Manica Balasegaram

Dr Manica Balasegaram trained as a medical doctor at the University of Nottingham, UK from where he started his career in internal and emergency medicine. From 2001 onwards, he worked as a doctor and researcher in several countries including in Sub- Saharan Africa and Southern Asia. He has gained significant experience working in humanitarian emergencies and responses, largely with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). He also has substantial experience in initiating, conducting and overseeing clinical trials and drug development projects both in an Investigator and Sponsor role, largely in field of developing new therapeutics against bacterial and parasitic infections. At the end of 2007, Dr. Balasegaram joined the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative as Head of Leishmaniasis Clinical Program – a position he held for four years before returning to MSF as Executive Director of their high profile Access Campaign. He was appointed Executive Director of GARDP in June 2016 and have since led the organization through its three-year incubation to an independent legal entity, during which time GARDP launched four programmes and built a skilled and dedicated team with expertise from a range of sectors and backgrounds. Dr Balasegaram has significant experience in organizational governance, and is currently a board member of the Medicines Patent Pool as well as of FIND’s Scientific Advisory Committee. He has also previously served as a Board Member and Treasurer of Médecins Sans Frontières (Switzerland). His experience spans clinical and public health practice in infectious diseases to international work on health policy & access to medicines. He has served on numerous technical and health policy panels, including notably as a Member of the Expert Advisory Group of the UN High Level Panel on Access to Medicines (2015-16) and a Member of the WHO Scientific Advisory Group for the Blueprint on Research & Development Preparedness (2015 and ongoing). With over 20 years' experience in Global Health, Dr Balasegaram has a proven track record in partnership building, resource mobilization, public and private sector stakeholder management and governance.