Adi Utarini

Adi Utarini is an Indonesian public health researcher who works on disease control of dengue fever. She serves as Professor of Public Health in the Department of Health and Policy Management at Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta. In 2020, she was selected as one of Nature 10 for pioneering the randomized controlled trial of a dengue prevention technique using mosquitoes carrying the Wolbachia bacteria. In 2021, she was selected as one of TIME's 100 most Influential People of 2021

Early life and education Utarini was born in Yogyakarta on 4 June 1965. She studied medicine at the Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. She completed her doctorate in 2002.

Research and career Utarini focuses on disease control and healthcare quality at Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. She served as Project Leader for World Mosquito Program Yogyakarta. Yogyakarta is a densely populated city of almost 400,000 people with high transmission rates of dengue fever. In 2018, she delivered a TEDx talk on attempts to reduce dengue outbreaks in the city.

Utarini co-led a randomized controlled trial of the technique employing Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes in reducing the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, such as the dengue fever, starting from 2016 in Yogyakarta. In August 2020 she announced that the method reduced the incidence of dengue fever by 77% during the trial. The Wolbachia bacterium prevents mosquitoes from passing viruses to humans.

On 13 October 2021, she appointed as Member of BRIN Steering Committee by Joko Widodo.

Personal life Utarini is known affectionately as "Prof Uut", and is described by colleagues as quiet but persuasive. Her hobbies include cycling and playing the piano.

Select publications

Alongside scientific publications, Utarini has written for The Conversation.

Awards