Overview
The Partnership for Health Research Training in Kenya (P-HERT) is a D43 grant awarded to the University of Nairobi by the National Institutes of Health to develop and implement a Research Capacity Building Program at the University of Nairobi and Kenyatta and Maseno Universities to support Junior Faculty gain in-depth research skills and expertise in the fields of HIV/AIDS, Mental Health and Maternal Newborn & Child Health.
The Specific Aims of the proposed program follow:
Aim 1: To develop skills set in epidemiology, biostatistics, implementation science and responsible conduct of research during the first year of a 2-year fellowship.
Aim 2: Mentor trainee faculty to develop and implement a research project, disseminate study findings and use the pilot data to develop and submit a grant for funding during the final year of the 2-year fellowship
Aim 3: Foster a research environment that supports junior faculty career development by creating research training and networking opportunities for a wide range of researchers at the 4 collaborating.
Collaborating institutions
University of Nairobi: is the premier and largest University in Kenya. UoN is the main grant recipient
University of Washington: is a large, public flagship research university in Seattle, Washington, UW is subcontracted by the UoN in the P-HERT program
Kenyatta University: Based in Ruiru, Kiambu County. The University has a young medical school. KU is a partner in the P-HERT program
Maseno University: Maseno University is a university based in Maseno, near Kisumu, Kenya, founded in 1991 it has a young medical school as well. KU is a partner in the P-HERT program
LEADERSHIP
Principal Investigator - Prof Dalton Wamalwa, MPH, MMed, MB.CHB is an Associate Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Nairobi. For the past several years, he has been providing clinical care to HIV infected children and adolescents in the Kenyatta National Hospital. He has led several research funded projects focusing on HIV infected children and adolescents, as well as a Maternal Newborn Child Health Research capacity building program. Prof Wamalwa led the NIH-funded Linked-MEPI grant on Strengthening Maternal, Newborn and Child Health research training in Kenya. He is now the PI of a recently funded D43 grant to support research training of junior faculty at the University of Nairobi in the fields of HIV, mental health and MNCH. Prof Wamalwa has over 40 publications in peers reviewed international scientific journals.
Epidemiology Coordinator - Prof Ruth Nduati, MPH, MMed, MB.CHB is Professor in the Department of Paediatrics and Child health, University of Nairobi and consultant paediatrician at the Kenyatta National Hospital. Nduati has over 20 years of experience in HIV research, mentorship of both undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as program implementation, having pioneered implementation of PMTCT in Kenya.
Biostatistics Coordinator - Dr John Kinuthia, MPH, MMed, MB.CHB is the Head of Research & Programs, Kenyatta National Hospital he is a consultant Obstetrician Gynecologist, and Honorary Lecturer, Dept. of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Nairobi (Kenya) Dr. Kinuthia’s research has primarily focused on prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. He has coordinates trainings in Implementation Science, Maternal and Neonatal Child Health and Program Management for the University of Nairobi.
Research Mentorship Lead - Dr Muthoni Mathai, PhD, MMed, MB.CHB is a Psychiatrist and senior lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Nairobi. She teaches mentors students in research and clinical care to patients at Kenyatta National Hospital and Mathari teaching and referral hospital. Dr Mathai was the PI of the MEPI-Linked project: Research capacity building in Mental health for better health outcomes, funded by NIH/NIMH.
Short Courses Lead - Prof James Machoki, MB.ChB, M.Med, FMed. Anthro, is the Director of the University of Nairobi Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases (UNITID, Associate Professor Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Nairobi; and Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi. Prof Machoki is the current P.I. of the UoN HIV Capacity Building Fellowship Programme. Prof Machoki is passionate about research grant writing administration capacity building, he previously lead the IEARDA grant and was in charge of the MEPI program area of research administration.
Maseno Coordinator - Prof. Wilson Odero MBBS, MSc. PhD, is an Associate Professor and Dean, School of Medicne, Maseno University. He obtained his medical degree from the Minsk Medical Institute and followed this with an MSc in Community Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a PhD in Epidemiology and Policy from the same institution. Dr. Odero has worked extensively in collaboration with organizations such as WHO and DFID on various traffic injury research and training programs. In the P-HERT program he represents and coordinates P-HERT program at Maseno University
Kenyatta University - Dr Titus Kahiga
TRAINEES PROFILE
Cohort 1
Mary N. Kubo,
MB. Ch B; M. Med
Department of Clinical Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Nairobi
George N. Gwako
MB. Ch B; M. Med
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Nairobi
Beatrice Mutai
MB. Ch B; M. Med
Department Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Nairobi
Ann Wanjiru Mbwayo
B.A, B Ed; MSc., PhD
Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi
George Mugendi
B. Pharm, M. Pharm,
Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacy Practice, University of Nairobi
Maurice K’ Odhiambo
B. Pharm, M. Pharm
Department of Pharmacy, Kenyatta University, Kenyatta University
Bernard B.O Awuonda
M. Med, MB. ChB
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Maseno University
Cohort two
Dr Gladys Nthambi Mwango
MMed (Diagnostic Radiology) MBChB , BSc Human Anatomy Department of Diagnostic Imaging & Radiation, UoN
Dr Tom Mboya Olewe
PhDc MPH, MBChB School of Public Health, UoN
Dr Edwin Oloo Walong
F. Anatomic Pathology, MMed (Pathology) MBChB
Department of Pathology, UoN
Dr Anne Kasyoka Barasa
MMed (Pathology) MBChB Department of Human Pathology, UoN
Dr Lilly Adhiambo Nyamai
MMed (Ophth) MBChB Department of Ophthalmology, UoN
Dr Judy Wanjiru Kamau
MSc.(Child & Adolescent Metal Health), MMed Psychiatry, MBChB Department of Psychiatry, UoN
Dr Lydiah Maingi-Ngunjiri
PhD, M.A, B.Ed
Department of Psychology, KU
Dr Amos Oyoko
MPH, MBChB
Department of Family Medicine & Community Health, MSU
