Bioscience

Bio


I am a trained immunologist and vaccinologist having undertaken DPhil on malaria transmission-blocking vaccines at the University of Oxford. Following on from this, I served as a post-doc with Kevin Marsh and Philip Bejon at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme in Kilifi working on assessing the infectious reservoir of malaria. From 2015, portfolio of work expanded to setting up currently the largest single-site falciparum controlled human malaria infection study in 161 volunteers leading a diverse team in Kenya in collaboration with key partners in this field.

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Current Work


Human infection studies – Leveraging human infection models to establish and adapt new models, understand naturally acquired immunity, identify vaccine candidates, and evaluate efficacy of interventions. Work centres around better understanding naturally acquired immunity for the design, development and testing of vaccines currently for the infectious diseases for malaria and Shigella. This involves developing and/or establishing tools and models to identify, characterise, understand, and evaluate vaccines, particularly the controlled human infection models, in disease endemic populations. We have established the controlled human malaria infection platform in Kilifi Kenya and furthermore, an enteric, Shigella, human infection model will be established and an establishment of an induced blood-stage malaria infection model within the same setting. Thus, the programme of work focuses on addressing the following broad aims:

  1. Interrogating immunity (vaccine-induced and naturally acquired) to malaria (utilising CHMI vaccine efficacy model; CHMI transmission model, malaria surveillance cohort, previous cross-sectional and longitudinal cohorts (AFIRM and LAMB cohorts) and Shigella (utilising Shigella HIS and archived samples from Biobank) – protein production, microarray, mass spectrometry and cytometry, systems serology, RNA sequencing
  2. Understanding role of microbiome influence in host immunity (utilising Shigella HIS and archived samples from Biobank) – NGS Identification of molecular markers of malaria transmission – RNA sequencing (transcriptomics), cDNA microarray, and mosquito feeding assays Utilisation of a structure-aided approach to vaccine design for malaria transmission and Shigella – cell sorting, BCR sequencing, and monoclonal antibody production

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Recent publications


Antibodies to PfEMP1 and Variant Surface Antigens: Protection after Controlled Human Malaria Infection in Semi-immune Kenyan Adults.
Kinyua, A. W., Turner, L., Kimingi, H. W., Mwai, K., Mwikali, K., Andisi, C., Sim, B. K. L., Bejon, P., Kapulu, M. C., Kinyanjui, S. M., Lavstsen, T., Abdi, A. I.
J Infect, (2024). :106252

Full-length MSP1 is a major target of protective immunity after controlled human malaria infection.
Rosenkranz, M., Nkumama, I. N., Ogwang, R., Kraker, S., Blickling, M., Mwai, K., Odera, D., Tuju, J., Fürle, K., Frank, R., Chepsat, E., Kapulu, M. C., Study Team, C. S., Osier, F. H.
Life Sci Alliance, (2024). 7:

Breadth of Fc-mediated effector function correlates with clinical immunity following human malaria challenge.
Nkumama, I. N., Ogwang, R., Odera, D., Musasia, F., Mwai, K., Nyamako, L., Murungi, L., Tuju, J., Fürle, K., Rosenkranz, M., Kimathi, R., Njuguna, P., Hamaluba, M., Kapulu, M. C., Frank, R., Osier, F. H. A.
Immunity, (2024). 57:1215-1224

Reversible host cell surface remodelling limits immune recognition and maximizes transmission of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes.
Ngotho, P., Press, K. D., Peedell, M., Muasya, W., Omondi, B. R., Otoboh, S. E., Seydel, K. B., Kapulu, M., Laufer, M., Taylor, T., Bousema, T., Marti, M.
bioRxiv, (2024). :

Safety and immunogenicity of varied doses of R21/Matrix-Mâ„¢ vaccine at three years follow-up: A phase 1b age de-escalation, dose-escalation trial in adults, children, and infants in Kilifi-Kenya.
Sang, S., Datoo, M. S., Otieno, E., Muiruri, C., Bellamy, D., Gathuri, E., Ngoto, O., Musembi, J., Provstgaard-Morys, S., Stockdale, L., Aboagye, J., Woods, D., Lawrie, A., Roberts, R., Keter, K., Kimani, D., Ndungu, F., Kapulu, M., Njau, I., Orindi, B., Ewer, K. J., Hill, A. V. S., Bejon, P., Hamaluba, M.
Wellcome Open Res, (2023). 8:450