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IMVACC

The IMVACC program, a Master of Advanced Studies in Vaccinology, was introduced by the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, in 2016 and concluded in 2024.  Since its inception in 2016, the Master’s program has enrolled a total of 39 student, of with 33 have successfully completed and defended their master’s theses.

Predominantly, these students hail from low and middle-income countries, with 33 earning a UNIL diploma along with 60 ECTS credits. Four students were unable to complete their thesis projects; however, they did receive a certificate recognizing 40 ECTS credits. Notably, five students have succeeded in publishing their Master’s thesis work in peer-reviewed journals. The program’s significant impact on the students’ careers can be explored through the « Achievements » section on the IMVACC (https://imvacc.org)  public website.

December 2024

Nivashnee Naiker.
Since completing the IMVACC degree, I became the recipient of a NIH grant through the US NCI CASCADE Network in 2023 and will be continuing work on cervical cancer prevention for women living with HIV. Nigel Garrett, my South African supervisor, has also recently left the organisation, so I am now promoted to Head of Vaccine Research. I will also continue the HPV/cervical cancer prevention work in my PhD studies. I met recently in Cape Town One Bridget Dintwe, from  the IMVACC class 2020,  who has also taken on a Director role.
In short, IMVACC has been of enormous benefit to my career in such a short space of time, for which I remain very grateful to you, and to Claude of course.

May 2024

Master of vaccinology IMVACC. The master thesis of Violet Nakibuuka, a student from the class 2020, has been accepted for publication in PLOS one.
Violet Nakibuuka from the Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, has submitted her master thesis entitled “UPTAKE OF HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS VACCINATION AMONG ADOLESCENT GIRLS LIVING WITH HIV IN UGANDA: A MIXED METHODS STUDY”. The manuscript has been accepted for publication. She is the fourth student that has been able to publish her Master thesis.