Dr Daniela Manno
Clinical Assistant Professor
app of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Keppel Street
London
WC1E 7HT
United Kingdom
I am a clinical epidemiologist with extensive expertise in infectious diseases and clinical trials, particularly in vaccine research for outbreak-prone infectious diseases. My PhD focused on assessing the safety and immunogenicity of the Ad26.ZEBOV, MVA-BN-Filo vaccine regimen against Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Sierra Leone, providing critical insights into the complexities of vaccine research for emerging infections. As the responsible physician for the app of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), I led the safety working group of a large-scale Ebola vaccine trial in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that recruited over 20,000 adults and children, including 1,221 pregnant women, during the 2018-2020 EVD outbreak in North Kivu and Ituri provinces. I also coordinated a follow-up study on participants vaccinated with the same regimen (NCT03820739) and, as co-principal investigator at LSHTM, led a safety follow-up study in Tanzania, securing €145,967 in funding (NCT02661464).
My current research interests centre on improving the inclusion of pregnant and breastfeeding women in vaccine research for emerging infections, aiming to enhance maternal and neonatal safety during health emergencies. I am also dedicated to investigating the burden of Lassa fever and other emerging infections in pregnancy to inform vaccine development and deployment strategies. Beyond this, I am actively involved in projects exploring Lassa fever epidemiology in Sierra Leone and innovative delivery strategies for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination.
Affiliations
app
Teaching
I actively contribute to teaching and academic leadership at LSHTM across multiple programmes and initiatives:
Course and Seminar Organisation
Co-organiser, “Pandemics: Emergence, Spread and Response” Short Course (2025 – ongoing)
I am currently co-organising this interdisciplinary short course, which explores the emergence, transmission dynamics, and global responses to pandemics.
Co-organiser, Decolonising Global Health Seminar Series, DTM&H Programme (2022 – ongoing)
I co-organise this seminar series as part of the Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTM&H). The series brings in expert guest speakers to facilitate critical discussions on power dynamics and equity in global health, aiming to challenge traditional paradigms and amplify marginalised voices.
Teaching Roles
Tutor and Marker:
Applying Public Health Principles in Developing Countries (Module 3198)
Control of Sexually Transmitted Infections (Module 3192)
In these roles, I support MSc-level learning by leading tutorials, providing individual feedback, and assessing student assignments.
Child Theme Co-Lead, LSHTM Centre for Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive, and Child Health (MARCH)
I serve on the MARCH Steering Committee, helping to shape the Centre’s strategic direction. I collaborate with Student Liaison Officers (SLOs) to coordinate engagement activities, facilitate knowledge exchange, and promote MARCH’s initiatives within and beyond the School.
I recently secured internal funding to advance EDI efforts within the Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases. As part of this initiative:
I have trained as an Action Learning Set (ALS) facilitator.
I will pilot structured peer support sessions for staff and research students facing EDI-related barriers, focusing on career progression, work–life balance, and professional development.
The long-term goal is establishing a sustainable and inclusive peer-support model to promote equity and retention at LSHTM.
Research
My primary research interests centre on conducting clinical trials and other epidemiological studies in the field of infectious diseases and vaccines. Currently, I am particularly focused on improving the inclusion of pregnant and breastfeeding women in vaccine research for emerging infections, with the aim of enhancing the safety of these women and their babies during health emergencies. I am also dedicated to investigating the burden of Lassa fever and other emerging infections in pregnancy to inform vaccine development and deployment strategies. Beyond this, I am actively involved in projects exploring Lassa fever epidemiology in Sierra Leone and innovative delivery strategies for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination.
Selected Publications
