0709 203000 - Nairobi 0709 983000 - Kilifi
0709 203000 - NRB 0709 983000 - Kilifi
0709 203000 - NRB | 0709 983000 - Kilifi

Clinical Research

Bio

Mainga Hamaluba MBChB MD FRCPCH Head of Clinical Research. Mainga is a paediatrician and works on clinical trials of vaccines, human infections studies and neonatal care. She is Principal Investigator (PI) and lead of the R21 clinical development programme in Kenya which includes the first evaluation of R21 in Africa (Phase 1b and the ongoing phase 3 trials). This is complemented by a vaccine efficacy Human Infection Study where she is Co-PI. Furthermore, she is PI for a phase 1/2 (First-In-Human and phase 2 trial of the leading tetravalent candidate shigella vaccine); sponsored by LimmaTech Biologics Ag. She also has clinical oversight of the broad portfolio of KWTRP team Human Infection Study platforms for malaria and shigella. These complementary programs continue to accelerate the clinical development of malaria and shigella vaccines.

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Current Work

Her current research focus is part of the Calestous Juma Fellowship funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This fellowship supports setting up a platform trial of neonatal interventions in coastal Kenya with a plan to expand this regionally to reduce neonatal mortality. She is currently supervising 1 PhD student working on snakebite research and has co-supervised MSc and PGDip studentships. She is currently PI or Co-PI of 9 clinical trials.

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Recent publications

R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine drives diverse immune responses in pre-exposed adults: insights from a phase IIb controlled human malaria infection trial.
Kibwana, E., Bundi, C., Kimani, D., Nyamako, L., Keter, K., Mutiso, A., Ogwang, R., Bellamy, D., Rapi, K., Bajer, A., Provstgaard-Morys, S., Stockdale, L., Munoz, O., Datoo, M. S., Lawrie, A., Ramos-Lopez, F., Roberts, R., Hamaluba, M., Hill, A. V. S., Bejon, P., Ewer, K. J., Kapulu, M.
Front Immunol, (2025). 16:1620365

Vaccine-induced responses to R21/Matrix-M - an analysis of samples from a phase 1b age de-escalation, dose-escalation trial.
Bundi, C., Bellamy, D., Kibwana, E., Nyamako, L., Ogwang, R., Keter, K., Kimani, D., Salman, A. M., Provstgaard-Morys, S., Stockdale, L., Hill, A. V. S., Bejon, P., Olotu, A., Hamaluba, M., Ewer, K. J., Kapulu, M. C.
Front Immunol, (2025). 16:1620366

Age differences in immunity to human seasonal coronaviruses and the immunogenicity of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222).
Belij-Rammerstorfer, S., Sheehan, E., Li, G., Bibi, S., Wright, D., Voysey, M., Bissett, C., Barman, N., Camara, S., Yong, A. A., Costa Clemens, S. A., Harris, M., Flaxman, A., Barrett, J., Hussain, K., Lipunga, G., Shaw, R. H., Smith, H., Cheruiyot, S., Gitonga, J. N., Mugo, D., Karanja, H. K., Warimwe, G. M., Hamaluba, M. M., Weckx, L. Y., Pollard, A. J., Lambe, T.
EBioMedicine, (2025). 118:105847

Early weaning from oxygen therapy in African children with severe pneumonia.
Maitland, K., Giallongo, E., Hamaluba, M., Alaroker, F., Opoka, R. O., Tagoola, A., Nalwanga, D., Nabawanuka, E., Okiror, W., Nakuya, M., Aromut, D., Williams, T. N., Thomas, K., Harrison, D. A., Mouncey, P., Bush, A., Fraser, J. F., Rowan, K., Olupot-Olupot, P., Kiguli, S.
BMC Med, (2025). 23:366

Supplementation with ready-to-use therapeutic food has no effect on adverse outcomes among undernourished children aged 6-59 months with severe pneumonia.
Nalwanga, D., Giallongo, E., Musiime, V., Kiguli, S., Olupot, P. O., Alaroker, F., Opoka, R., Tagoola, A., Hamaluba, M., Mogaka, C., Nabawanuka, E., Karamagi, C., Briend, A., Maitland, K.
Front Nutr, (2025). 12:1507360