Profile: Michelo is a Zambian molecular and cell biologist with over 15 years of research experience in immunology, epidemiology, and vacology. He is the Scientific lead in the Enteric Disease and Vaccines Research department (which he co-founded) at the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ). This role entails

1. Being the lead scientist on all the research projects relating to (i) enteric vaccine evaluation, (ii) enteric pathogen epidemiology, and (ii) basic science research aimed at understanding both vaccine and natural immunity.
2. Supervisor and mentor to CIDRZ Health-Corps fellows, junior fellows, and research students
3. Lead and support translational research for public health.

His research interest interests include (i) vaccine research (development and evaluation), (ii) diagnostics and (iii) epidemiology and natural immunity of enteric pathogens, and (iv) recombinant protein engineering for new diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics.

Project:  His PhD project is focused on conducting a comprehensive understanding of biophysical properties, effector functions, and key rotavirus immunogen(s) responsible for broad and durable protection against rotavirus infection. This investigation is important for the determination of a mechanistic correlate of protection against rotavirus. The findings from this investigation will contribute towards the development of highly effective vaccines or interventions to improve the performance of current vaccines.

Supervisors

1. Prof Nicholas Grassyly. Prof of Infectious Disease & Vaccine Epidemiology School of Public Health – Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London. n.grassly@imperial.ac.uk
2. Khuzwayo Jere. Senior Lecturer Clinical Infection, Microbiology & Immunology. Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Liverpool. Khuzwayo.Jere@liverpool.ac.uk
3. Prof Samuel Bosomprah. Prof of Biostatistics, Department of Biostatistics, University of Ghana School of Public Health, Accra, and Head Analysis Unit Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia. Samuel.Bosomprah@cidrz.org