TDR is pleased to announce that the Director-General of WHO has appointed Dr Marcus Lacerda of Fiocruz Amazônia and Fundação de Medicina Tropical Doutor Heitor Vieira Dourado in Brazil as Director. He will join the programme in early March 2026
Photo credit: Michell Mello
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.
“I am honored and excited to join TDR as Director,” Dr Lacerda said. “I’m looking forward to advancing the TDR Strategy 2024-2029 and supporting efforts to translate evidence into impact, especially where the needs are greatest. I am eager to partner with countries and communities to strengthen capacity, support local leadership and build sustainable systems that last.”
TDR extends its sincere thanks to its co-sponsors (UNICEF, UNDP, World Bank and WHO) and members of the Joint Coordinating Board (JCB) who contributed to the selection panel.
Dr Dirk Mueller, Chair of JCB, and Special Programme Coordinator Dr Sylvie Briand also commend TDR’s interim leadership and staff for their cooperation and commitment during a difficult period of prioritization and realignment at WHO.