Research

Naivasha, Kenya March 21-22, 2022

Members of the department Prof. Walter Jaoko and Dr. Marianne Mureithi joined other researchers from the University of Washington, KNH, KEMRI, JKUAT amongst others to discuss the KRTC 2022 Strategic plan. 

KRTC brings faculty, students, and researchers together to support research and training that improves health and informs policy in Kenya and other resource-limited settings across the globe.

As part of laboratory capacity building efforts, members of the Department of Microbiology took part in a successful SOP writing workshop training held at Alba Hotel in Meru County. 

This is one of the key objectives for a research project titled "Building capacity for Zoonotic Diseases Diagnostic in underserved communities in Kajiado and Isiolo County", a partnership between Colorado State University and the University of Nairobi.

Prof. Keith Fowke, Chair of the Departments of Medical Microbiology and Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Canada and a visiting professor in the Department of Medical Microbiology paid courtesy call and was welcomed by the Chair of Department, Dr Marianne Mureithi. They discussed the continued collaboration and partnership of the two departments regarding the research, mentorship and training of young investigators.

Rodents are known reservoir hosts for many pathogens that can cause disease in humans. The risk of zoonotic spillover is high in informal urban settlements (slums) where rodents and human densities are high, rodents live in close proximity to humans and human knowledge of disease risks and access to health care is limited. 

While there have been some disappointments, Dr. Marianne Mureithi of KAVI-UoN told Healthy Nation that challenges in research do not mean failure.

“The HIV trials have not failed, rather, we have learnt a lot from previous trials that have greatly informed us on improving the vaccines and bringing us closer to an efficacious HIV vaccine,” she said.

This year’s UoN HIV/AIDS Collaborative meeting was held in the Great Rift Valley Lodge in Naivasha from the 26th – 28th of January 2022. The department was represented by the Chairman, Dr Marianne Mureithi, Director Research UNITID- Prof Julius Oyugi, Dr Kariuki Njaanake and Ms Winnie Mutai.

Dr Mureithi’s work focuses on studying multiple social-behavioural, environmental and biological factors associated with the increased susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections and advocating for better access to Sexual and Reproductive health care for all women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa.

Dr. Omosa, a lecturer in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Clinical Researcher, KAVI – ICR, UoN has been awarded a grant by IAVI to establish a scientific manuscript writing program at the College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi.  

Prof. Walter Jaoko and Prof. Omu Anzala from the Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi were honoured by the university vice chancellor, Prof Kiama during a webinar (COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout) organized by the College of Health Sciences, UoN for the great work in research. The two researchers have made a significant contribution to the fight against infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, Ebola and COVID-19 providing strategic leadership, innovation and research. 

Moses Victor Musyoki has been described as a researcher in the making.

He joined the University of Nairobi, Department of Medical Microbiology as a technologist in 2015 scaling the career ladder to attain MSc degree in Medical Microbiology from the same institution. Through mentorship and supervision from senior researchers in the department, he has shown keen interest in academics and research with key focus on Infectious diseases including Medical Mycology.