•DNDi, a not-for-profit medical research organisation that discovers, develops, and delivers safe, effective, and affordable treatments for neglected people
•The organisation nis developing medicines for sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, river blindness among others
Image: HANDOUT
Former Acting Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) Ag Director General Prof Samuel Kariuki has been appointed the director Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) Eastern Africa.
Kariuki, who was Kemri’s Director of Research Capacity Building before being appointed as acting DG, was replaced by the current Ag Prof Elijah Songok on March 4 2023 in changes that took place at the institute.
Kemri is a founding partner of DNDi, a not-for-profit medical research organisation that discovers, develops, and delivers safe, effective, and affordable treatments for neglected people.
The organisation is developing medicines for sleeping sickness, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, river blindness, mycetoma, dengue, paediatric HIV, advanced HIV disease, cryptococcal meningitis, and Hepatitis C.
Prof Kariuki succeeds Dr Monique Wasunna who steps down after 20 years of successfully heading DNDi Eastern Africa.
In a statement on Wednesday, DNDi welcomed the appointment saying Kariuki brings more than two decades of experience in medical research and development in fields including antimicrobial resistance, foodborne infections, and neglected tropical diseases.
In his acceptance speech, Kariuki appreciated the progress the region has made in combating neglected diseases.
He said the strides the region has made demonstrate Africa’s capacity to come up with homegrown solutions to its own problems.
“I am honoured to join DNDi Eastern Africa to help drive DNDi’s mission of bringing the best science for the most neglected,” Kariuki said.
“I look forward to continuing the legacy of researchers, health workers, and communities who have worked tirelessly with DNDi to develop new treatments for neglected diseases over the past 20 years."
Kariuki is a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences, an Honorary Faculty Member of the Wellcome Sanger Institute, a visiting Professor of Tropical Microbiology at Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, UK, and a member of the American Society for Microbiology.
He holds a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Master of Science in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of Nairobi and a PhD in Tropical Medicine from the University of Liverpool, UK.
In 2022, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in recognition of his contribution to research in tropical medicine.
Since its creation in 2003, DNDi has joined with public and private partners across the globe to deliver twelve new treatments hence saving millions of lives.