On Thursday, September 10, 2020, the American Leprosy Missions, in partnership with Novartis, announced the winners of the NTD Innovation Prize at the Neglected Tropical Disease NGO Network (NNN) Conference that was initially planned in Kathmandu, Nepal but finally went virtual this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first prize was awarded to Dr. Hugues NANA DJEUNGA and Mr. Arnauld EFON EKANGOUO for their project to explore the potential of an innovative and non-invasive diagnostic approach based on molecular detection of Onchocerca volvulus cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in saliva and urine for substantial time-saving and cost affordability.

Dr. Hugues NANA DJEUNGA is a Molecular Parasitologist at Centre for Research on Filariasis and other Tropical Diseases (CRFilMT) in Cameroon where is has created and is heading the Molecular Parasitology and Genetic Epidemiology (MPGE) Department. He is one of the pioneer members of the Cameroon Academy of Young Scientists (CAYS).

Arnauld EFON EKANGOUO is a PhD candidate in Biochemistry at the University of Yaoundé I and Research Assistant at the MPGE Department at the Centre for Research on Filariasis and other Tropical Diseases (CRFilMT).

The NTD Innovation Prize is designed to encourage and support creativity and ingenuity within the NTD space and to fund new ideas that could result in cost-effective, scalable and transformative positive impact. Read more about Hugues and Arnauld idea here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=9Om3IvAGdos) and the announcement of the prize on NNN website here (https://www.ntd-ngonetwork.org/2020-ntd-innovation-prize-winners-announced).