Chronic hepatitis B virus infection is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa and the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma, a highly aggressive liver cancer typically diagnosed at an advanced stage worldwide, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, with a poor survival rate. Interestingly, not everyone with chronic hepatitis B virus infection develops hepatocellular carcinoma; consequently, Seth is focused to:

• Identify the triggers of hepatitis B virus-related hepatocarcinogenesis,

• Characterise natural products targeting the cccDNA of the hepatitis B virus.

Mosquitoes transmit malaria parasites, and gametocytes are the only parasite stage transmitted from the infected host to mosquitoes; therefore, gametocytes are the prime target for transmission-blocking interventions. However, most antimalarial drugs are not gametocytocidal, rendering patients receiving many of these drugs as reservoirs for parasite transmission; consequently, Seth is also focused to:

• Characterise novel transmission-blocking natural products,

• Identify drug-resistant genes through genomic surveillance.