Lydia Maru

Lydia works with Kemri-Wellcome Trust Kilifi (CGMRC) and is actively involved in Clinical Trials at the unit in ensuring that protocols are well developed and implemented by adhering to the ethical and regulatory mandate of the country. Lydia is a Clinical Study Monitor from Kenya with a BSC in Nursing from Pwani University. Lydia has worked at the unit as a Research Nurse and Study Coordinator in various clinical trial landscapes She is currently involved in the Protocol Development team as a member of the Centre Communication Committee(CCC) that review Informed Consent Forms and is also a member of the Centre Scientific Committee. Post PGDip, Lydia hopes to further her research interest through a Masters with a focus on Clinical Trials as this will enhance her expertise in conducting and managing scientific research and ensuring that research done in the global south commits to research that will have solutions that have an impact in the region.

Evelyn Ng'andu

Evelyn Ng’andu is a Public Health Specialist with a Master of Public Health Degree from the University of Zambia’s’ School of Public Health. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies and Philosophy and applied ethics from the University of Zambia. She is pursuing a postgraduate diploma in Global Health Research. She is a Mastercard Foundation AfOx scholar. Evelyn’s research interests include Public health ethics, bioethics, specifically ethics of Human Infection Studies and Public Health research. Her other interest is in vaccinology as a science and its related ethics. Evelyn has received awards from Wellcome Trust Public Engagement award for developing an ethical and regulatory framework for conducting current and future controlled human infection challenge studies in Zambia. She has also received an award from the Royal Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and the National Institute for Health Research award-2020 to explore ‘Ethical dilemmas in times of COVID-19: Screening and tracing methods in the Zambian context’. She received a HIC-VAC Public Engagement Award 2020 to undertake a project titled ‘Building Trust in Human Infection Challenge Studies in Zambia through Engagement Workshops using Participatory Discovery and Creation Methods’. Evelyn is a member of professional networks, including the Global Health Network, BactiVac Network, HIC-VAC network, the Royal Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTHM) and the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH).

Melvin Agbogbatey

Dr. Melvin Agbogbatey is clinician researcher based in Ghana, and a Mastercard Foundation AfOx Scholar at the University of Oxford where he is taking the PGDip in Global Health Research. He is a graduate of the University of Ghana Medical School, a Community Health specialist with the West African College of Physicians, and a Master of Public Health graduate of the University of Ghana School of Public Health. Melvin is a 2018 WHO-TDR Scholar, a 2023 ISARIC clinical fellow, and a Global Assessor for the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Currently, he works as a research fellow with the Global Health and Infectious Disease Research Group at the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, in Ghana. He has contributed to research and policy with several international organizations and consortia including The Lancet One Health Commission, UNAIDS Ghana, The African Coalition for Epidemic Research Response and Training, and The Global Health Network.

Christine Mulowoza

Christine is a medical doctor with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from Kampala International University, Uganda. She has four (4) years in leading teams to respond to public health emergencies and design vaccine programs in Uganda. She currently works at the at the Ministry of Health (MOH), AIDS Control Program, Uganda where she coordinates the first national pediatric ART cohort, the Uganda Pediatric ART (UP-ART) Cohort. Before joining the MOH, she worked as a Program Coordinator at Vaccine Access Initiative and worked as a Front-line medical officer managing Covid-19 patients at the Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda. Dr Mulowoza’s research interest is in HIV/AIDS. Christine is a medical doctor with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from Kampala International University, Uganda. She has four (4) years in leading teams to respond to public health emergencies and design vaccine programs in Uganda. She currently works at the at the Ministry of Health (MOH), AIDS Control Program, Uganda where she coordinates the first national pediatric ART cohort, the Uganda Pediatric ART (UP-ART) Cohort. Before joining the MOH, she worked as a Program Coordinator at Vaccine Access Initiative and worked as a Front-line medical officer managing Covid-19 patients at the Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda. Dr Mulowoza’s research interest is in HIV/AIDS. Dr. Mulowoza is currently a 2023 enrolled for a Post Graduate Diploma in Global Health Research at the University of Oxford. She is a Mastercard Foundation AfOx Scholar and a member of the Oxford University Student Union.

Frangelo Conrad Tampus

Frangelo is a Pediatrician currently based in Manila, Philippines with an undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. His research experience has mainly been brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic where he started to get involved in evidence-based research, specifically by conducting systematic reviews and meta-analysis to come up with recommendations for his country’s clinical practice guidelines (COVID-19 and other health-related issues). He has also been a part of the development of a National Clinical Trial Center in his country wherein their team aims to support clinical researchers and trialists through various services in order to improve the research ecosystem in the Philippines. By taking up the PGDip in GHR, Frangelo hopes to become a well-rounded clinician-researcher that can bring about evidence-based solutions to various health problems that can be translated to improved health and quality of life of his fellow Filipinos.  

