Dr. Mary Inziani Matilu is a research scientist at the Centre for Virus Research (CVR) at Kenya Medical Research Institute. Inziani obtained her Research Master’s Degree in Tropical Medicine from Nagasaki University, Japan in 2009 and Master’s Degree in Pediatrics and Child Health from the University of Nairobi in 2011 and her Bachelors Degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Nairobi.

She also obtained her fellowship in Global Health Leadership from the University of Washington in 2014.

Mary is a medical doctor and pediatrician with more than 11 years clinical experience. She has skills and experience in molecular biology (arbovirus research) and clinical laboratory assays. Her interests are research in infectious and non-communicable diseases. Her passion is finding innovative solutions to health problems in resource constrained populations and improving access to healthcare for the marginalized, with focus on the use of IT technology in healthcare for chronic diseases.

Dr. Inziani has an on-going project seeking to determine the effects of SMS messages on appointment adherence, and blood pressure control in hypertensive patients an informal urban settlement in Nairobi. She is also involved in research on malnutrition and immunity in children.

1. 1. Mary Inziani Matilu: “Dengue Fever in Kenya”. Newsletter of the African Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases, 3rd Edition January 2015, P11-12
   2. David I Ojakaa, Jordan D Jarvis, Mary I Matilu and Sylla Thiam: “Acceptance of a malaria vaccine by caregivers of sick children in Kenya”. Malaria Journal 2014, 13:172 doi:10.1186/1475-2875-13-172. Published: 5May 2014. URL: http://www.malariajournal.com/content/13/1/172
   3. Mary Inziani, et al, “Seroprevalence of Chikungunya Virus in children at the Alupe District Hospital in Western Kenya”. The 3rd KEMRI Annual Scientific and Health (KASH) Conference in Nairobi Kenya, 7th¬February 2013. (Abstract and oral presentation).
   4. Mary Inziani, et al, “Exposure To Arboviruses Is Common In Children In Alupe, Western Kenya”. 2011. Abstract No. 4. African Journal of Health Sciences.
   5. Mary Inziani, Francis Onyango, Elizabeth Obimbo, Masaaki Shimada, Kouichi Morita, Toru Kubo, Shingo Inoue and Matilu Mwau. Exposure to Arboviruses is Common in Children in Alupe, Western Kenya. The 1stMedical and Veterinary Viral Research Symposium in Kenya (MVVR-K1), 8th – 9th September 2011, Silver Springs Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya. (Poster presentation).
   6. Thesis: Mary Inziani M. Matilu. Seroprevalence of Chikungunya, Yellow fever and West Nile Viruses in Children at the Alupe District Hospital in Western Kenya. 2010 – 2011: University of Nairobi.
   7. Thesis: Mary Inziani M. Matilu. Development of Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assays for Sindbis and Ross River Viruses. 2008 – 2009: Nagasaki University, Japan.

Research Grants/Current/Previous last three (3) years.

1. 1. Sponsor: NIH/UW Recipient of grant: Prof. C. Farquhar/M. Inziani Dates: 2015 – 2017
   2. Screening for non communicable disease risk factors by Community Health Workers and Effects of SMS technology and written instructions on utilization of healthcare services for hypertension post screening

Role: Principal Investigator

Sponsor: KEMRI IRG Recipient of grant: Dr. Simon Njenga Dates: 2015 – 2018 <

1. 1. The Double Burden Of Malnutrition: Prevalence, Associated Risk Factors and the Impact of Multiple Micronutrient Supplementations in Children 3 -10 Years Old in Selected Regions in Kenya. Role: Co-Investigator

Sponsor: UTMB Recipient of grant: Prof. P. Melby/ P. Otieno Dates: 2014 – 2016 <

1. 1. Deficits in Innate Immunity and Risk of Infections in Children with Moderate Acute Malnutrition

Role: Co-investigator

Dr. Bhavna Chohan received her PhD in Virology (2007) from University of Washington and Masters in Applied Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom. She has been actively involved with HIV/STD research since 1993, serving as Research Laboratory Manager and from 2013 as Laboratory Director for HIV/STD collaborative research projects with Universities of Washington and Nairobi in Kenya.

She joined KEMRI as a senior research scientist in 2013, when she was awarded a 4-year Global Research for Initiative Program funding award from NIH, as a Principal Investigator examining ‘Source and properties of early transmitted HIV variants in HIV discordant couples’.

