Launch of the Tumaini Vaccine Trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Host Ruth Mukwana speaks with Dr Meg Doherty, Director of Science for Health, WHO, Prof. Hugo Kavunga-Membo, Principal Investigator, INRB, and Aurélia Nguyen, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, CEPI on the launch of the Tumaini Vaccine Trial. The trial marks a historic milestone in the global fight against Ebola and other emerging infectious diseases. Named Tumaini, meaning “hope” in Swahili, the pivotal Phase 2/3 study will assess the safety, immunogenicity and efficacy of vaccine candidates against Bundibugyo virus, a rare Ebola virus species for which there is currently no approved vaccine. The first participant was vaccinated in Bunia, Ituri Province, on 23 October 2026. The trial is co-led and co-sponsored by the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) and the University of Antwerp, with national leadership from the DRC Ministry of Health. CEPI provides funding, scientific expertise and operational support, while WHO, Africa CDC, Epicentre, Médecins Sans Frontières and the Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp support the effort.

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Holly Curtis

Assistant Provost for Corporate Relations at Fordham University

Holly Curtis is an accomplished education leader, currently serving as the Assistant Provost for Corporate Relations at Fordham University. In this role, she fosters partnerships between academia and industry, driving innovative collaborations and advancing strategic goals. Prior to this, Holly was the Chief of Staff at Ascend Public Charter Schools, where she oversaw strategic planning for one of New York’s largest charter networks, and she also led MBA Admissions at NYU Stern School of Business.
With a strong background in strategic leadership, education management, program development, and recruitment, Holly’s career began in international development with Pencils of Promise in Laos. Her work there shaped her expertise in strategic planning and talent development.

Holly holds an MBA from NYU Stern and a BA in International Political Economy from Fordham University. She is deeply committed to advancing diversity and inclusion, and is a certified administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). She is also an alumna of NYU’s Global Inclusive Leadership Management Institute.

Martine van der Does

Helen Hamlyn Humanitarian Fellow and Global Program Director

Work Location

Netherlands and Jordan

Martine van der Does is a Dutch humanitarian expert with over 20 years of international experience in humanitarian action, diplomacy, policy and education. With a background in architecture, she started her career working on humanitarian shelter at Delft University of Technology before moving into field operations with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) as a Construction Logistician.

In 2010, Martine joined the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she has held various policy, coordination and diplomatic positions, including assignments in Afghanistan and Jordan. She has also worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Myanmar, focusing on protection and water and habitat programmes in remote areas. From Amman, Jordan, she served as Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Netherlands Government, covering humanitarian developments and crises across the Middle East. Martine continues her work with the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a Strategic Policy Advisor on Humanitarian Affairs.

Alongside her work with the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Martine has been involved with Fordham University’s Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs (IIHA) for over 15 years. Since 2024, she has been involved as the Helen Hamlyn Humanitarian Fellow at the IIHA, where she has also held the role of Global Program Director, contributing to the development and delivery of international humanitarian education and training programmes. She has also served as Course Director of the International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance (IDHA) and lectures at Fordham University and Delft University of Technology.

Martine holds a Master of Science in Architecture from Delft University of Technology and a Master of Arts in International Humanitarian Action from Fordham University.

She co-hosts Corporate Humanity, a podcast produced by Fordham University’s Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs.

Academic Background

Master of Science in Architecture (MSc) and Master of Arts in International Humanitarian Action (MIHA) and IDHA 24

With the IIHA since: 2008

Current courses: IDHA and non-academic courses

In my free time I enjoy: Outside of work, Martine is a passionate cyclist and runner who enjoys endurance sports and ultraraces. She is also a qualified sports massage therapist.

“In a world you can be anything, be kind to yourself and the people you work for and with. ”