This Black Woman Is Using Clinical Research to Fight Neglected Diseases Arriving in the U.S.

Delali Attipoe As climate change accelerates the spread of tropical diseases into new regions, one organization is working to ensure lifesaving treatments reach those most in need. The Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) focuses on developing therapies for often overlooked illnesses that affect millions worldwide. Delali Attipoe, Executive Director of DNDi’s North America division, is leading efforts to raise awareness and mobilize resources for these critical but underfunded areas of medical research. With over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, Attipoe was drawn to DNDi’s mission of addressing global health inequities. “I’ve always been motivated and attracted to being involved in organizations as well as projects as it relates to product access because I just kind of fundamentally believe that health is wealth,” Attipoe explained. DNDi concentrates on diseases like Chagas, leishmaniasis, and sleeping sickness—illnesses many have never heard of but which affect millions, especially in low-income countries. However, Attipoe emphasizes these are not just far-off problems: “A number of these disease areas do exist in the United States, and so I see it also as an opportunity for this region to raise a level of awareness around the fact that these disease areas also...