Dr Sophie Uyoga
Contact information
Research groups
Sophie Uyoga
Research scientist
Sophie trained as a biochemist in Kenya then specialized in Immunology and later obtained a PhD from the University of Heidelberg. Sophie has great interest in understanding how human genetics influences susceptibility to severe malaria. Her work focuses on red blood cell genetic polymorphisms namely hemoglobin S, alpha thalassemia, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and blood group antigens and also explores the effect of co-inheritance on protection afforded against severe malaria and other infectious diseases.
A Mid-Career research fellowship awarded by the Initiative to Develop African Research Leaders (IDeAL) has enabled Sophie to pursue another area of interest. She will be investigating the mechanisms behind the development and treatment of severe anemia with focus on the quality of donor blood on recovery from severe anemia and survival post-transfusion. She envisions that the study findings will inform future strategies to ensure efficient provision of services by blood transfusion services and policy makers in Africa.
Key publications
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Haematological quality and age of donor blood issued for paediatric transfusion to four hospitals in sub-Saharan Africa.
Uyoga S. et al, (2019), Vox sanguinis, 114, 340 - 348
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The indirect health effects of malaria estimated from health advantages of the sickle cell trait.
Uyoga S. et al, (2019), Nature communications, 10
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Human candidate gene polymorphisms and risk of severe malaria in children in Kilifi, Kenya: a case-control association study
Ndila CM. et al, (2018), The Lancet Haematology, 5, e333 - e345
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Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and the risk of malaria and other diseases in children in Kenya: a case-control and a cohort study
Uyoga S. et al, (2015), The Lancet Haematology, 2, e437 - e444
Recent publications
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Risk of pneumococcal bacteremia in Kenyan children with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency
Gilchrist JJ. et al, (2020), BMC Medicine, 18
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Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in Kenyan blood donors.
Uyoga S. et al, (2020), Science (New York, N.Y.)
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The clinical spectrum of severe childhood malaria in Eastern Uganda.
Olupot-Olupot P. et al, (2020), Malaria journal, 19
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Plasma Plasmodium falciparum Histidine-Rich Protein-2 concentrations in children with malaria infections of differing severity in Kilifi, Kenya.
Uyoga S. et al, (2020), Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
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β-Thalassemia pathogenic variants in a cohort of children from the East African coast.
Macharia AW. et al, (2020), Molecular genetics & genomic medicine, 8