Build Health International project partner Dr. Happi of the Institute of Genomics and Global Health has played a fundamental role in advancing laboratory and medical education infrastructure
November 18 – Beverly, MA –Sentinel, a global outbreak surveillance framework project co-led by Dr. Pardis Sabeti of the Broad Institute and Build Health International partner Dr. Christian Happi of the Institute of Genomics and Global Health at Redeemer’s University in Ede, Nigeria, was named a recipient of the MacArthur 100&Change Award. Distributed every four years, MacArthur’s 100&Change is a “competition for a $100 million grant to fund a single proposal that promises real and measurable progress in solving a critical problem of our time.”
Sentinel addresses how communities approach early detection and containment of infectious disease outbreaks globally. The award marks another milestone for Dr. Happi, a molecular biologist and renowned genomicist, who has received other significant accolades this year, including a mention on the Time100 list.
Dr. Happi confirmed the first case of Ebola in Nigeria within the first six hours of surveillance and, in response, developed rapid diagnostics tests. Later, in 2020, he successfully sequenced and documented the SARS COVID-19 genomic sequences. Both events have been critical contributions to the global health community.
Dr. Happi (left) pictured with BHI Co-Founder and Managing Director Jim Ansara at the Skoll World Forum
“Having partnered closely with Dr. Happi and his team for years to expand the Institute of Genomics and Global Health, I’ve seen firsthand the clarity of purpose and technical rigor that drive their work,” stated Jim Ansara, co-founder and managing director at Build Health International. “ This award will accelerate work that is already transforming global surveillance systems with outbreak detection and response across Africa.”
Build Health International, a design-and-build nonprofit, began engaging with Dr. Happi nearly a decade ago to enhance IGH’s facilities to a new level of operational excellence and promote the study of genomics of infectious disease, improve surveillance efforts, and improve pandemic-preparedness and response. These projects included the renovation of a biosafety level 3 laboratory to enable sophisticated disease surveillance and study of outbreaks. A 10-building campus expansion designed by BHI, complete with an auditorium, classrooms, water facilities, and a solar system incorporating sustainability and locally sourced materials opened in October 2024 and strives to enhance collaboration and learning among African scientists across the continent. This campus will be critical to Sentinel’s success.
Future collaboration between Dr. Happi and Build Health International is expected to expand to other West African countries, including the launch of a secondary key research campus in Sierra Leone.
For more information, please visit buildhealthinternational.org.
Any press inquiries regarding Dr. Happi’s work with Build Health International may be directed to Rosanna Niosi at rniosi@buildhealthinternational.org.
About Build Health International:
Build Health International (BHI) believes that every person has a right to quality healthcare. In 2010, following the Haitian Earthquake, BHI built the Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais (HUM), Haiti’s flagship teaching hospital. Since then, BHI has designed, built, and equipped over 250 dignified spaces in 70 countries across the world, enabling local clinicians to work at their full potential. Working closely with ministries of health, partner organizations, and local workforces, BHI promotes sustainable design, and empowers communities, and enables access to dignified and affordable healthcare.