Bio

James trained in Zoology (BSc), then a PhD in virus epidemiology (Imperial College), followed by post-docs at Imperial College, Oxford and Warwick. Although Warwick remains his home institution where he is a Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, James has been seconded to KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi since 2001. His principal interest over the last two decades has been in the transmission dynamics and control of human viral pathogens, primarily respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). James leads the Virus Epidemiology and Control Research Group, which is inter-disciplinary using molecular, phylogenetic, immunological, mathematical, statistical and field approaches to address key questions relating to respiratory and enteric virus persistence, transmission, and intervention. He has been supported by Wellcome Trust Research Leave, Programme Grant and Senior Investigator Awards.

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Current Work

Recent work has focused on the integration of epidemiological and genomic data to infer transmission pathways at different scales of interest from the household to countrywide. This has led to a NIHR Global Health Research Project GeMVi (on the application of genomics and modelling to the control of virus pathogens in East Africa). The COVID-19 pandemic led to redeployment of the diagnostics, genomics, modelling and community epidemiology platforms to SARS-CoV-2, with Emergency Funding from FCDO/Wellcome and NIHR.

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Recent publications

Emergence and transmission dynamics of the FY.4 Omicron variant in Kenya.
Musundi, S., Mwanga, M., Lambisia, A., Morobe, J. M., Murunga, N., Moraa, E., Ndwiga, L., Cheruiyot, R., Musyoki, J., Mutunga, M., Guzman-Rincon, L. M., Sande, C., Mwangangi, J., Bejon, P., Ochola-Oyier, L. I., Nokes, D. J., Agoti, C. N., Nyiro, J., Githinji, G.
Virus Evol, (2025). 11:veaf035

Profile: The Kenya Multi-Site Serosurveillance (KEMIS) collaboration.
Kagucia, E. W., Voller, S., Ziraba, A. K., Bigogo, G., Munywoki, P. K., Makobu, K., Nokes, D. J., Nyagwange, J., Orlendo, C., Akech, D., Sigilai, A., Onyango, C., Juma, B., Herman-Roloff, A., Munyua, P., Apondi, C., Lidechi, S., Audi, A., Ouma, A., Aol, G., Misore, T., Nasimiyu, C., Onyango, D., Lo, T., Kasera, K., Jalang'o, R., Kingwara, L., Adetifa, I., Etyang, A. O., Warimwe, G., Agweyu, A., Scott, J. A. G.
Gates Open Res, (2024). 8:60

Characterising the asynchronous resurgence of common respiratory viruses following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zhao, C., Zhang, T., Guo, L., Sun, S., Miao, Y., Yung, C. F., Tomlinson, J., Stolyarov, K., Shchomak, Z., Poovorawan, Y., Nokes, D. J., Muñoz-Almagro, C., Mandelboim, M., Keck, J. W., Langley, J. M., Heikkinen, T., Deng, J., Colson, P., Chakhunashvili, G., Caballero, M. T., Bont, L., Feikin, D. R., Nair, H., Wang, X., Li, Y.
Nat Commun, (2025). 16:1610

Prevalence and Predictors of Adverse Birth Outcomes and Their Implications in Assessing the Safety of New Maternal Vaccines in Kenya.
Nyiro, J. U., Bukusi, E., Mureithi, M. W., Walumbe, D., Nyaguara, A., Kipkoech, C., Nyawanda, B., Bigogo, G., Otieno, N., Aol, G., Audi, A., Murunga, N., Berkley, J. A., Nokes, D. J., Munywoki, P. K.
Pediatr Infect Dis J, (2025). 44:S114-s118

Profile: The Kenya Multi-Site Serosurveillance (KEMIS) collaboration .
Kagucia, E. W., Voller, S., Ziraba, A. K., Bigogo, G., Munywoki, P. K., Makobu, K., Nokes, D. J., Nyagwange, J., Orlendo, C., Akech, D., Sigilai, A., Onyango, C., Juma, B., Herman-Roloff, A., Munyua, P., Apondi, C., Lidechi, S., Audi, A., Ouma, A., Aol, G., Misore, T., Nasimiyu, C., Onyango, D., Lo, T., Kasera, K., Jalang'o, R., Kingwara, L., Adetifa, I., Etyang, A. O., Warimwe, G., Agweyu, A., Scott, J. A. G.
Gates Open Res, (2024). 8: