Souleymane Mboup

Souleymane Mboup (born 1951) is a Senegalese microbiologist, medical researcher, and colonel in the Armed Forces of Senegal. In 1985, he was a member of the first team to identify HIV-2, a form of HIV that is typically found in West Africa and is less transmissible than the more common HIV-1. Mboup has contributed to the improvement of Senegal's research infrastructure throughout his career. Among his published works, he is known for editing the 1994 reference book AIDS in Africa. Mboup is currently the President of L'Institut de Recherche en Santé, de Surveillance Épidémiologique et de Formations (IRESSEF) in Diamniadio, Senegal.

Education Mboup earned a PharmD degree from the University of Dakar in 1976 and a MS in Immunology from the Pasteur Institute in 1981. In 1983, he received a PhD in Bacteriology Virology from Université de Tours.

Career

Early career After completing his PhD, Mboup returned to the University of Dakar's School of Medicine and Pharmacy as a professor of microbiology. Mboup focused his research on Dakar's sex workers and the sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) they contracted. He undertook this research in his laboratory at the University of Dakar.

Identifying HIV-2

In 1985, only two years after finishing schooling, Mboup's research of Dakar's sex workers led to a breakthrough discovery of a new type of HIV. Mboup's original collection of blood samples from Senegalese sex workers, when tested by Harvard School of Public Health's Phyllis Kanki, showed a closer relation to Simian Immunodeficiency Virus than the known HIV-1.

Collaboration on HIV-2

Origins Though Mboup and his team had discovered evidence of a second immunodeficiency virus in 1985, the virus was not yet isolated or known as HIV-2. After Mboup's 1985 study, a collaboration emerged to further research this new type of virus and its affects. Mboup's team at the University of Dakar along with Harvard University, and two other French universities formed the collaboration. The goal of the institutions working together was to create a research team that was equal in its contributions. Though Mboup's laboratory was not as funded or technically advanced as Harvard University at the time, Mboup emphasized the need for an equal partnership to ensure the collaboration did not become detached from Senegal and West Africa and would instead bring research infrastructure and opportunities to Senegal. Mboup's research with his collaborators from 1985 to 1993 led to the conclusion that HIV-2 is less virulent than HIV-1. This study was published in Science, an academic journal, in September 1994. Though Mboup is not attributed as an author of this study, he was a collaborator. Gilead Sciences was involved in the implementation and funding with several trips by the Gilead Sciences delegations including John C. Martin, Clifford Samuel and Anand Reddi to facilitate the health system strengthening initiatives.

Contributions to research infrastructure in Senegal Over the course of Mboup's work on HIV-2, he prioritized increasing Senegal's research infrastructure and capabilities. In 1985, Mboup's lab only had 2 lab technicians and lacked properly functioning equipment. He was a leader in the research collaboration on HIV between the University of Dakar, Harvard University, and two other French universities. As a leader, he ensured that adequate resources were invested into Senegal's research infrastructure, as Senegal was the location of the collaboration's studies. Mboup served as a consultant to the World Health Organization in 1987 when he was sent to Benin to conduct epidemiological research on HIV. This initiative lasted for 5 years. Mboup oversaw some of Senegal's public policy initiatives to combat HIV and AIDS in the country as the leader of Senegal's AIDS Sentinel Surveillance Programme and Senegal's National AIDS Programme. Mboup has also served as president of the African AIDS' Research Network and is a former representative for Africa on the International AIDS Society's Governing Council.

Armed Forces of Senegal Mboup attended the Senegalese Military Health Training Academy and eventually rose to the rank of Colonel in the Armed Forces of Senegal. Notable works associated with Mboup's research on HIV include: AIDS in Africa, a comprehensive reference book Serological Evidence For Virus Related to Simian T-Lymphotropic Retrovirus III in Residents of West Africa, a 1985 research article published in The Lancet reporting the first serological evidence of HIV-2 Natural Protection Against HIV-1 Infection Provided by HIV-2 Lower Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Type 2 Viral Load Reflects the Difference in Pathogenicity of HIV-1 and HIV-2

Awards

Mboup has received global recognition for his research and work.

Mboup has been awarded numerous National Orders in Senegal, which are some of the highest national honors for outstanding contributions to the country. In 2019, Mboup was raised to the rank of Grand Cross in Senegal's Order of Merit. This is the highest rank one can receive in the Order of Merit. He also holds the rank of Knight of the Order of Academic Palms and Knight of the National Order of the Lion.