Dr. Chohan’s laboratory research work has been focused on HIV transmission and prevention of mother-to-child HIV studies.

She has actively participated in the Partners Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention studies and a co-investigator for many of the NIH funded studies on PrEP research work being conducted in Thika.

More recently, her work has greatly focused on Antiretroviral (ARV) drug resistance testing and monitoring treatment in HIV infected individuals. In 2016, she together with her colleagues were awarded a KEMRI-IRG 2 year inter-center funding grant to lead a study as a Principal Investigator for ‘Establishing cost-effective methods to monitor ARV adherence in HIV infected individuals on treatment’. With her expertise and knowledge, Dr.Chohan also provides consultation to Technical Working Groups at NASCOP on HIV Treatment Failure and involved in national program for implementing ‘Birth testing for early infant diagnosis’ for infants born to HIV-infected mothers. She is currently actively involved in the national PrEP roll-out with NASCOP in the country, where her work focuses on examining frequency of drug resistance in HIV seroconvertors in the program.

In 2016, she was a beneficiary of a capacity building from the Swedish Research Council through Karolinska Institute, Sweden. As the local lead PI for this grant she has managed to conduct a Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP) certificate training for 42 research scientists at KEMRI and also coordinate a training on ‘Introduction to Data Analysis and Data Presentation for Laboratory scientists’.

Dr.Chohan has extensively presented her research studies in both local and international meetings and published her research in international peer-reviewed journals. Currently she has around 50 publications for her research studies, which she has either authored as the first author or co-authored.

Her broad goals are to able establish and implement quality research on HIV transmission studies to improve health outcomes in Kenya and build a resource of well-trained and qualified scientists in the country.

1. 1. Mary Inziani Matilu: “Dengue Fever in Kenya”. Newsletter of the African Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases, 3rd Edition January 2015, P11-12
   2. David I Ojakaa, Jordan D Jarvis, Mary I Matilu and Sylla Thiam: “Acceptance of a malaria vaccine by caregivers of sick children in Kenya”. Malaria Journal 2014, 13:172 doi:10.1186/1475-2875-13-172. Published: 5May 2014. URL: http://www.malariajournal.com/content/13/1/172
   3. Mary Inziani, et al, “Seroprevalence of Chikungunya Virus in children at the Alupe District Hospital in Western Kenya”. The 3rd KEMRI Annual Scientific and Health (KASH) Conference in Nairobi Kenya, 7th¬February 2013. (Abstract and oral presentation).
   4. Mary Inziani, et al, “Exposure To Arboviruses Is Common In Children In Alupe, Western Kenya”. 2011. Abstract No. 4. African Journal of Health Sciences.
   5. Mary Inziani, Francis Onyango, Elizabeth Obimbo, Masaaki Shimada, Kouichi Morita, Toru Kubo, Shingo Inoue and Matilu Mwau. Exposure to Arboviruses is Common in Children in Alupe, Western Kenya. The 1stMedical and Veterinary Viral Research Symposium in Kenya (MVVR-K1), 8th – 9th September 2011, Silver Springs Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya. (Poster presentation).
   6. Thesis: Mary Inziani M. Matilu. Seroprevalence of Chikungunya, Yellow fever and West Nile Viruses in Children at the Alupe District Hospital in Western Kenya. 2010 – 2011: University of Nairobi.
   7. Thesis: Mary Inziani M. Matilu. Development of Reverse Transcription Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assays for Sindbis and Ross River Viruses. 2008 – 2009: Nagasaki University, Japan.

Research Grants/Current/Previous last three (3) years.

