The KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme has appointed Professor Isabella Oyier as Deputy Director, Kilifi, and Professor Ambrose Agweyu as Deputy Director, Nairobi. Both researchers bring extensive experience in infectious disease research, clinical epidemiology and health systems strengthening, and will help guide the Programme\u2019s scientific leadership and strategic development.
Oxford University Clinical Research Unit Nepal established its Community Advisory Board in 2025, marking an important step in strengthening community engagement and ensuring that research is ethically grounded and socially responsive. The board provides independent, community-informed guidance to support the design and conduct of research, helping ensure that studies are inclusive, culturally appropriate, and aligned with the needs and perspectives of the communities they serve.
Mahidol University\u2019s Faculty of Tropical Medicine, the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), and the Thai Health Tech Association (THTA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration on health innovation, translational research, and capacity development, with the aim of advancing the translation of research into practical health technologies.
Our heartfelt congratulations to Charles N Agoti from KWTRP, to Cindy Chu, Liz Batty and Tom Peto from MORU, and to Marc Choisy from OUCRU who have been awarded Associate Professorships
A new approach to paediatric triage could prevent thousands of deaths and unnecessary referrals in resource-constrained and conflict-affected settings, say researchers in a study published on 29 April 2026 in Nature Medicine.
The 2025/26 IHTM cohort marked the end of final exams with a celebratory dinner at Oxford\u2019s Divinity School, thanked the tutors, administrators, alumni and supporters who helped them through the course, and looked ahead to their 8-week research placements around the world; the evening also recognised members of the teaching team with student awards.
OUCRU Indonesia co-designs Climate and Health Engagement Project named Panas, Polusi Udara, dan Perempuan Pekerja (Urban Island Heat, Air Polution and Women Workers) or (P4 project) which also become the first engagement specific collaborative study with women workers in Jakarta and fully funded by WHO.
MORU was well represented at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) 2026 conference, held from 17-21 April in Munich.
Millions of African children receive preventative antimalarial drugs during the yearly malaria \u2018high season\u2019, a strategy aimed at reducing the annual toll of 600,000 malaria deaths worldwide \u2013 most of these deaths are children in Sub-Saharan Africa. IDDO DPhil student Dhruv Darji is using the collective power of data to find ways to make this preventative treatment better, including understanding interactions with the many real-world factors that health policy makers grapple with.
Since 1995, the KEMRI\u2013Wellcome Trust Research Programme has quietly reshaped the global fight against malaria, not through a single breakthrough, but through a sustained commitment to evidence, context and people. Its work offers a powerful lesson: defeating malaria is not just about tools, but about understanding systems, adapting strategies and investing in local science. This is a thought leadership piece by Professor Isabella Oyier, Head of Bioscience, KEMRI-Wellcome
Simple improvements in housing can have a profound impact on public health in sub-Saharan Africa, say researchers who designed Star Home, a novel double-story house that provides an insect-proof, cleaner, cooler and smoke-free environment with reliable water and sanitation in Tanzania.
OUCRU, hosted by the Hospital for Tropical Diseases (HTD) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, has joined the World Health Organisation (WHO) Coronavirus Network (CoViNet), a global network to detect and monitor coronaviruses of public health importance.
Dr Nhat, a MODRA alumnus, has been awarded a Wellcome Sanger Fellowship. Reflecting on his journey, he highlights how mentorship, regional collaboration and focused training through MODRA helped shape a competitive research proposal and strengthen his direction as an independent researcher.
A new community-based mental health approach in Kenya draws on the Nyumba Kumi model, where trusted local elders support small household groups. Combining cultural practice with psychological research, the project aims to address limited access to care by enabling early intervention and prevention, empowering communities to take a leading role in improving mental well-being.
The study titled \u201cEvaluating Antimicrobial Stewardship strategies and capacity building through Participatory Action Research and a Network approach in Vietnam\u201d (60HN \u2013 ASPARNet) continues to implement key activities to promote AMS programmes across hospitals participating in the network.
The Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) Project is inviting global AMR stakeholders to attend its 27th and 29th April webinar, \u2018Information to action: Antimicrobial resistance insights for policy\u2019. Led by GRAM partners at IHME, the session will explore successful interventions to combat AMR, and conclude with a demonstration of data tools that may assist policymakers and researchers in quantifying the impact of interventions targeting AMR.
A BMJ Public Health review by IDDO researchers analysed 12 prognostic models for visceral leishmaniasis, identifying significant gaps and high risk of bias. Developed mainly in Brazil and East Africa, these models lack applicability in high-burden regions like the Indian subcontinent. The findings support improved model development and better-informed clinical decision-making.
Students travelled to the Houses of Parliament to present policy briefs to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases, covering five major global health issues including malaria control, funding pressures, PABS, and antimalarial resistance.
Tuberculous meningitis remains highly lethal despite standard treatment, and recent trials show current antibiotic and corticosteroid approaches are not good enough. A new international research programme, funded by Wellcome, aims to develop improved therapies by studying disease mechanisms, testing novel drugs and identifying biomarkers, aiming to guide safer, more effective treatment and reduce global deaths.
The EPInA project (Epilepsy Pathway Innovations in Africa) convened stakeholders in Nairobi to advance epilepsy care across Africa, supporting WHO\u2019s Intersectoral Global Action Plan framework. Through community engagement and digital innovation, the initiative improves diagnosis, treatment and stigma reduction. The meeting emphasised translating evidence into action, strengthening health systems, and expanding access to equitable neurological care.
![\"Ambrose](\"https://www.tropicalmedicine.ox.ac.uk/news/kemri-wellcome-appoints-professors-isabella-oyier-and-ambrose-agweyu-as-deputy-directors/responsive_image?ratio=r16x9&scale=w760\")
\n \n \n\n\n