Prof. Martin Akogbeto
	Professor and Head, Department of Zoology and Genetics, Faculty of Sciences and Technology (FAST), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Cotonu, Benin Director, Centre de Recherché Entomologique de Cotonou (CREC) Chairman, African Network on Vector Resistance (AVRN). In charge, Vector and Parasite Ecology Laboratory, University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Cotonu, Benin

"My life is devoted to health research for the population welfare"

Contact
BP 06-2604, Centre OCCGE
COTONOU
Rép. du Bénin
Tel: Bureau 33 08 25
Fax (229) 33 08 25
E-mail: akogbeto@leland.bj

Background

During the past two decades, Professor Martin Akogbeto has devoted all his efforts to the fight against the two main tropical diseases in Benin: Guinean Worm disease and Malaria

In 1983, while working with the Organisation de Coordination et de Cooperation pour la lutte contre les Grandes Endémies (OCCGE), Martin Akogbeto observed that infectivity of anopheles mosquitoes collected from the area of Cotonou was very low. Earlier on, Professor Coluzzi from the University of La Sapienza in Roma, Italy working together with Prof. Akogbeto found that anopheles population in this area was far to be homogeneous. “This was the starting point of my passion for malaria research” says Prof. Akogbeto. He then went on to set up a Cytogenetics laboratory in Cotonou in 1992 as he prepared to defend his PhD thesis on "Malaria Epidemiology in the Laguna coast″ at the Paris XI University, France.

After obtaining his PhD, Prof. Akogbeto focused attention to the evaluation of resistance of mosquito to insecticides. Prof Akogbeto and colleagues worked hard involving the community-the users of the bed-nets to come up with working strategy for quality control on bed-nets and their use. The quality control protocol he developed has been adopted by the Ministry of Health to be followed by all bed-nets producers in Benin.

Prof Akogbeto research work has also contributed significantly in the programme for eradication of Guinean worm in Benin.

Current research interests and leadership
Prof. Akogbeto is currently Head of the Department of Zoology and Genetics, Faculty of Sciences and Technology (FAST), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Benin. He is also in-charge of the Vector and Parasite Ecology laboratory. Prof. Akogbeto is also Director of the Centre de Recherché Entomologique de Cotonou (CREC), which has was established by OCCGE. CREC is a research centre specialized in vector control, vector biology, vector ecology and various the factors and mechanisms of resistance of anopheles to insecticides.

(Prof. Akogbeto and his research team)

“Our Centre promotes South-south and North-south partnership. With this vision the research centre has received a consistent number of propositions for collaboration particularly from both southern and Northern partners in the context of bilateral collaboration. These partnerships has contributed tremendously to capacity building and new infrastructure development at CREC, for instance the Molecular biology lab and the maintenance of insectarium to site a few examples”, says Prof Akogbeto.

At institutional level, Prof. Akogbeto in 2006 initiated the International Master of Entomology. This diploma is delivered by the Health Regional Institute in Ouidah. Another course, Master in Applied Entomology, was established in February 2007, at the Department of Zoology and Genetics.

Leadership

• 1999-2005 : Principal Investigator (PI) of a MIM/TDR/WHO research network on vector resistance involving 8 institutions including Bénin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali, Ghana, Cameroon, Zimbabwe and 2 Northern institutions Institut de Recherché pour le développement (IRD) and London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (LSTMH).
• 2001-2007: Chair of network the African Network on Vector Resistance (AVRN). Prof. Akogbeto ensured the coordination of training and evaluation activities of vector resistance to insecticides, AFRO/WHO in Francophone countries of West Africa in collaboration with national control programmes.
• 2001-2006: Coordinator of network "Socio-anthropologie Appliquée à la Prévention du Paludisme (RESAP)" in West Africa. Created in 2000 and financially supported by Pal+ programme of French Ministry of Research and New Technologies.

Regional and International Membership

• Member of the Society of Exotic Pathology ( Société de Pathologie Exotique)
• Member of the West African Society of Parasitology
• Member of the consultative committee of WHO for health research and development in Africa
• Member of CTS/CAMES Sciences Naturelles & Agronomie
• Member of Resistance Network of WHO
• Member of Roll Back Malaria Network/ Bednet
• Coordinator of MIM / CREC / IPR / CM / IB vector resistance Network

Future Perspective: "I hope that my dream will become a reality"

"My dream is to strengthen my research centre in both human resource capacity and infrastructure development. The final objective is to create a new Institute that is devoted to studies on epidemiology of vector transmitted”

Selected Publications

• Doudou D. T., Doannio J. M. C., Konan L. Y., djouaka R., Paré-Toé L., Akogbéto M. La moustiquaire imprégnée d’insecticide comme moyen de lutte contre le paludisme : les raisons d’une adoption limitée en Côte d’Ivoire. Natures Sciences Sociétés 14, 431-433
• N’guessan R., Corbel V., Akogbéto M. and Rowland M. Reduced efficacy of insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying for malaria control in pyrethroid resistance area, Benin. Emerging Infectious Diseases. www.cdc.gov/eid,Vol. 13, N°. 2, 2007
• J.M. Hougard. , T. Martin., P.F. Guillet., M. Cooseman., T. Itoh., M. Akogbeto and F. Chandre. Preliminary Field testing of a long-lasting insecticide-treated hammock against Anopheles and Mansonia spp (Diptera: Culicidea) in West Africa. J. Med. Entomol. (2007) 44 (4): 651-65.
• Rousseau F. Djouaka., Adekunle A. Bakare., Honore S. Bankole., Julien MC MC Doannio., Hortense Kossou and Martin Akogbeto. Qualification of the efficiency of treatment of Anopheles gambiae breeding sites with petroleum products by local communities in areas of insecticide resistance in the republic of Benin. Malaria Journal 2007, 6:56.
• R. N’guessan., P. Boko., A. Odjo., M. Akogbeto., A. Yates., M. Rowland. Chlorfenapyr: A pyrrole insecticide for the control of pyrethroid or DDT resistant Anopheles gambiae (Diptera: Culicidea) mosquitoes. Acta Tropica 102 (2007) 69-78.