Center for
Global Health

Scholar

Languages: Italian (Native), Spanish (basic), English (Fluent), French (Fluent)

Bio statement

My role in Botswana is to lead the Botswana-UPenn Partnership molecular laboratory (2014 to date). The main stakeholders are faculties and students from the local University of Botswana (Health Sciences, Biology, Medicine). In addition, we have collaborations with Penn, University of South Carolina, Duke University, McMaster University, the University of Rome La Sapienza (Italy) and many African institutions (in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Sudan, etc).
While by background I am a malariologist, because of the health issues here, I have expanded my interests on pharmacogenetics of anti-infective treatments but also breast cancer, HPV, and other related fields, including HIV.

Recent global health projects

I studied Plasmodium vivax spread and dynamics (including transmission) in Botswana, Cameroon and Sudan.

I explored the role of human pharmacogenetics as a possible host co-factor in the selection and spread of resistant pathogens (malaria, HIV). I am now applying a similar approach to breast cancer.

Selected publications

Lo E, Russo G, Pestana K, Kepple D, Abagero BR, Dongho GBD, Gunalan K, Miller LH, Hamid MMA, Yewhalaw D, Paganotti GM. Contrasting epidemiology and genetic variation of Plasmodium vivax infecting Duffy-negative individuals across Africa. Int J Infect Dis. 2021 Jul;108:63-71. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.05.009

Maseng MJ, Tawe L, Thami PK, Seatla KK, Moyo S, Martinelli A, Kasvosve I, Novitsky V, Essex M, Russo G, Gaseitsiwe S, Paganotti GM. Association of CYP2B6 Genetic Variation with Efavirenz and Nevirapine Drug Resistance in HIV-1 Patients from Botswana. Pharmgenomics Pers Med. 2021 Mar 16;14:335-347. doi: 10.2147/PGPM.S289471

Tawe L, Grover S, Zetola N, Robertson ES, Gaseitsiwe S, Moyo S, Kasvosve I, Paganotti GM, Narasimhamurthy M. Promoter Hypermethylation Analysis of Host Genes in Cervical Cancer Patients With and Without Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Botswana. Front Oncol. 2021 Feb 26;11:560296. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.560296

Bango ZA, Tawe L, Muthoga CW, Paganotti GM. Past and current biological factors affecting malaria in the low transmission setting of Botswana: A review. Infect Genet Evol. 2020 Nov;85:104458. doi: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104458

Kgoroebutswe TK, Ramatlho P, Reeder S, Makate N, Paganotti GM. Distribution of Anopheles mosquito species, their vectorial role and profiling of knock-down resistance mutations in Botswana. Parasitol Res. 2020 Apr;119(4):1201-1208. doi: 10.1007/s00436-020-06614-6

Tawe L, MacDuffie E, Narasimhamurthy M, Wang Q, Gaseitsiwe S, Moyo S, Kasvosve I, Shin SS, Zetola NM, Paganotti GM, Grover S. Human papillomavirus genotypes in women with invasive cervical cancer with and without human immunodeficiency virus infection in Botswana. Int J Cancer. 2020 Mar 15;146(6):1667-1673. doi: 10.1002/ijc.32581

Motshoge T, Ababio G, Aleksenko L, Souda S, Muthoga CW, Mutukwa N, Tawe L, Ramatlho P, Gabaitiri L, Chihanga S, Mosweunyane T, Hamda S, Moakofhi K, Ntebela D, Peloewetse E, Mazhani L, Pernica JM, Read J, Quaye IK, Paganotti GM. Prevalence of G6PD deficiency and associated haematological parameters in children from Botswana. Infect Genet Evol. 2018 Sep;63:73-78. doi: 10.1016/j.meegid.2018.05.014

Tawe L, Motshoge T, Ramatlho P, Mutukwa N, Muthoga CW, Dongho GBD, Martinelli A, Peloewetse E, Russo G, Quaye IK, Paganotti GM. Human cytochrome P450 2B6 genetic variability in Botswana: a case of haplotype diversity and convergent phenotypes. Sci Rep. 2018 Mar 20;8(1):4912. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-23350-1

Last Updated: 01 June 2022