Dr. Sam Kinyanjui in a past event receiving the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Chalmers Medal (2019) Dr. Samson Kinyanjui, the Head of Training at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) - Wellcome Trust Research Programme will be joining the Oxford University in England as an Associate Professor. In his position at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme which he has held since 2008, Kinyanjui was responsible for the growth and development of hundreds of young African scientists.
According to him this is a big milestone and it shows continued collaboration between KEMRI and Oxford University.
“My appointment as an associate professor at the oxford university is more of a promotion. KEMRI has been having a long-term partnership with Oxford University and the Welcome trust of UK. Some of my colleagues have also been appointed and this shows growth in the partnership,” he stated.
Speaking to Standard Media in regards to research capacity in Kenya and Africa, he noted that the biggest challenges of research in Africa is a low research capacity which means that we are dependent on other developed countries.
“I hope that Covid-19 is a wake-up call. Just like an army, you prepare it over time, you fund it even when there is no war. You set them ready and remind them every now and then of the possibility of the worst. The same logic should apply to research, you do not know when a pandemic like such could occur,” he said.
He further added that,It would be nice to appreciate the researchers in the country and applaud the efforts they are putting in.
In 2019, Kinyanjui was one of two scientists who were awarded medals by the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene at the 2019 European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health.
Kinyanjui's research career began in 1994 at the Wellcome Trust Labs in Nairobi where he undertook malaria pharmacology studies.
Photo courtesy / Google
Article by Jedidah Mwangi
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