Silvia Alonso Alvarez

I am a senior scientist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Veterinarian by training, I hold a MSc in Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a PhD in veterinary public health. In the past I worked fas a lecturer at the Royal Veterinary College where I gained experience in teaching and training at undergraduate and postgraduate level, both nationally and internationally. I have more than 15 years of experience in public health research. My research looks at the interface between livestock production and human health, including nutrition. During my time at ILRI I have been involved in a range of projects looking at the epidemiology and control of different zoonoses, mainly foodborne, in low- and middle-income countries and on strategies for sustainable food safety in informal markets. My current research explores how to leverage livestock value chains to improve health and nutrition. I am leading the first large-scale field trial of an intervention in informal markets to improve food safety and child nutrition in peri-urban Nairobi. I am a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Public Health and the Chair of the ethics IRB at ILRI.