About Us

The Tropics Derma Research & Training Institute (TDRTI) is a dual-mandate scientific institution operating at the intersection of clinical research and professional education for tropical and melanin-rich skin. As a contract research organisation, TDRTI conducts and supports clinical studies into dermatological conditions prevalent in tropical climates, offering pharmaceutical and biotech partners patient recruitment, site management, and clinical data collection across underserved populations in Sub-Saharan Africa. As a training institute, TDRTI delivers university-certified professional education in tropical dermatology, cosmetic science, and medical aesthetics, in partnership with accredited academic institutions.

Established to address the distinct clinical, scientific, and professional development needs of regions characterized by tropical climates, TDRTI integrates rigorous research methodology with structured education to advance both scientific evidence and workforce capacity. The Institute collaborates with pharmaceutical partners, academic institutions, policy stakeholders, and government bodies to generate context-specific knowledge that informs clinical research, training standards, and health policy development across Africa.

TDRTI At A Glance

A research institution built on evidence

100,000

Analyzed Skin Samples Across Africa

100+

Professionals Trained and Certified

15+

Years of Clinical Research

10+

Strategic Governments & Private Sector Partnerships

Our Founder

Dr. Edith F. Gibson

Founder & CEO

Dr. Edith Delight, PhD, is an Academic Doctor and Research Scientist with 7 years of university-validated research in tropical skincare for melanin-rich skin. With a background in Cosmetic Chemistry and Advanced Medical Esthetics including Oncology Esthetics, her work focuses on the science of formulating safe, effective products for tropical climates.

She is the recipient of academic credit for her research and holds a PhD in Industrial Psychology, where she studies consumer behavior, product performance, and the psychology of skin health in African populations. She is the Founder of TDRTI

Core Values

What guides our work

Scientific Rigor

We are guided by disciplined research, data integrity, and evidence-based inquiry as the foundation of all institutional work.

Clinical Excellence

We uphold the highest standards of clinical research practice, ensuring every study we support meets the quality, safety, and compliance expectations of global health and pharmaceutical partners.

Strategic Partnership

We believe lasting impact is built through deep collaboration with governments, universities, and industry partners who share our commitment to evidence-based skin health.

Global Standards, Local Relevance

We hold ourselves to internationally recognised research and training standards, while generating knowledge that is specific and relevant to tropical and African populations.

Integrity & Accountability

We operate with transparency, ethical responsibility, and respect for scientific, regulatory, and institutional frameworks.

Professional Excellence

We uphold high standards in training, research practice, and institutional governance to build competent, ethical professionals.

Leadership

Our Team

TDRTI is led by a multidisciplinary team spanning clinical research, training, and institutional partnerships.

Dr. Edith Gibson

Founder & CEO

Founded TDRTI following seven years of clinical research into tropical skin science (2010-2017). Holds a doctorate in Industrial Psychology and has trained medical aesthetics professionals internationally for over a decade. Recognised with a ministerial honour for advancing the field across the region.

Dr. Martin M. Kwende

Executive Director, Clinical & Regulatory Affairs

Holds a PhD in Biomechanics from the University of Liverpool and brings over a decade of clinical research leadership from the medical device industry, including senior roles at Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and ArthroCare. His background spans clinical trial management and FDA regulatory submissions. He holds an MBA from San Francisco State University.

Lizette Bilikha

Chief Operating Officer

An ACCA-qualified finance leader with over a decade of global treasury and financial strategy expertise, having directed financial planning, liquidity management, and statutory reporting across 170+ countries and 80+ currencies. She brings this same discipline and operational rigor to the institute’s growth.

Dr. Genevieva Pekam Takusi-Makia

Executive Director, Patient Support & Wellness

Brings over two decades of pharmacy experience in the United States alongside certification as a professional coach, applied directly to supporting hidradenitis suppurativa patients through counseling and emotional care.

Partner With Us

Building the evidence base for tropical and melanin-rich skin requires partners who understand the population.

Whether you are a pharmaceutical partner exploring clinical research capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa, or an institution interested in collaborating on training and policy development, we welcome the conversation.