George Githinji
Postdoctoral research scientist
I hold a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science and technology and a PhD from the Open University (UK) in collaboration with KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme. During my PhD programme, I investigated the extent of sequence and epitope diversity from a short region of the PfEMP1 molecule that is associated with characteristic expression patterns in severe and non-severe malaria cases. Thereafter I joined the Virus Epidemiology and Control Group lead by Prof James Nokes as an early career postdoctoral fellow with funding support from IDeAL. At VEC group, I utilise computational approaches to study RSV virus diversity and transmission patterns during outbreaks. I am interested in virus epidemiology, transmission and evolution and in developing computational methods for processing large-scale genomic data and exploring biological sequence diversity.
Recent publications
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Where do those data go? Reuse of screening results from clinical trials to estimate population prevalence of HBV infection in adults in Kilifi, Kenya.
Journal article
Downs LO. et al, (2023), J Virus Erad, 9
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New SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant with Spike Protein Mutation Y451H, Kilifi, Kenya, March-May 2023.
Journal article
Mwanga MJ. et al, (2023), Emerg Infect Dis, 29, 2376 - 2379
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Symptom prevalence and secondary attack rate of SARS-CoV-2 in rural Kenyan households: A prospective cohort study.
Journal article
Gallagher KE. et al, (2023), Influenza Other Respir Viruses, 17
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Temporal distribution and clinical characteristics of the Alpha, Delta and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in Laikipia, Kenya: institutional and community-based genomic surveillance
Preprint
W. Lambisia A. et al, (2023)
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A pan-African pathogen genomics data sharing platform to support disease outbreaks.
Journal article
Christoffels A. et al, (2023), Nat Med, 29, 1052 - 1055