Shaban Mwangi
Supervisors
Dr. Abdirahman Abdi
Dr. Abdirahman Abdi
Abdi is molecular biologist with special interest in malaria. Abdi worked with the Programme between 2005-2006 as an intern, then research assistant investigating antimalarial drug resistance. He was then awarded a Ph.D. studentship by the AntiMal International Ph.D. Programme where he joined Prof Christian Doerig’s laboratory at the University of Glasgow working on P. falciparum protein Kinases. He rejoined the Programme in 2010 as Post Doc to work with Dr Peter Bull on PfEMP1 and it is role in the pathogenesis of severe malaria. In 2014 he was awarded a Wellcome Trust Training Fellowship to study the secretome of malaria parasites.
Dr. Joel Ltilitan Bargul
Joel’s broad research interest focuses on the understanding of transmission dynamics of neglected tropical diseases by studying the interactions between insect vectors, disease pathogens and mammalian hosts. In the last ten years, during his MSc and PhD research studies based at icipe (Nairobi), Joel has been studying the biology of tsetse fly and the African trypanosomes. Trypanosomes are transmitted by the tsetse fly and cause severe diseases in man and livestock. Joel completed his PhD at the University of Wuerzburg (Germany) under the mentorship of Prof. Dr. Markus Engstler, Dr. Daniel Masiga, and Dr. Francis McOdimba. He studied the motility of African trypanosomes, as motility is necessary for survival of these parasites. His study demonstrated, for the first time, the reasons for variations in swimming patterns, speeds, and host-tissue distribution of different species of animal African trypanosomes. Animal trypanosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that causes huge setback to livestock production, hence contributing to poverty. Driven by curiosity, Joel recently collected some little studied blood-feeding hippoboscids from camels in northern Kenya in order to study their role in transmission of trypanosomes. More than 25% of the flies were infected with trypanosomes, and when these flies fed on experimental rabbits, these animals acquired trypanosome infection suggesting that hippoboscids could transmit trypanosomes. These preliminary findings imply that hippoboscids could be important vectors of animal trypanosomiasis. The award of a THRiVE Post-doctoral fellowship is very essential for the success of this research study whose findings will provide information on vectors of animal trypanosomes in northern Kenya and contribute to disease control. The THRiVE-2 fellowship has enabled Joel to initiate research collaborations with Professor Mark Carrington (University of Cambridge) and Dr. Daniel Masiga (icipe, Nairobi). Both Mark and Dan have huge research experience of over 25 years in the field of African trypanosomiasis, and will provide mentorship during the studies.
Dr. Eunice Nduati
Email : ENduati@kemri-wellcome.org I joined the KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) in Nairobi working on antimalarial drug resistance. In 2005 I transferred to Kilifi to pursue my interest in the immunology of infectious diseases under the Biology and Pathology of the Malaria Parasite (BiolMalPar) Ph.D. training programme. This was a collaborative programme with time spent between the UK and Kenya. My thesis was on understanding host immune responses, specifically B-cell regulation in malaria. On returning to Kenya, I was awarded 6 months funding by BIOMALPAR/European Molecular Biology Laboratories (EMBL) a European Union Initiative to understand the role of soluble factors, such as the B cell activating factor (BAFF) on B-cell differentiation and function. I then successfully obtained a Wellcome Trust Training Fellowship, which supported my work on B-cell regulation in HIV infection and exposure. The aim of this work was to understand whether exposure to HIV virus or antigens, antiretroviral drugs and/or an altered placental cytokine milieu, in utero, affects the developing immune system in infants born to HIV infected mothers but are themselves not infected. In HIV infection, I have been involved in understanding B cell phenotypic and functional changes in HIV infected children. Currently I hold a mid-career fellowship with the IDeAL program at KWTRP and working within the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI)-Vaccine Immunology Science and Technology for Africa (IAVI-VISTA) consortium, which has established longitudinal HIV cohorts. My work involves understanding adaptive immune responses, specifically T cell and B cell functions in early HIV infection and how this may impact on subsequent disease outcomes.
I studied Biochemistry for my undergraduate from Kenyatta University and currently undertaking a Masters course in Biochemistry from JKUAT, Kenya.
I am interested in cellular immunology and more so on immune functions. I am intrigued by how pathogens like the malaria parasite are able to evade/modify the immune system for their own survival in the host. This interest has come through training while on attachment, internship and now Masters at KEMRI-WTRP.
My current MSc research question seeks to find out the effects of secreted extracellular vesicles by malaria parasite (Plasmodium falciparum) on the host immune cells. The information gathered will boost the understanding on parasite-host interactions and on interventions/vaccine development for malaria.
My ultimate goal in life is to contribute in positively transforming the society especially in improving public health through research.
- 51
- 66
- 48
- 104
- 44
- 423