Association of Thailand (2014-2015, 2016-2017)

Terapong Tantawichien is Professor, the Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. He received his medical degree from Chulalongkorn University in 1987 and is board certified in internal medicine and infectious diseases (Thailand). He began his teaching career in 1993 when he started teaching infectious diseases at Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University. He was also President of the Infectious Diseases Association of Thailand (2014-15, 2015-2017). Presently he is chairman of Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and Assistant Director of Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, Thai Red Cross Society. He was awarded the 1st Young Investigator Award from the Infectious Diseases Association of Thailand in 2001 and the Research Award from the Royal College of Physician of Thailand in 2014. His main scientific interests are rabies vaccination, adolescent and adult immunization, dengue in adult, and infections in immunocompromised hosts.

Dr T. Anh Wartel

HEAD OF CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT AND REGULATORY,
INTERNATIONAL VACCINE INSTITUTE, SEOUL, REPUBLIC OF KOREA

~20 years of experience in clinical research (from phase 1 to phase 4 studies) and epidemiological studies in Academia (France), Pharmaceutical Industry working in International areas including technical expertise in Common Technical Document (CTD), and International Organization

Dr. Wartel earned MD diploma from the Medical School in Paris, France and post graduate diploma in Public Health, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Liverpool, UK.

She firstly started off her research career as co-investigator in drugs and therapeutic vaccine trials at late stage of development in HIV infected patients, with Academia (French National Agency of Research on AIDS (ANRS) in Paris, France), she then joined Pharmaceutical Industry (Sanofi Pasteur) where she had got multiple responsibilities in Epidemiology, Clinical R&D activities, and Medical Affairs roles. She lately joined International Vaccine Institute, a non-profit organization in Seoul as the Head of Clinical Development and Regulatory.

Dr Tsetsegsaikhan Batmunkh

Tsetsegsaikhan Batmunkh – Founder and CEO of the National Cancer Council of Mongolia. Before joining National Cancer Council she had been an Advisor to Health Minister, Officer at Public Health Department of the Ministry of Health, Officer in charge of immunization at the World Health Organization Country office in Mongolia.

Mrs Batmunkh received her Bachelor Degree as a medical doctor and PhD gedree at the Peoples Friendship University of Russia and Master’s Degree in Public Health/Health Management at University of New South Wales in Australia. Her research area of interest is HPV vaccination, tobacco taxes, childhood cancer and cervical cancer screening.

Dr Umesh Parashar

Dr. Parashar is the Chief of Viral Gastroenteritis Branch at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). After completing medical training in India and the United States, Dr. Parashar joined the CDC as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer in 1996 and has spent more than 20 years at CDC researching the epidemiology of viral gastroenteritis and methods for its prevention and control, including vaccination strategies against rotavirus gastroenteritis. He was the CDC co-lead of the working group that developed the recommendations for use of the new rotavirus vaccines in the United States. The CDC Viral Gastroenteritis Branch also works with global partners to help accelerate introduction of rotavirus vaccines in developing countries with the greatest burden of rotavirus disease. Dr. Parashar has published more than 500 scientific papers and book chapters. He has also served as guest editor on 8 supplements in scientific journals and on advisory committees to the World Health Organization. He has received several awards, including 1) the Philip R. Horne award -- the CDCs National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases’ highest form of recognition for accomplishments and work performance that have had a significant impact on achieving the mission of the Center – in 2014, 2) Emory University's Sheth Distinguished International Alumni Award -- to recognize Emory University's international alumni who have distinguished themselves in service to universities, governments, private sector firms, and nongovernmental organizations – in 2014, 3) the Oswald Avery Award for Early Achievement from the Infectious Disease Society of America in 2011, 4) the Shepard Award for Best Scientific Paper in the Prevention and Control Category from the CDC in 2009, and 5) six awards for Distinguished Service from the Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Dr Zulkifli Ismail

PMW, MBBS, MMed(Paed), FAMM, FRCPCH(UK)

Dr Zulkifli Ismail is a consultant paediatrician and paediatric cardiologist at KPJ Selangor Specialist Hospital and visiting paediatric cardiologist at the KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital. He was formerly Professor of Paediatrics and Paediatric Cardiology in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). He has also served as the Head of the Paediatric Department and Director of Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM) as well as Medical Director of its private wing, UKM Specialist Centre. He is currently Clinical Professor at KPJ University College of Health Sciences.

Dr Zulkifli is currently the Secretary General of the Asia Pacific Pediatric Association (APPA) after completing a term as President in 2012-2016, previous Chairman of the Asian Strategic Alliance for Pneumococcal disease prevention (ASAP), a member of the Rotavirus Organization of Technical Allies (ROTA) Council and the Asia Dengue Voice & Action (ADVA) group. He was also President of the Thalassaemia Association of Malaysia (TAM) from 2003-2016. He serves as a board member of the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN), is a member of the Malaysian Ministry of Health Unrelated Transplant Approval Committee (UTAC) and was on the editorial board of the Malaysian Journal of Paediatrics & Child Health (MJPCH).

In 2008 he was conferred the Darjah Panglima Mahkota Wilayah by the Malaysian King that carries the honorific title of ‘Datuk’.