Episode 4

S2E4 - Community-based clinical trials for malaria elimination

On today’s episode we are joined by Joan Muela from PASS-Suisse/Rovira i Virgili University and Yoriko Masunaga from the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp/University of Amsterdam who share their experiences of engaging with communities to improve malaria trial implementation. Have a listen to learn about: 

  • The Community Lab of Ideas for Health (CLIH), a participatory approach for developing community-based solutions to trial implementation strategy challenges 
  • How ethnographic research forms an important entry point of interaction between communities and research teams 
  • Working with communities in the Gambia and the how the long-standing influence of the MRC Unit The Gambia impacts research dynamics

Joan Muela Ribera, PhD and MSc

Lecturer and senior researcher, PASS-Suisse and MARC at Rovira i Virgili University

My field of research is medical anthropology applied to Global Health projects. I did fieldwork in a variety of African, Asian and American countries, mostly in the field of infectious diseases. My area of expertise is participatory implementation research and systemic evaluation. I strongly believe that people in the communities where we work are the ultimate actors and decision-makers. Our role as Social Science experts is to provide useful and solid information for decision-making, as well as a frame and a systematic approach to co-create and co-implement the project.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Joan-Muela-Ribera 

https://www.antropologia.urv.cat/en/about/people/adjunct-faculty/ 

Yoriko Masunaga, MPH

Pre-doc, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp / University of Amsterdam

I am a PhD candidate (in medical anthropology) focusing on community participatory implementation research in malaria elimination interventions. With years of working experience in both research and implementation, I am convinced that communities play pivotal role in integrating research and implementation and in tackling global health issues in holistic and transdisciplinary manner, as a co-designer and co-implementer of research and implementation. 

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yoriko-Masunaga 

About the Podcast

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Connecting Citizens to Science
A Global Health and Development Podcast

About your host

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Kim Ozano

Connecting Citizens to Science is hosted by Dr Kim Ozano and produced by The Stop, Collaborate and Listen Agency. The podcast examines complex health and development challenges worldwide, drawing on Kim’s background in participatory research and health systems.

Through open conversation, it brings together research, practice and lived experience, amplifying the voices of those most affected and exploring how inequities are understood and addressed in real-world settings. Episodes feature community members, health workers, researchers and implementers working on the front lines of change.

Each episode is led by an expert guest co-host who brings subject expertise and contextual insight, while Kim frames the discussion and connects themes across the series.