Kenya KWTRP Major Overseas Programme (360G-Wellcome-203077_Z_16_Z)

Our application provides the platform for a uniquely inter-disciplinary scientific programme linking biomedical, social and health systems research to deliver scientific insights of global importance to human health. We will work based from Kenya (Kilifi and Nairobi) and Eastern Uganda (Mbale). The Kilifi Programme will tighten its focus on our integrated platform (i.e. linked hospital/demographic/molecular surveillance) and legacy of continuous epidemiological data and stored samples over 25 years. Work in Mbale will consolidate a leading centre of clinical investigation in an area of hyper- endemic malaria transmission, and the Nairobi Programme will increase its independence with a focus on international disease mapping and health systems. Our major scientific themes include vaccines (including pre and post-licensing studies with exploratory immunology and epidemiological components), genomics and infectious disease transmission, clinical research (focusing on multi- centre clinical trials and the pathophysiology of critical illness with a developing programme on neonatal and maternal health), public health (with an emphasis on spatio-temporal analyses) and health systems research. The Programme is delivered by 29 PIs (i.e. scientists with independent funding). Training is central to our vision, and additional awards support 18 post- doctoral scientists and a projected 50 PhD students during the next 5 years.