Robert Colebunders

Robert Colebunders (born 19 April 1950) is a Belgian clinician and researcher known for his contributions to the study of infectious diseases, particularly on Ebola, AIDS, tuberculosis and, more recently, on COVID-19, monkeypox and onchocerciasis.
Thanks to the collaborative efforts of his team, Robert Colebunders is at the forefront of studying promising hypotheses surrounding the aetiology and pathogenesis of onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy (OAE), including Nodding Syndrome.Hadermann A, Amaral LJ, Van Cutsem G, Siewe Fodjo JN, Colebunders R. Onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy: an update and future perspectives. Trends Parasitol. 2023 Feb;39(2):126-138. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2022.11.010. Epub 2022 Dec 15. PMID: 36528471.
 Notably, his team's research has documented that onchocerciasis control interventions have effectively prevented the emergence of new OAE cases in numerous onchocerciasis-endemic regions with high ongoing transmission throughout Africa.Colebunders R, Njamnshi AK, van Oijen M, Mukendi D, Kashama JM, Mandro M, Gumisiriza N, Preux PM, Suykerbuyk P, Idro R. Onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy: From recent epidemiological and clinical findings to policy implications. Epilepsia Open. 2017 Apr 26;2(2):145-152. doi: 10.1002/epi4.12054. PMID: 29588943; PMCID: PMC5719844.
Jada SR, Amaral LJ, Lakwo T, Carter JY, Rovarini J, Bol YY, Logora MY, Hadermann A, Hopkins A, Fodjo JNS, Colebunders R. Effect of onchocerciasis elimination measures on the incidence of epilepsy in Maridi, South Sudan: a 3-year longitudinal, prospective, population-based study. Lancet Glob Health. 2023 Aug;11(8):e1260-e1268. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(23)00248-6. PMID: 37474232.
Bhwana D, Amaral LJ, Mhina A, Hayuma PM, Francis F, Siewe Fodjo JN, Mmbando BP, Colebunders R. Impact of a bi-annual community-directed treatment with ivermectin programme on the incidence of epilepsy in an onchocerciasis-endemic area of Mahenge, Tanzania: A population-based prospective study. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2023 Jun 28;17(6):e0011178. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011178. PMID: 37379350; PMCID: PMC10335697.
 Beyond research, Colebunders is also deeply invested in pragmatic interventions for managing individuals with OAE. This encompasses both the provision of antiseizure medication and initiatives aimed at mitigating the stigma associated with epilepsy.Colebunders R, Siewe Fodjo JN, Hopkins A, Hotterbeekx A, Lakwo TL, Kalinga A, Logora MY, Basáñez MG. From river blindness to river epilepsy: Implications for onchocerciasis elimination programmes. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2019 Jul 18;13(7):e0007407. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007407. PMID: 31318857; PMCID: PMC6638735.
Jada SR, Tionga MS, Siewe Fodjo JN, Carter JY, Logora MY, Colebunders R. Community perception of epilepsy and its treatment in onchocerciasis-endemic villages of Maridi county, western equatoria state, South Sudan. Epilepsy Behav. 2022 Feb;127:108537. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.108537. Epub 2022 Jan 10. PMID: 35026562.
Jada SR, Siewe Fodjo JN, Abd-Elfarag G, Tionga M, Carter JY, Logora MY, Newton C, Colebunders R. Epilepsy-related stigma and cost in two onchocerciasis-endemic areas in South Sudan: A pilot descriptive study. Seizure. 2020 Oct;81:151-156. doi: 10.1016/j.seizure.2020.08.003. Epub 2020 Aug 11. PMID: 32810838.
O'Neill S, Irani J, Siewe Fodjo JN, Nono D, Abbo C, Sato Y, Mugarura A, Dolo H, Ronse M, Njamnshi AK, Colebunders R. Stigma and epilepsy in onchocerciasis-endemic regions in Africa: a review and recommendations from the onchocerciasis-associated epilepsy working group. Infect Dis Poverty. 2019 May 20;8(1):34. doi: 10.1186/s40249-019-0544-6. PMID: 31109376; PMCID: PMC6526597.
==Career==
Robert Colebunders began his medical career in Setif, Algeria, in 1974, where he served as the Head of the Department of Paediatrics in a major urban hospital.https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/staff/robert-colebunders/my-website/ Shortly after, he took on the responsibility of healthcare for a vast rural area in Bougaa, Algeria. From 1976 to 1982, he underwent a Medical Residency in Internal Medicine at St Pierre, Brussels. Following that, between 1982 and 1984, he held the position of Senior Fellow in Internal Medicine, serving both at the University Hospital Antwerp in the Department of Cardiology and the Hospital St.-Mariagasthuis in Berchem, Belgium.
In 1984, Colebunders transitioned to a role as the Coordinator of clinical studies on HIV/AIDS for the "Project SIDA" ("Project AIDS" in French) in Kinshasa, Zaire, a position he held until 1987. After this, in 1988, he took on a role as a visiting scientist at the International Activities HIV/AIDS program at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, USA.
In 1995, Colebunders was appointed Professor in Tropical Diseases and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) at the ITM, Antwerp, and a year later, he also began serving as a Professor in Infectious Diseases at the University of Antwerp (UA). He took a sabbatical in 2004 to serve as a Senior Clinical Investigator at the Infectious Diseases Institute in Kampala, Uganda. Upon his return, between April 2005 and April 2014, he headed the clinical HIV/STD Unit in the Department of Clinical Sciences at the ITM, Antwerp. Since October 2014, he has been honoured with the title of Emeritus Professor at ITM.
==Personal life==
Colebunders is fluent in English, French, and Dutch. He is married to the Belgian nurse Vera anthropologist Vera Boeynaems.
Category:1950 births
Category:Belgian people
Category:University of Antwerp alumni
Category:Clinicians
Category:Researchers