1. 1. Sponsor: NIH/UW Recipient of grant: Prof. C. Farquhar/M. Inziani Dates: 2015 – 2017
   2. Screening for non communicable disease risk factors by Community Health Workers and Effects of SMS technology and written instructions on utilization of healthcare services for hypertension post screening

Role: Principal Investigator

Sponsor: KEMRI IRG Recipient of grant: Dr. Simon Njenga Dates: 2015 – 2018 <

1. 1. The Double Burden Of Malnutrition: Prevalence, Associated Risk Factors and the Impact of Multiple Micronutrient Supplementations in Children 3 -10 Years Old in Selected Regions in Kenya. Role: Co-Investigator

Sponsor: UTMB Recipient of grant: Prof. P. Melby/ P. Otieno Dates: 2014 – 2016 <

1. 1. Deficits in Innate Immunity and Risk of Infections in Children with Moderate Acute Malnutrition

Role: Co-investigator

Rency is a Masters in Science in Molecular Medicine student at the Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology. She received her Bachelors degree in Biomedical sciences and Technology from Maseno University. ,

Professional/Research experience Summary Rency is a Biomedical research professional with high interest in virological research (currently involved in HIV research) and in areas that lead to innovation. She has hands on experience and extensive knowledge and skills in molecular biology techniques and immunology, Personal dedication to excellence, values team work, good verbal & written communication skills.

1. 1. Co-investigator (May 2014 – May 2016): In-vitro analysis of candidate anti-HIV compounds project: This was a study in KEMRI CVR,HIV department (BSL3 Laboratory) and part of it in University of Manitoba, Canada. It was based on phenotypic assay and involved growing HIV in culture media and testing the anti-HIV activity of several drugs on the HIV infected cells.
   2. Principal Investigator (2012-2014): Molecular characterization of HIV drug resistance mutations among HIV positive children in Busia district hospital: This was a retrospective study to determine the HIV-1 drug resistant mutations in the children and to characterize the HIV-1 subtypes circulating in this population
   3. Co-investigator (2011 – 2012): Development and optimization of locally produced nucleic acid extraction kit. This was a research study conducted in the KEMRI production department aims to produce DNA/RNA extraction kits that can be available locally and that can be cost effective
   4. 2008–2010: Early Infant Diagnosis of HIV. This was a program that involved testing of HIV status in HIV exposed infants by PCR. Other responsibilities
   5. Involved in preparation ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 15189:2012 certification process. Trainer in Biosecurity Biorisk management

• University of Nairobi. Nairobi. Thesis research area; Trends in Chloroquine and Pyrimethamine- Sulfadodine resistance markers.(Graduated 2006),
• PhD Candidate in Molecular Medicine (Virology) at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases (ITROMID). Research area; Genetic Characterization of Paramyxoviruses using next generation sequencing technologies and antigenic variability studies using mouse models., (2013-Ongoing)

1. 1. 1. 2014 Jan- Date: Research Officer, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Centre for Virus Research, WHO National/Inter Country Reference Laboratory.
      2. Main Duties: Technical supervision & Overall Scientific oversight involving Laboratory Quality Assurance in the EPI Laboratory whose research focuses on Vaccine preventable diseases Current Running EPI Projects;
      3. Detection and Molecular characterization of Polioviruses from Acute Flaccid Paralysis patients suspected of having Poliovirus.
      4. Detection and Characterization of enteroviruses form waste water (Sewage) collected from main towns in Kenya.
      5. Serological detection and Molecular characterization of Measles and Rubella
      6. Serological and Molecular characterization of Mumps Viruses in Kenya.
      7. Application of an innovative and low-cost technology of digital microfluids (DMF)-powered immunoassay for the detection of measles and rubella infection and immunity among displaced populations in emergency settings
      8. Evaluation of a Bag Mediated Filtration System (BMFS) device for surveillance of viruses in Waste Water.
      9. Birth Defects and Surveillance of Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) Among Infants at Selected Hospitals in Kenya

      2003-2013: Research Officer, US Army Medical Research Unit –Kenya. Worked with the US Army Medical Research Unit-Kenya (USAMRU-K)-Walter Reed Project as a research Officer. I was actively involved in the following Infectious Diseases research projects;

      1. 1. Respiratory Viruses Research: Molecular Surveillance of Respiratory Viruses, especially that causes Influenza and Influenza-like –illnesses.
         2. Microbiology research: Molecular and Biochemical Analyses of bacterial and viral enteric pathogens:
         3. Malaria Molecular Surveillance and drug susceptibility study: Molecular Surveillance of Malaria drug resistance/ Susceptibility Chloroquine and Sulfadoxine/Pyrimethamine Markers in Kenya.
         4. Molecular Protozoology basic research studies. Leishmaniasis basic science; research involving gene knock out experiments/RNAi interference

      Research Grants/Current/Previous last three (3) years.

