Leadership Team

Maria Valentina Sanchez Picot is a global health and clinical research professional with over 25 years of experience leading clinical trials, with a particular focus on infectious disease research, capacity building, and public health initiatives in low- and middle-income countries. Trained as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, she brings a multidisciplinary, systems-oriented perspective to global health, integrating clinical research, workforce development, and health systems–strengthening approaches tailored to diverse local contexts.

Throughout her career, she has contributed to the design, implementation, and oversight of multi-country clinical and operational research projects, educational programs, and public health initiatives, working in close collaboration with national authorities, international organizations, academic institutions, and field-based teams. A substantial portion of her work has been conducted in-country, where she has provided hands-on technical guidance and supported the development of sustainable national and local capacities. Her work has resulted in over 60 peer-reviewed publications, reflecting a strong commitment to rigorous science and collaborative, field-informed solutions.

As the founder of Global Health Access, she provides independent methodological and strategic expertise grounded in extensive field experience, collaborative leadership, and a commitment to delivering evidence-informed, operationally feasible solutions that strengthen health systems and promote equitable access to high-quality research and public health interventions.

Glaucia Paranhos-Baccalà is an internationally recognized infectious diseases scientist and global health expert with over 35 years of experience spanning academic research, diagnostics innovation, and public health–oriented R&D across Latin America and Europe. Trained in Biomedicine with a master’s and PhD, she brings a deep translational perspective that bridges fundamental science, clinical diagnostics, and real-world public health applications in diverse global settings.

Her career includes senior leadership roles in leading academic institutions, international research consortia, foundations, and the diagnostics industry. After early academic appointments at the University of São Paulo Medical School, she trained at the Pasteur Institute in Paris and went on to lead multidisciplinary research teams in France and Brazil, including at the CNRS–bioMérieux joint unit, the Fondation Mérieux’s Emerging Pathogens Laboratory, and bioMérieux’s Center of Excellence for Tropical Infectious Diseases. Across these roles, she has contributed to multi-country research programs and European consortia focused on viral hepatitis, severe respiratory infections, hemorrhagic fevers, and emerging pathogens, working closely with clinicians, virologists, public health authorities, and international partners.

A significant component of Glaucia’s work has been embedded within collaborative national and international networks, supporting infectious disease surveillance, diagnostic strategies, and capacity strengthening in both high- and low-resource contexts. Her portfolio includes more than 150 peer-reviewed publications, reflecting a sustained commitment to scientific rigor, innovation, and global collaboration.

As a member of the Global Health Access team, Glaucia brings exceptional scientific direction, and strategic insight at the interface of research, diagnostics, and public health. Her expertise strengthens GHA’s ability to deliver evidence-based, context-appropriate solutions that support resilient health systems and improve access to high-quality infectious disease research and diagnostic interventions worldwide.

Mitra Saadatian-Elahi, MsC, PhD is a senior epidemiologist with over 15 years of experience in infectious diseases, clinical trials, and public health research. She has designed, implemented, and led complex epidemiological studies across both developed and developing countries, collaborating with academic institutions, hospitals, public health authorities, international organizations, NGOs, and industry partners to generate high-quality, policy-relevant research.

She holds a PhD in Epidemiological Sciences from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC, WHO), in collaboration with Claude Bernard University Lyon 1, France. Her scientific interests focus on infectious diseases, vaccinology, and infection-related cancers. Throughout her career, she has managed the full research lifecycle, from concept development, grant writing, and protocol design to field implementation, data analysis, and dissemination of findings through publications and stakeholder reports.

She is currently based at the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at Edouard Herriot Hospital, Lyon, France, and serves as Principal Investigator of the iDEM trial in Malaysia, a cluster-randomized study evaluating integrated vector control strategies for dengue. Her work emphasizes rigorous research, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and capacity strengthening in low- and middle-income country settings.

She has authored or co-authored more than 75 peer-reviewed publications and brings strong expertise in research leadership, project management, and cross-sector collaboration.