The Mombasa HIV/STD Research Site

Training

Capacity building through collaborative research, training, infrastructure development, and technology transfer is a top priority for the site. To this end, we have worked closely with the UW’s International AIDS Research and Training Program (IARTP) and the Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) to support the development of a highly productive collaborative HIV research program linking investigators from Kenya and the United States.

Since the Mombasa HIV/STD Research Site was established over 50 IARTP training appointments have been awarded to Kenyan investigators and key collaborators.  Combined, these appointments correspond to over 40 training years and include:

  • 2 PhD degrees
  • 10 MPH degrees in Epidemiology
  • 2 MPH degrees in Global Health
  • 1 MSc degree in Virology
  • 6 Advanced In-Country Scholar appointments (based in Mombasa)
  • 9 laboratory training appointments (UW)
  • 13 IRB related appointments for members to attend collaborative exchange workshops with IRB members in the US.
  • 1 Fogarty postdoctoral grant to conduct a study on HPV vaccine preparedness among youth in Mombasa County.

Recently funded trainees include (alphabetical listing):

Griffin Manguro, MBChB, MPH. Dr. Mang’uro recently completed his MPH Global Health training at UW in 2015. His MPH thesis is titled “Self-collected genital specimens for detection of high-risk HPV mRNA for cervical cancer screening among women in Mombasa, Kenya.” We wish him well in his new position at ICRH-K and we look forward to papers from conducted analyses.

Juma Shafi, BSc, MSc. Mr. Shafi is enrolled in a PhD program in Medical Microbiology at Kenyatta University. His research proposal is titled, “Prevalence and correlates of non-albican candida vaginal infections in Kenyan women”. He is currently finalizing on his proposal for defense in January 2017.

Linnet Masese, MBChB, MPH, PhD.  Dr. Masese recently completed her PhD studies at UW.  Her PhD dissertation was entitled, “Epidemiological Linkages between Sexually Transmitted Infections.”  She is currently a postdoctoral Fogarty fellow working on a study to assess HPV vaccine preparedness among youth in Mombasa County. She completed a pilot study to assess the feasibility of screening for sexually transmitted infections among adolescents and young women in schools and colleges in Mombasa. Linnet transitioned to the US with her family and we look forward to several analyses and papers from the conducted studies.