Dr Jasmit Shah
UtiliZing health Information for Meaningful impact in East Africa through Data Science
Dr. Jasmit Shah holds a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Bioinformatics and Biostatistics from University of Louisville (2017), Masters in Bioinformatics and Biostatistics from University of Louisville (2011), and a Bachelors in Mathematics, Statistics and Chemistry from University of South Alabama (2009). He has ten plus years' experience in supervising research and data management, data analysis and statistics. His responsibilities have included conducting research and analyzing data for health solutions; use of statistical methods in observational epidemiological studies, clinical trials and computing applications. He also has experience conducting population level studies in low- and middle-income (LMIC) settings such as Kenya, Ethiopia, Zambia, Mozambique and Pakistan. He is one of the lead trainers for EQUIST 2.0, a tool designed by UNICEF to enable the global health community to address the issue of equity in maternal, newborn and child health, and minimize health disparities among populations and has led the use and evaluation of EQUIST 2.0 in Ethiopia, Mozambique, Zambia and Pakistan. He also has experience with LiST Tool as EQUIST uses LiST for impact projection and certain aspects of costing.
Dr Michelle Skelton
DS-I Africa Coordinating Center
Dr Michelle Skelton is a successful program manager and leader in the field of genomics and data science in Africa. As the current leader of the H3Africa and DS-I Africa Coordinating Centre's based at the University of Cape Town, she plays a pivotal role in advancing scientific research and collaboration on the continent.
In her role as the Principal Investigator of the H3Africa Administrative Coordinating Centre (H3ACC) and the Harnessing Data Science for Health Discovery and Innovation in Africa (DS-I Africa) Coordinating Centre, Dr Skelton manages a team responsible for supporting these Consortia in various key areas including administration, communications, fiscal management, guidelines and policy development and coordination of meetings and conferences. With the support of core funders such as the NIH/NHGRI/FIC and Wellcome Trust, she has overseen the growth of the consortium to include over 500 individuals and 51 projects.
Dr Skelton's efforts have been instrumental in facilitating scientific exchange, networking, and collaborative brainstorming through in-person Consortium Meetings held in various African countries. She actively engages with stakeholders, government officials, global and grassroots organizations and governance working groups to raise awareness about the importance of scientific research, effective and sensitive data sharing practices towards solving health issues in Africa.
Dr Skelton's dedication to supporting early career scientists and promoting professional development within the scientific community has been a cornerstone of her work. Through fellowship programs, training initiatives, and strategic partnerships, she continues to empower the next generation of scientists to catalyze research findings into tangible solutions that will improve health outcomes for all in Africa and beyond.
