Preliminary Speakers
Kevin Marsh
Kevin Marsh is a malariologist and global health researcher who has spent over 30 years living and working in Africa. His major research interests focus on immunity to and pathogenesis of malaria. In 1989 established with colleagues a series of research projects at Kilifi with a long term aim of developing the capacity for high quality multidisciplinary research. The KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme has subsequently developed into an international programme with around 800 staff working across a number of countries in east Africa of which he was director until August 2014.
From 2014, he led the development of the concept for a major new platform, the Alliance for the Acceleration of Science in Africa (AESA) which in 2022 transitioned to a free standing Pan African Organisation, The Science for Africa Foundation (SFA), of which he is a founding director. He was chair of the WHO Malaria Policy Advisory Committee from 2012-2019 and is a member of many international advisory committees relating to malaria and to global health research. In 2016 he led the establishment of the Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx) a cross disciplinary platform to build equitable links with African researchers, of which he is now co director.
Melissa Kapulu
Melissa Kapulu is an Associate Professor and Principal Research Investigator at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme. Her main research interests focus on the use of controlled human infection models, vaccine development and deployment, and infectious diseases. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and Genetics at the University of Zambia, Master of Science in Immunology of Infectious Diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and earned a DPhil at the University of Oxford on preclinical development of malaria transmission-blocking vaccines. She joined the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme in Kilifi as a postdoctoral researcher, where she subsequently led the creation of the largest single-site Plasmodium falciparum controlled human malaria infection study involving 161 volunteers. Since 2020, she has led internationally funded research that expands this platform to include enteric pathogens, using the Shigella sonnei model. Her work aims to understand naturally acquired immunity to inform vaccine design in endemic areas. She serves on various scientific boards and committees and was recently awarded the Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellowship in recognition of her contributions to science and leadership in Africa.
Dr Thomas Kariuki
Thomas Kariuki is Founding Director and Chief Executive Officer for the Science for Africa Foundation, established in 2021 to support, strengthen and promote science and innovation in Africa. A long-time advocate involved in the global effort to develop vaccines, drugs and diagnostics for poverty related diseases, Kariuki is a prolific science leader whose experience in science diplomacy has enabled the mobilisation of support and hundreds of millions in USD funding from global funders and African governments for science and innovation in Africa. Through his leadership, Kariuki is driving the SFA Foundation to establish global strategic partnerships and build a sustainable pan-African science funding organisation that contributes to the growth of science and innovation in Africa.
He is a recipient of various national and international awards including the Presidential honour of the Order of Grand Warrior of Kenya (OGW) for scientific leadership and public service, is a fellow of the African Academy of Sciences (FAAS) and an Honorary Professor of Research of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, LSTM. He has served on many global boards and committees of Africa-wide professional networks including the Federation of African Immunological Societies (FAIS), CEPI, the World Health Organization and others.
