Dr. Valerie Makoge, a senior research officer at the Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies (IMPM), holds a PhD from Wageningen University. She serves as executive secretary of IMPM Institutional Ethics Committee, heads the Epidemiology of Parasites and Clinical Research Lab, and conducts research at the intersection of biological sciences and public health. A mixed-methods researcher, Valerie explores disease trends and coping in impoverished communities, focusing on salutogenesis and health promotion. Engaged in various leadership roles, she mentors in the HIGHER Women Consortium, serves as secretary general of the Cameroon Academy of Young Scientists (CAYS), and is vice-coordinator of CaPROWN’s central zone. Valerie is a fellow of the Africa Science Leadership Programme (ASLP) and the Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF), contributing as a global assessor for the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, and AREF.
I want to understand disease trends and coping strategies among vulnerable populations using interdisciplinary approaches such as salutogenesis and parasitology. I want this because I am passionate about exploring how diseases such as malaria and other threats affect people in a combined way and studying how people balance health and ill-health, vulnerability, and resilience. I can do this because I have expertise in health promotion, salutogenesis, and the biological sciences.