Keang Suy

Keang Suy is a pediatric clinical microbiologist/ infectious disease doctor at Angkor Hospital for Children, a non-governmental organization in Cambodia. After graduating from medical school in Phnom Penh in 2015, he joined a pediatric training program for 3 years before taking a subspecialty course in clinical microbiology and infectious disease for 4 years more at the Cambodia Oxford Research Unit. His main role is to take care of patients with infections in the ward and intensive care unit, consult on infection cases where diagnoses or managements are difficult, and provide AMR/IPC training to students and staff. In addition, he helps run surveillance such as hospital-acquired infections and invasive infections and actively involve in a few observational studies. He wants to become a leader in clinical health research in Cambodia and train the next generation of health professionals to do more research. His research interest focuses on children with infection, particularly bacterial infections and AMR.

Oneil Duncan

Originally from the Caribbean, I am a Doctor of Medicine student in the US, with a Master of Science degree in Nutrition, concentrated in Public and Community Health. To supplement my medical education, I am currently in a postgraduate program at the University of Oxford in Health Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine. This is to be better able to serve marginalized communities and lessen disadvantages among such groups. My mission is to help advocate for inclusivity in our healthcare system through medicine, health research, and nutrition, while finding ways to communicate in English or Castellano to avoid gaps in our approach to providing care on a global spectrum.

Senesie Sheriff

Senesie Sheriff is a dedicated public health professional. Graduating with honors in Public Health from Njala University in 2020, he began his career as a volunteer in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation in Kailahun District. There, he honed his skills in surveillance activities and received training in essential health information systems. In 2022, Senesie joined Welbodi Partnership as a District Research Officer, where he excelled in collecting clinical data and building strong relationships with healthcare professionals. He also secured funding for a Maternal Health Research Project in Kailahun District. Senesie's passion for research led him to further education, completing a course in Epidemiology for Global Health at the University of Washington and gaining acceptance into Oxford University's Postgraduate Diploma in Global Health Research program, supported by CRIBS scholarships. Beyond his career, Senesie finds inspiration in motivational speakers, wrestling, and music. He is deeply committed to serving his community and believes in uplifting others. Senesie embodies the essence of a compassionate leader, dedicated to making meaningful contributions to public health and society.

Godwin Pius Ohemu

Godwin Pius Ohemu, a Microbiology Technology graduate from the University of Port Harcourt, is a member of The Global Health Network Africa Regional team. He provides support to various Communities of Practice, including the Antimicrobial Resistance Knowledge Hub and the newly added COVID/Pathogen Variants initiative. His responsibilities encompass content curation, web design, meeting organization, and webinar facilitation, offering assistance to coordinators across diverse knowledge domains. Godwin is a 2022 Foundation Mérieux Fellow and an AMR Ambassador, dedicated to educating, raising awareness, and engaging stakeholders. His passion lies in advocating for AMR awareness and combatting antimicrobial misuse through stewardship, surveillance, and the One Health approach. Currently pursuing a Postgraduate Diploma in Global Health Research at Oxford and an MSc in Epidemiology at the University of Port Harcourt, Godwin also serves as the Lead Communication Instructor at Speak Perfect International, delivering Public Speaking training to participants from seven countries globally.

Ethel Kamuti-Kayamba

I am a Zambian Medical Doctor currently based at the Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) since September 2019. My primary career goals as an upcoming researcher are focused on clinical trials particularly those related to infectious diseases such as HIV, CoVID-19, sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis. I have 4 years’ experience in conducting 8 clinical trials, Network and non-network studies; focused on COVID-19, diarrhea in children under the age of five and HIV prevention. These past four years have exposed me not only to the challenges of working in low resource settings with vulnerable populations. African countries are usually left behind in regard to clinical trials and there is a clear gap in terms of knowledge and data available, I look forward to contributing to closing that gap while enhancing my knowledge and raising my standards of work in health research at local and global context.

 

Maryam Wakkaf

With over three years of experience in the humanitarian sector, Maryam Wakkaf is currently a Project Assistant at UNDP Syria, working on the Local Governance and Community Resilience Project. She holds a BSc in Pharmacy and is enrolled in a postgraduate diploma in Global Health Research at the University of Oxford. Maryam is also a member of the technical working group for the Global Health Network in the MENA region. Her work at UNDP focuses on development and local governance initiatives spanning various areas of intervention. In her role with the Global Health Network, she focuses on establishing partnerships in Syria to enhance health research, which she believes is fundamental to development. With a background in communication, Maryam strongly believes in the power of effective communication and promotion in both health and development. She is dedicated to contributing to the sustainable development of Syria through improved health research, effective communication, and community resilience initiatives.

Rahel Kesete Weldegergis

As a passionate optometrist with over five years of experience, Rahel Kesete Weldegergis is dedicated to providing exceptional vision care to her patients. Her journey began at Asmara College of Health Sciences, and after graduation, she started as a full optometrist in Eritrea for 18 months. For the past three years, she has been practicing in Ethiopia, expanding her skill set and addressing a wider range of eye care needs. Staying current with the latest advancements in optometry is crucial to Rahel, as it enables her to offer the best possible care to her patients. Rahel is also committed to ethical research practices, ensuring patient safety, and contributing valuable knowledge to the field. Outside of work, she enjoys balancing her professional dedication with personal pursuits. You can often find Rahel engrossed in a good book or on the basketball court, shooting hoops and enjoying a game. This balance fuels her passion for optometry and allows her to bring her best self to every patient interaction.