Janis K. Lazdins-Helds
Janis K. Lazdins-Helds, MD, PhD. Medical degree (1970) from the University of Carabobo, Venezuela; Ph.D. (1978) in Cell and Developmental Biology from Harvard University in Boston, USA. Academic tenures at the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research, Harvard University, The National Institutes of Health, NCI, Bethesda, USA and Universita La Sapienza, Rome, Italy. Biomedical research (tuberculosis, schistosomiasis, HIV and cancer biology). Pharmaceutical industry: drug discovery and development for HIV, cancer, malaria and helminths. In 1998 joined the WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases leading the product development and evaluation unit for the African Programmes for Control of Onchocerciasis Lymphatic filariasis, African and American trypanosomiasis, schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis and dengue. Was member of several WHO working groups addressing product R&D for neglected diseases; WHO resolution on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property; member of the WHO Guidelines Review Committee; Editorial adviser for Bulletin of the World Health Organization. Knowledge of the research environment in Americas, Africa and Asia. Currently is the Head of the Novartis Vaccines Academy addressing collaboration between industry and academia for accreditation programs in the area of vaccine R&D capacity building. Fluent in Spanish, English, Italian.