Canacer Icon

CANCER RESEARCH

Cancer is the third leading cause of death in Kenya after infectious and cardiovascular diseases.  

According to GLOBOCAN estimates in 2022, the annual incidence of cancer was 44,726 and the number of prevalence cases (5-year) was 102,152.

The five commonest cancers in Kenya are breast, cervical, prostate, oesophagus and colorectal cancers. Women are disproportionately affected by cancer with a higher incidence recorded in women as compared to men.  

By focusing on these high-burden cancers, KEMRI aims to make significant strides in reducing cancer incidence and mortality, improving patient outcomes, and enhancing the overall public health landscape in Kenya. Addressing the cancer burden in Kenya requires a multifaceted approach involving government agencies, healthcare providers, researchers, and community organizations to create a comprehensive and sustainable cancer control strategy. 

The institute has played a key role in generating the data to inform the burden of cancer in the country. Through establishment of the Nairobi Cancer Registry in 2001 and continuous aggregation of data on incidence and prevalence, the country is well informed on the priority cancers affecting the communities. 

Cancer research at the institute broadly covers the following areas; 

Cancer surveillance and epidemiological research – This has been done through the cancer registry. The cancer registry is a platform for research and has been utilized in generating baseline data that has informed further research at the institute. The registry collects data on cancer incidence, mortality, and survival rates to inform cancer control strategies and research. Research on the epidemiology of different cancer types is essential for understanding cancer burden and risk factors in the population. 

Basic sciences research: While primarily focused on infectious diseases, KEMRI’s basic sciences research also contributes to understanding cancer biology cells to understand their growth, spread, response to treatment, which is essential for developing new prevention and treatment strategies. 

Cancer prevention : Conducting research that focuses on Identification, assessment and reduction of cancer risk factors in the population, enhancing  screening and early  detection health outreach, including development of diagnostic tools, improving screening methods, research into nutrition and promoting healthy lifestyle and promote knowledge translation to the public  on the research findings focusing on public health campaigns to combat cancer, being one of  the stake holders in policy development cancer advocacy remains a key area  to focus on. Researchers have prioritized cancers with the highest burden such as breast, cervical, prostate, oesophagus, colorectal, head and neck cancers. 

Genetics and molecular research: The institute conducts research in cancer immunology and genetics, molecular and biomarker studies to advance understanding of disease development, response to treatment and contribute to knowledge in drug development for the population of African ancestry. The institute continues to build capacity and infrastructure for conducting omics research including proteomics, genomics, epigenomics, metabolomics and microbiomics, in order to gain more understanding of biological processes and develop more effective diagnostics and therapeutic strategies. 

Novel therapies to diseases, guided by ethno-pharmacology and natural products: Our Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR) is tasked with the search for novel therapies to diseases. We carry out research on conventional medicines including post-market surveillance, optimizing PK and PD through nanotechnology, bioequivalence studies etc. For cancer research, we evaluate the anti-proliferative potential of natural products against cancer cells, as well as elucidate the mechanisms of action of the agents. Granted that cancer wasn’t recognized as a single entity in the local traditional medical context, we employ indirect interview methods to document traditional management strategies for the condition. In addition, due to more efficient testing technologies, we are increasingly carrying out screening of natural products against cancer cells, even without any known traditional use for cancer treatment. We have identified a number of very promising plant-derived chemical entities this way, and these are the subject of current further testing. In recognition of the finiteness of terrestrial plants as the main source of natural products for our research, we are exploring other sources including marine plants, invertebrates and endophytic bacteria and fungi. 

cancer research capabilities at CTMDR 

  • In silico, high through-put screening of many chemical compounds to identify those with putative activity against cancer over a wide array of pathways 
  • Anti-proliferative activity of various chemical entities against cancer cells, including mechanistic studies 
  • In vivo cancer studies including spontaneously developing cancers, allo- and xeno-grafts 
  • In vivo safety studies on promising candidates 

Our future prospects include the development of locally derived cancer cell lines to take care of differences with what cell lines are commercially available. By creating and utilizing locally-derived cell lines from Kenyan hospitals, we can significantly advance our understanding of cancer in African populations and improve the development of targeted therapies. 

Immunology Division Laboratory Infrastructure: Includes; Cell culture lab, flow cytometers (BD FACS Canto analyzer and BD Cell Sorter), ION Torrent sequencer, different types of microscopes, automated cell counter, medical refrigerators, freezers -800C, Refrigerated Centrifuge, Live cell imager, Class A2 Biosafety Cabinet, CO2 Incubator,  

Ion Torrent Sequencing Platform: The Ion GeneStudio S5 NGS System is a semiconductor-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) system that enables simple targeted sequencing workflows that support a broad range of high-throughput sequencing for clinical research and research applications from microbial genomes and gene panels to exomes and transcriptomes. It is combined with Ion AmpliSeq technology for target selection, the Ion Chef System for automated library and template preparation, and Ion Reporter Software for automated variant annotation, targeted sequencing. 

The NGS integrates data across genomics, transcriptomics, epigenetics, and proteomics to make insights into complex cancer diseases contributing to precision medicine. This comprehensive approach aids researchers in understanding molecular changes driving normal development, cellular responses, and diseases. 

The Cancer Registry: This is a resource for cancer surveillance and research, trainings, technical support and mentorship in the region. It has been designated as the IARC-GICR Centre of Expertise for sub-Saharan Africa responsible for trainings, mentorship and technical support. 

Histopathology lab 

Radiology and endoscopy  

Flowcytometry:  Characterization of cancer cells, cell sorting. 

A well-equipped cell-culture laboratory 

Human Cancer cell lines including those derived from breast, cervical, adrenal and prostate cancers 

In silico studies computer equipment  

An animal facility to support in vivo studies 

Expertise in chemistry, biochemistry, immunology and veterinary and animal science, cell culture among others 

Capacity building for research at the KEMRI Graduate School: The institute has played a major role in trainings and mentorship of research scientists across the Africa region. With the establishment of KEMRI graduate school, the institute offers various courses at MSc. and PhD level, including short courses on grant writing, manuscript development, bioethics, cancer registration amongst others. 

Establishment of a center of excellence in stem cell research, synthetic biology and regenerative medicine to undertake advanced stem cell research and regenerative medicine to address the need for new therapeutic and interventional approaches to Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). 

  • Identification of Proline rich homeodomain and its effects on immunological and inflammatory signaling in prostate cancer among indigenous Kenyan men. 
  • Application of isolated and propagated umbilical cord blood derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in ovarian cancer cell lines invitro 
  • Genomic profiling of cancer biomarker cluster panels for screening selected cancer types and determination of their diversity in Afrocentric Kenyan population 
  • Decoding cancer genomic data to empower clinicians towards improved patient access to precision therapy in resource limited countries 
Our Team
  1. Ann Korir
  2. Dr. Veronica Manduku
  3. Dr. Geoffrey Mutuma
  4. Dr. Dorcas Wachira
  5. Dr. Mercy Karimi
  6. Ibrahim Ndungu
  7. Dr. Lilian Nyandieka
  8. Dr. Evans Amukoye
  9. Dr. Linnet Ongeri
  10. Dr. Olipher Makwaga
  11. Prof. Anthony Etyang
  12. Dr. Samuel Gathere
  13. Dr. Stephen Koskey
  14. Dr. Betty Njoroge
  15. Dr. Esther Matu