In vitro quantitation of Theileria parva sporozoites for use - TropMed ...

V
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work was made possible by the kindness and assistance of many people whose profound
contributions I would like to acknowledge.
I am greatly indebted to Dr. Tanguy Marcotty, my ITM promoter, for such an awesome and
excellent time of personally "coaching" me in this work and being available to attend to most
of my academic demands. Thanks for being there in my many times of "statistical" needs and
for being such a faithful driver for my numerous trips to Beveren/Haasdonk. I also thank my
Ghent University promoter Prof. Dr. Pierre Dorny for his helpful suggestions during the
course of the work and facilitating the collaboration between ITM and Ghent University.
My great appreciation is due to Prof. Dr. Ir. Dirk Berkvens and Dr. Misheck Mulumba the
industrious duo that, from the outset, worked tirelessly to ensure the smooth transition of
sandwich to full-time phase of the scholarship and its continuance at the closure of the
ASVEZA project. Thank you for the trust and confidence you have always shown in me, the
many instances of academic guidance and continued encouragement. Your sense of humour
never failed to amaze me.
I thank Dr. P. Sinyangwe the Director of Department of Veterinary and Livestock
Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Zambia for granting me study leave.
Many thanks are due to my colleagues from the ASVEZA project through which the
scholarship was awarded and some foundational work laid down: Dr. Jupiter Mtambo, Dr.
Stephano Tempia, Dr. Henry Chungu (deceased), Dr. Patrick Mulenga, Dr. Laurent Mostin,
Dr. Michel Billiouw, Dr. George Chaka, Dr. Mataa Liywalii, Koert Penne, Gerald Chimbala,
Dixon Syandebwe, Evans Chikandi, Victor Banda, Charlotte Kyamba, Martin Wasamunu,
Patrick Meeus, and Patrick Seldeslachts.
I am grateful for the direction provided by my Ph.D. committee at ITM comprising Prof. Dr.
Jef Brandt, Dr. Kirezi Kanobana and my promoters. Thanks Jef, for your personal
encouragement and ever reminding me that "a Ph.D. is a degree of endurance". It has proved
to be just that. I acknowledge, with gratitude, Dr. Tom Dolan for taking time to make
valuable comments to parts of this thesis.
To the laboratory staff I give my heartfelt thanks for your kindness and ever trying the best to
make me 'feel at home' in the lab. I particularly thank mevrouw Anke Van Hul for the
numerous hours pored over reading "little dots" on slides, the many drives to Haasdonk and