John Muriuki

John’s current research interest is in understanding the complex relationship between micronutrient deficiencies and childhood health outcomes. He is applying genomic approaches to determine causality and mechanisms.

John’s previous research showed that iron deficiency is underestimated in African children, affecting one in two children. He also showed that malaria is an important cause of iron deficiency in African children such that interventions that control malaria (and other infections) would effectively manage iron deficiency.

John has also conducted the first genome-wide association study of iron status in African children and found novel African-specific mutations that influence iron status and risk of infections such as malaria and bacteremia. John plans to expand his work to include other micronutrients and epigenetic analyses.

Iron and life-threatening infections

There is a complex relationship between iron deficiency and infection, particularly in iron-deficient children, as pathogens also require iron. Innovative randomisation studies suggest that infections - such as malaria - can cause iron deficiency. Novel African-specific genetic variants are associated with iron status, shedding light on the genetic basis of iron deficiency and infection susceptibility.