Research
Angela Loyse is an infectious diseases clinician and researcher (clinical and implementation) in the fields of advanced AIDS disease and, in particular, HIV-related meningo-encephalitis.
She is the chief investigator of the EDCTP/ANRS funded DREAMM project that aims to effectively and sustainably drive down HIV-related meningo-encephalitis mortality in three sites in Africa in collaboration with Dr Sayoki Mfinanga (National Institute Medical Research, Tanzania), Dr Cecilia Kanyama (UNC Project Malawi, Lilongwe) and Dr Charles Kouanfack (Hȏpital Central Yaoundé, Cameroon). The project is backed by Institut Pasteur.
The DREAMM project has led to the conception of two sister scientific projects:
- the development and evaluation of polyvalent diagnostic tests in collaboration with Institut Pasteur and industry
- the optimisation of nanopore technology for the diagnosis of HIV-associated meningo-encephalitis in resource limited settings.
Another key role is as chair of the cryptoMAG advocacy group which aims to improve access to diagnostic tests and essential antifungal medicines for HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Stakeholders include Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, Médecins sans Frontières (MSF), Clinton Health Action Initiative (CHAI) and others.
Angela is a lead investigator on the REFINE trial and has helped shape the project to potentially inform WHO guidelines on the management of advanced HIV disease. She has also played a key role in the recently completed ACTA trial, helping clinch additional French funding from ANRS for two sites in Cameroon, and assists Dr Mfinanga in the conduct of the TRIP trial of implementation of cryptococcal antigen screening in Tanzania.
Biography
She first became interested in infectious diseases research whilst at King’s College London medical school. Her specialist postgraduate clinical training in infectious diseases is ongoing at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (start date 2009).
Key qualifications and posts
July 2016
Senior Academic Lecturer
Honorary Infectious Diseases Consultant
August 2016
Chief investigator DREAMM (Driving Reduced AIDS-associated meningo-encephalitis Mortality) project.
Investigator TRIP (Translating Research into Practice)
Co-investigator AMBITION trial. Multi-centre trial of liposomal Amphotericin B for the treatment of HIV-associated meningo-encephalitis in Africa.
Diagnostic test development and evaluation. Work with diagnostic test manufacturers. Conceptualised idea for polyvalent tests (HIV/cryptococcal antigen(CrAg)). Prototype now ready for evaluation. Lead for evaluation of this prototype and a new, semi-quantitative CrAg lateral flow assay in collaboration with Institut Pasteur.
October 2012 to July 2016
Duties: Clinical Academic Fellow.
ACTA Lead investigator (ACTA-Phase III multi-centre clinical trial on treatment regimens for cryptococcal meningitis in HIV patients)
ACTA Trial Management Group member
Associate chief investigator RIFASHORT trial
June 2013 to present
CryptoMAG advocacy group chair (nominated)
Invited talks
- The DREAMM project-an update International AIDS Society (IAS) EDCTP/ANRS symposia, Paris, July 2017.
- Cryptococcal meningitis in LMICs: access to effective treatments and diagnostic tests. 10th International Conference on Cryptococcosis (ICCC), Brazil, March 2017.
- Driving REduced AIDS-associated meningo-encephalitis mortality in LMICs: the DREAMM project. ANRS Reunion du groupe de travail TB/VIH AC12 Paris, May 2017.
- Cryptococcal meningitis in LMICs: access to effective treatments and diagnostic tests. International Society for Neglected Tropical Diseases (ISNTD) d3, May, London 2017.
Publications
Recent publications
- Síle F. Molloy, Tom Chiller, Gregory S. Greene…Thomas S. Harrison, Shabbar Jaffar, Angela Loyse. Cryptococcal meningitis: A neglected NTD? PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11(6): e0005575. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.000557.
- Radha Rajasingham, Rachel M Smith, Benjamin J Park….Angela Loyse, David R Boulware. Global burden of HIV-associated cryptoccal meningitis: an updated analysis. Lancet Infectious Diseases 2017; Published online May 5, 2017 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(17)30243-8.
- P.Williamson, JN Jarvis, AA Panackal, MC Fisher, SF Molloy, A Loyse, TS Harrison. Cryptococcal meningitis: Epidemiology, immunology, diagnosis and therapy. Nature Review Neurology 2016 doi:10.1038/nrneurol.2016.167.
- T. Bicanic, C. Bottomley, A.Loyse et al. Toxicity of Amphotericin B deoxycholate-based induction therapy in patients with HIV-associated meningitis. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 2015; 59 (12): 7224-7231.
- M.A Beale, W. Sabiti, EJ Robertson, KM Fuentes-Cabrejo, SJ O’Hanlon, JN Jarvis, A Loyse, G Meintjes, TS Harrison, RC May, MC Fisher, T Bicanic. Genotypic diversity is associated with clinical outcome and phenotype in cryptococcal meningitis across Southern Africa. Plos NTD 2015; 9(6): e00038.
- J.N. Jarvis, T. Bicanic, A. Loyse et al. Vitamin D deficiency in HIV-infected South Africans: Common, and not associated with susceptibility, immune response, or outcome in HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2014; DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciu349.
Key publications
- A Loyse, A Moodley, P Rich et al. Neurological, visual, and MRI brain scan findings in 87 South African patients with HIV-associated cryptococcal meningoencephalitis. Journal of Infection 2014. doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2014.10.007.
- A Loyse, H Thangaraj, P Easterbrook et al. Cryptococcal meningitis: improving access to essential antifungal medicines in resource-poor countries. The Lancet Infectious Diseases 2013;13 (7):629-637.
- A Loyse, D. Wilson, G. Meintjes, JN Jarvis, T Bicanic, L Bishop, K Rebe, A Williams, S Jaffar, LG Bekker, R Wood, TS Harrison. Comparison of the early fungicidal activity of high dose fluconazole, voriconazole, and flucytosine, as second drugs given in combination with amphotericin B, for the treatment of HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis. Clinical Infectious Diseases 2011; 54(1):121-8.
View Dr Loyse's ResearchGate page
Research group
Thomas S. Harrison
Tihana Bicanic
Sile Molloy
Claire Robb
Jack Adams
Muirgen Stack
Sarah Burton
Collaborations
Prof Olivier Lortholary-Institut Pasteur
Prof Francoise Dromer-Institut Pasteur
Ms Aude Sturny-Leclerc Institut Pasteur
Dr Sayoki Mfinanga-NIMR Tanzania
Dr Sokoine Lesikari- NIMR Tanzania
Dr Cecilia Kanyama- UNC Project Malawi
Dr Charles Kouanfack- Hȏpital Central Yaoundé
Prof Shabbar Jaffar-Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Prof Robin Bailey- London School of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene
Dr Nelesh Govender-National Institute Communicable Diseases, South Africa
Dr Tariq Sadiq, SGUL
Dr Sebastian Fuller, SGUL
Prof Anne-Marie Reid, SGUL
Funding
European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) grant- AMBITION trial - August 2016
Co-investigator. Multi-centre trial of liposomal amphotericin B for the treatment of HIV-associated meningo-encephalitis. 15% salary obtained over 4 years
EDCTP DREAMM project - October 2015
EDCTP Diagnostic tools for poverty related diseases-Research and Innovation Action Call. 75% salary obtained for 4 years.
ANRS ACTA Funding-Written proposal & oral presentation in French. Secured funding for ACTA Cameroonian sites.
Chronological order and where possible including dates (month and year), title and funder details. Don’t include amounts of money.
Teaching
Dr Loyse was invited to talk on cryptococcosis on the Leeds BSMM course April 2017.
