Bio

Primus is a public health specialist and bioethicist, with an interest in the ethics of controlled human infection studies and health policy and systems research in LMICs. Primus joined the programme in July 2018 as a Mid-Level Social Scientist (Senior Postdoctoral Researcher) from the Karolinska Institute, Sweden, where he served as a researcher and lecturer with the Department of Public Health Sciences from March 2016 – April 2018. Prior to that he served as a doctoral researcher with the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), where he worked on health systems in conflict-affected settings. Primus holds a PhD in International Health from the University of Oslo, Norway, an MPH (Public health and Research ethics) from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and an M.Sc. (Medical Microbiology/Parasitology) from the University of Buea, Cameroon.

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Current Work

He leads a social science controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) study imbedded within ongoing and planned CHMI studies at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme in kilifi, Kenya. Working with a team of scientists and social scientists, he employs empirical ethics approaches to understand the social and ethical implications of conducting such studies in a LMIC setting, with the goal of strengthening policy and practice.

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Recent publications

Fourth Controlled Human Infection Model (CHIM) meeting - CHIMs in endemic countries, May 22-23, 2023.
Kapulu, M., Manda-Taylor, L., Balasingam, S., Means, G., Ayiro Malungu, M., Bejon, P., Chi, P. C., Chiu, C., Church, E. C., Correa-Oliveira, R., Day, N., Durbin, A., Egesa, M., Emerson, C., Jambo, K., Mathur, R., Metzger, W., Mumba, N., Nazziwa, W., Olotu, A., Rodgers, J., Sinyiza, F., Talaat, K., Kamerling, I., Weller, C., Baay, M., Neels, P.
Biologicals, (2024). 85:101747

Anti-merozoite antibodies induce natural killer cell effector function and are associated with immunity against malaria.
Odera, D. O., Tuju, J., Mwai, K., Nkumama, I. N., Fürle, K., Chege, T., Kimathi, R., Diehl, S., Musasia, F. K., Rosenkranz, M., Njuguna, P., Hamaluba, M., Kapulu, M. C., Frank, R., Osier, F. H. A., Abdi, A. I., Chi, P. C., de Laurent, Z., Jao, I., Kamuya, D., Kamuyu, G., Makale, J., Murungi, L., Musyoki, J., Muthui, M., Mwacharo, J., Kariuki, S., Mwanga, D., Mwongeli, J., Ndungu, F., Njue, M., Nyangweso, G., Kimani, D., Ngoi, J. M., Musembi, J., Ngoto, O., Otieno, E., Ooko, M., Shangala, J., Wambua, J., Mohammed, K. S., Omuoyo, D., Mosobo, M., Kibinge, N., Kinyanjui, S., Bejon, P., Lowe, B., Marsh, K., Marsh, V., Abebe, Y., Billingsley, P. F., Sim, B. K. L., Hoffman, S. L., James, E. R., Richie, T. L., Audi, A., Olewe, F., Oloo, J., Ongecha, J., Ongas, M. O., Koskei, N., Bull, P. C., Hodgson, S. H., Kivisi, C., Imwong, M., Murphy, S. C., Ogutu, B., Tarning, J., Winterberg, M., Williams, T. N.
Sci Transl Med, (2023). 15:eabn5993

A network of empirical ethics teams embedded in research programmes across multiple sites: opportunities and challenges in contributing to COVID-19 research and responses.
Ngwenya, N., Ilo Van Nuil, J., Nyirenda, D., Chambers, M., Cheah, P. Y., Seeley, J., Chi, P., Mafuleka, L., Nkosi, B., Kamuya, D., Davies, A., Schneiders, M. L., Mumba, N., Dlamini, S., Desmond, N., Marsh, V., Rippon, D., Parker, M., Molyneux, S.
Wellcome Open Res, (2022). 7:48

'Labouring' on the frontlines of global health research: mapping challenges experienced by frontline workers in Africa and Asia.
Nkosi, B., Van Nuil, J. I., Nyirenda, D., Chi, P. C., Schneiders, M. L.
Glob Public Health, (2022). 17:1-11

Ethical considerations around volunteer payments in a malaria human infection study in Kenya: an embedded empirical ethics study.
Chi, P. C., Owino, E. A., Jao, I., Bejon, P., Kapulu, M., Marsh, V., Kamuya, D.
BMC Med Ethics, (2022). 23:46