      1. 1. KEMRI/IRG/162/6: KEMRI Internal Research Grants 2015/2016, awarded Ksh. 1,000,000 to support research entitled “Genetic diversity and molecular characterizatioj of enteroviruses from sewage in Kenya 2013-2016” (Principal Investigator)
         2. NACOSTI/RCD/5TH CALL/PHD/113 2014/2015 Awarded Ksh 1,088,400 for the project “Genetic and antigeni variability of Human Metapneumoviruses in Kenya” (Principal Investigator)

1. Kiarie MW, Nzau AM, Ngumbi PM, Waithima A, Bowen MK, Nzunza RM, Ingonga JM, Ngure PK. A Descriptive Survey on Knowledge, Attitude, Practices and Beliefs (KAPBs) on Kala-azar among the Residents of Marigat Sub-County, Baringo County. Int J Trop Med Public Health. 2016; 6(2): 1-5.
2. Nzunza RM, Wurapa E, Kariuki N, Chek J, Ongus J, Bulimo W. (2013). Epidemiological and clinical description of human metapneumovirus infectious diseases in Mbagathi District Hospital, Kenya, in 2008. In Options for the Control of Influenza VIII. Cape Town, South Africa
3. Rosemary Nzunza, Rachel Achilla, David Schnabel, Janet Majanja, Meshack Wadegu, Silvanos Mukunzi, Finley Osuna, James Njiiri, Benjamin Opot (2011). The Etiology of Influenza and Influenza-like illnesses in Kenya 2007-2010. Am J Trop Med Hyg, 85:451-A-516
4. Nzunza, R., Waters, N.C. (2008). A comparison of the chloroquine and sulfadoxine/ pyrimethamine molecular resistance marker

• Academic and professional qualifications
 MSc. Immunology, PhD Virology
• Professional/work /research experience
 Has previously worked in MOH,Lab systems and diagnostics (5yrs)
 Currently involved in research since 2002 in the following focus areas: Application of molecular diagnostic tools in improvement of safety of blood for transfusion; Immunological assessments in HIV infections; Implementation science on diagnostic tools to enhance surveillance of viral co-morbidities in HIV pathogenesis
 Besides research engagements, Joseph had is a member of task force on quality improvement in HIV testing services (HTS) at the ministry of health, a member of National HIV testing Technical working group (TWG) at The National AIDS and STIs Control program (NASCOP) and a national trainer in HTS. A trainer also for International Biorisk Management and GCLP
 Policy: Has been involved in development of policy guidelines and curriculum development(at least 10 such documents)
 Research Interests: Diagnosis, surveillance and molecular epidemiology of HIV and viral Co-infections

Research Grants/Current/Previous last three 
A. Total war on AIDS Project Grant for implementation of Quality assurance and Quality Improvement in HIV Testing and Counselling (HTC) in selected Health Facilities in Kenya.
B. Internal Research Grant of Kenya Medical Research Institute for Molecular epidemiology of HIV and Co-infections.

State if PI/Co-Investigator/Support Staff
 Principal Investigator

1. Essentials of laboratory supervision in HIV&AIDS Programs 2017 (Draft) Mwangi Joseph et al.
2. Quality Management systems in HIV&AIDS; A Handbook for HTC programs in developing countries. Mwangi Joseph, Joyceline Kinyua, Nancy Lagat, Muriuki Joseph, Emma Mwangi, Angella Silla, Peter Maingi , Carol Mbeyu, 2014.
3. Integrated National External Quality Assessment Strategy for Laboratory Services in Kenya, MOH/NPHL 2015.
4. Framework for the development of HIV related point of care testing policy for implementation and quality assurance, MOH/NPHL 2015
5. Hepatitis C Virus Genotypes in Kenya. MWANGI Joseph, Zipporah NGANGA, Solomon MPOKE, Raphael LIHANA^, Joyceline KINYUA, Nancy LAGAT, Joseph MURIUKI, Rency Lel, Sheila KAGEHA, Saida OSMAN, and Hiroshi ICHIMURA, Arch Virol. (2016) 161:95–101. DOI1007/s00705-015-2623-8
6. Switch from 200 to 350 CD4 baseline count: what it means to HIV care and treatment programs in Kenya. Mwangi Joseph, Zipporah Ngángá, Raphael Lihana, Nancy Lagat, Joyceline Kinyua et al. The Pan African Medical Journal. July 2012; 12:80.

