Hasker Epco

Hasker Epco is a Professor and Unit Head of Mycobacterial Diseases and Neglected Tropical Diseases at the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp. His work focuses on tropical diseases including leprosy, human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), visceral leishmaniasis, and tuberculosis. He has led over 24 research projects funded by organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership. Key areas include disease elimination strategies, diagnostic development, and vector control.

Epco's research spans epidemiological studies, clinical trials, and implementation science. He has contributed to projects like StrogHAT (sleeping sickness elimination), ZeroLeprosyRoadMap (Comoros), and VL Nepal surveillance. His work emphasizes cost-effectiveness analysis, post-exposure prophylaxis, and community participation in disease control.

He has published over 115 articles, with recent focus on serological surveillance for leishmaniasis, HAT diagnostics, and bedaquiline efficacy in leprosy PEP. His lab collaborates globally on molecular epidemiology, drug resistance studies, and innovative intervention tools.