Raquel Inocêncio da Luz

Raquel Inocêncio da Luz is a Post-doctoral Researcher at the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp (Belgium), specializing in infectious disease diagnostics and public health strategies. She coordinates the ITM-INRB-PNLTHA consortium and focuses on Quality Assurance for Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) diagnosis and surveillance tools in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Education: Doctorate in Biomedical Sciences.

Research Interests: HAT elimination strategies, diagnostic tool development, epidemiology, and disease surveillance. Her work addresses parasitic infections, cross-sectional studies, and community health interventions in tropical regions.

Projects (2017–2026):

• FA5 RD CONGO: Strengthening health research capacities in DRC institutions (2022–2026).
• Tryp-Elim II: Eliminating HAT in five DRC provinces (2021–2025).
• CHARHAT-DRC: Investigating human/animal reservoirs of HAT (2018–2024).

Grants: Funded by DGDC, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp.

Labs/Teams: ITM-DRC Office, collaborating closely with INRB, CRSK, and local health institutions.