CRID celebrates a major academic achievement by Dr. Dongmo Franck Junior, who successfully defended his PhD thesis with distinction on July 28, 2026, at the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Dschang.
Dr Franck Dongmo
His doctoral thesis, entitled “Contribution to the Mathematical Modeling of Malaria Control Strategies Using Partial Differential Equations,” received the highest honors and was further recognized with the prestigious Best PhD Thesis Award of the 2025-2026 academic year in the Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of Dschang. This distinction recognizes four years of groundbreaking research at the intersection of mathematics, epidemiology, and public health.
Dr. Dongmo’s research explored how mathematical modeling can help optimize the deployment of emerging malaria control tools, with a particular focus on ivermectin, an antiparasitic drug that can reduce mosquito survival after feeding on treated individuals. By shortening mosquito lifespan, ivermectin can decrease malaria transmission and complement existing vector control interventions.
Developing Innovative Mathematical Models
A central challenge in evaluating ivermectin-based strategies lies in accurately capturing how the drug’s effectiveness changes over time. Traditional malaria transmission models generally categorize individuals as either treated or untreated, without accounting for the gradual decline in drug activity after administration. To address this limitation, Dr. Dongmo developed a new generation of mathematical models based on partial differential equations. These models explicitly incorporate the time elapsed since treatment, enabling a more realistic representation of ivermectin’s impact on malaria transmission. The models also account for differences in age and sex, reflecting the eligibility criteria commonly used in malaria intervention trials and programs.
Using preclinical studies from Burkina Faso, clinical data from Kenya, and additional epidemiological and entomological data, the research evaluated both conventional oral ivermectin regimens and novel long-acting injectable formulations designed to provide extended protection.
Findings with Direct Public Health Implications
The research demonstrated that the success of ivermectin-based interventions depends not simply on the amount of drug administered, but on the duration during which drug concentrations remain high enough to affect mosquitoes. The models showed that long-acting formulations could significantly enhance malaria control by maintaining mosquitocidal activity for longer periods. In some scenarios, a long-acting injectable formulation administered to 70% of the eligible population reduced malaria prevalence by nearly 22% (95% CI 19.2-24.1%).
The study also highlighted the importance of carefully timing interventions to coincide with periods of high mosquito activity, maximizing their impact. The findings support the use of ivermectin as a complementary tool alongside established interventions such as insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying.
International Collaboration and Scientific Excellence
This work was conducted under the joint supervision of Prof. Ramsès Djidjou-Demasse (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, France), Prof. Charles Sinclair Wondji (Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom), and Prof. Berge Tsanou (University of Dschang, Cameroon).
Dr. Dongmo’s doctoral studies were supported through a competitive PhD fellowship funded by the Gates Foundation under the ACoMVeC Consortium and hosted at CRID.
Scientific Publications Arising from the Thesis
_ https://www.aimspress.com/article/doi/10.3934/math.20261359
