Kelvin is a PhD fellow investigating the epidemiology of severe anaemia and bacteraemia among African children. His research seeks to unravel the biological mechanisms linking these conditions and generate evidence to inform targeted interventions that improve child health. His work is funded by a Wellcome International Training Fellowship and is supervised by Prof. Sarah Atkinson, Dr. Manfred Nairz, and Prof. Calman A. MacLennan.

Kelvin holds a BSc in Medical Laboratory Sciences from the University of Nairobi, a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Research Methods from Pwani University, and an MSc in Immunology of Infectious Diseases from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. His prior work as a Wellcome International Master’s Fellow focused on exploring the role of iron homeostasis in the interplay between severe malaria and invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella infections.

Beyond his research, Kelvin has contributed to the USAID Advancing Nutrition Anemia Task Force, the Lancet Haematology Commission on Anaemia, and the Kwashiorkor Collaborative Network. He also serves as a junior board member at the International BioIron Society. Driven by a passion for reducing child mortality and improving health outcomes in underserved populations, Kelvin’s objectives are: 1) provide evidence-based recommendations to optimise nutrition and vaccination programs; 2) develop targeted interventions; and 3) improve the quality of life for vulnerable children through translational research and policy engagement.

Some of Kelvin’s publications include:

1. Biology of Anemia: A Public Health Perspective. DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.07.018
2. Severe anaemia, iron deficiency, and susceptibility to invasive bacterial infections. DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.18829.1
3. Hepcidin regulation in Kenyan children with severe malaria and non-typhoidal Salmonella bacteremia. DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2021.279316
4. Immune responses to malaria pre‐erythrocytic stages: Implications for vaccine development. DOI: 10.1111/pim.12795
5. How Severe Anaemia Might Influence the Risk of Invasive Bacterial Infections in African Children. DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186976