Rashida Ferrand

Rashida Ferrand is a Clinical Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), United Kingdom, where she has held academic roles since 2001, including Clinical Research Fellow, Senior Lecturer, Reader, and her current position. She also holds visiting professorships at Aga Khan University (Pakistan) and the University of Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe). Her work focuses on adolescent health, HIV/AIDS, and public health interventions, with a strong emphasis on clinical trials and operational research in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Education:

• MB BS: University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom (1991–1996)
• MSc in Epidemiology: LSHTM (2003–2005)
• PhD: LSHTM (2007–2010)

Research Interests: Professor Ferrand’s research integrates clinical and epidemiological approaches to address HIV care cascades, sexual and reproductive health (SRH), and multimorbidity in resource-limited settings. She leads studies on interventions for adolescents living with HIV, including bone health and vitamin D supplementation (VITALITY trial), and evaluates integrated community-based health programs like CHIEDZA. Her work also explores the impact of HIV on chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and musculoskeletal conditions, as well as innovative approaches to managing sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Grants & Awards: She has secured funding from institutions like the Wellcome Trust, EDCTP, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for projects including the FRACTURES E3 consortium and the PROMISE grant. Her accolades include the Global Health Leadership Award, the EDCTP Outstanding Research Team Prize, and the Donald Mackay Medal.

Advising & Capacity Building: As Director of the CREATE PhD program, she trains global health researchers. She mentors students and hosts interns at THRU ZIM, her interdisciplinary research unit in Zimbabwe, and collaborates with international institutions like the Aga Khan University and the Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI). Her work emphasizes building local research capacity and decolonizing global health education.

Labs & Collaborations: She directs the Health Research Unit Zimbabwe (THRU ZIM) and is part of the VITALITY and FRACTURES E3 consortia. Her research involves multiple teams, including the LSHTM’s Centre for Maternal Adolescent Reproductive & Child Health.