Academic qualifications
Rency is a Masters in Science in Molecular Medicine student at the Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology. She received her Bachelors degree in Biomedical sciences and Technology from Maseno University.
Professional/Research experience
Summary
Rency is a Biomedical research professional with high interest in virological research (currently involved in HIV research) and in areas that lead to innovation. She has hands on experience and extensive knowledge and skills in molecular biology techniques and immunology, Personal dedication to excellence, values team work, good verbal & written communication skills.

Research Experience
Co-investigator (May 2014 – May 2016): In-vitro analysis of candidate anti-HIV compounds project: This was a study in KEMRI CVR,HIV department (BSL3 Laboratory) and part of it in University of Manitoba, Canada. It was based on phenotypic assay and involved growing HIV in culture media and testing the anti-HIV activity of several drugs on the HIV infected cells.
Principal Investigator (2012-2014): Molecular characterization of HIV drug resistance mutations among HIV positive children in Busia district hospital: This was a retrospective study to determine the HIV-1 drug resistant mutations in the children and to characterize the HIV-1 subtypes circulating in this population
Co-investigator (2011 – 2012): Development and optimization of locally produced nucleic acid extraction kit. This was a research study conducted in the KEMRI production department aims to produce DNA/RNA extraction kits that can be available locally and that can be cost effective
2008–2010: Early Infant Diagnosis of HIV. This was a program that involved testing of HIV status in HIV exposed infants by PCR.
Other responsibilities
Involved in preparation ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 15189:2012 certification process.
Trainer in Biosecurity Biorisk management

Research Grant

Co-investigator in a KEMRI 2016/2017 IRG grant :
Raphael Lihana ,Dama Olungae ,Vincent Okoth ,Joyceline Kinyua ,Sheila Kageha ,Rency Lel and Joseph Mwangi Evaluating the implementation of Kenya education sector HIV&AIDS Policy and its effects on School-going adolescents

Selected Publications:

Mwangi J, Nganga Z, Mpoke S, Lihana R, Kinyua J, Lagat N, Muriuki J, Lel R, Kageha S, Osman S, Ichimura H.(2016). Hepatitis C virus genotypes in Kenya. Archives of Virology. Jan;161(1):95-101.
Lel Rency, Ngaira Jane, Lihana Raphael, Khamadi Samoel. (2014) HIV-1 drug resistance mutations among infants born to HIV-positive mothers in Busia, Kenya. AIDS research and human retroviruses, 2014. Dec;30(12):1236-8.
Abstract/Conference paper
Lel Rency, Ngaira Jane, Lihana Raphael, Khamadi Samoel. Molecular characterization of HIV drug resistance mutations among HIV positive children in Busia district hospital. The 4th KEMRI Annual Scientific and Health Conference, 5th – 7th, 2014, Nairobi Kenya.

1. Essentials of laboratory supervision in HIV&AIDS Programs 2017 (Draft) Mwangi Joseph et al.
2. Quality Management systems in HIV&AIDS; A Handbook for HTC programs in developing countries. Mwangi Joseph, Joyceline Kinyua, Nancy Lagat, Muriuki Joseph, Emma Mwangi, Angella Silla, Peter Maingi , Carol Mbeyu, 2014.
3. Integrated National External Quality Assessment Strategy for Laboratory Services in Kenya, MOH/NPHL 2015.
4. Framework for the development of HIV related point of care testing policy for implementation and quality assurance, MOH/NPHL 2015
5. Hepatitis C Virus Genotypes in Kenya. MWANGI Joseph, Zipporah NGANGA, Solomon MPOKE, Raphael LIHANA^, Joyceline KINYUA, Nancy LAGAT, Joseph MURIUKI, Rency Lel, Sheila KAGEHA, Saida OSMAN, and Hiroshi ICHIMURA, Arch Virol. (2016) 161:95–101. DOI1007/s00705-015-2623-8
6. Switch from 200 to 350 CD4 baseline count: what it means to HIV care and treatment programs in Kenya. Mwangi Joseph, Zipporah Ngángá, Raphael Lihana, Nancy Lagat, Joyceline Kinyua et al. The Pan African Medical Journal. July 2012; 12:80.