Eleni Aklillu

Professor Eleni Aklillu is a leading academic in Tropical Pharmacology at Karolinska Institutet's Department of Global Public Health. She specializes in clinical pharmacology research addressing major public health challenges in low-income countries, focusing on infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Her work emphasizes understanding genetic and environmental factors influencing drug efficacy and safety, particularly in African populations.

Education:

• PhD in Molecular Genetics (2003) – Karolinska Institutet
• MSc in Biochemistry (1996) – Addis Ababa University
• Bachelor of Pharmacy (1987) – Addis Ababa University

Research Interests: Professor Aklillu's research integrates clinical trials, pharmacogenetics, and pharmacovigilance to optimize drug therapies. Key areas include:

• Pharmacovigilance capacity building in East Africa (PROFORMA project)
• Optimizing ART regimens for pregnant women (PREGART project)
• Evaluating drug interactions in co-infected populations
• Genetic factors influencing drug metabolism in diverse African populations

Grants & Awards:

• EU Horizon 2020 funding for PROFORMA (€1.3M) and PREGART projects
• Donald Mackay Medal (2020) for tropical health contributions
• Fellowships from Royal College of Physicians (2015) and African Academy of Sciences (2015)
• Leadership roles in WHO-TDR committees and EDCTP advisory boards

Advising & Labs: Supervised 16 PhD graduates and currently mentors 7 students. Leads the Global Health Pharmacology and Therapeutics (GH-Pharma) research group, coordinating multinational clinical trials and capacity-building initiatives across Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda.