Dr Marcus Lacerda

Dr Lacerda is a Brazilian infectious diseases physician and tropical medicine researcher whose work has profoundly influenced malaria elimination strategies and the broader field of global health. Born in Taguatinga, near Brasília, Brazil, Lacerda was inspired early by experiences working in remote Amazonian communities, where he first encountered malaria and other tropical diseases.

A former President of the Brazilian Society of Tropical Medicine, he is an international leader in malaria research, particularly in the management and elimination of Plasmodium vivax.

“Marcus Lacerda is a 21st-century global health giant who has devoted his professional life to giving visibility to the health problems of the Brazilian Amazon region and beyond,” said Quique Bassat Orellana, Director General of the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), in a recent  Lancet profile. “His pivotal research on vivax malaria management and elimination, his incredibly rigorous COVID-19 work during the hardships of the pandemic, and his commitment highlighting still very neglected tropical diseases, are all testimony of his drive and loyalty to serve the needs of his patients and communities, and provide actionable solutions.”

As a champion of implementation research, Dr Lacerda has collaborated with many national and international institutions to help develop and implement tafenoquine, the first single-dose radical cure for P. vivax malaria approved in 40 years, now informing WHO treatment guidelines. His research group in Manaus has established one of the most advanced clinical research centers in the Amazon, integrating laboratory science, clinical trials and implementation research to guide health policy.