Partial Masters Studentships

KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) is offering sponsored opportunities for talented masters' students to undertake their research projects at the Programmes’ facilities in Nairobi or Kilifi, Kenya. The placement will provide opportunities for recipients to carry out their projects within a high-quality research environment and under the supervision and mentorship of internationally renowned KWTRP scientists. Interested applicants must be registered at a local university in Kenya and will be offered (if successful) a stipend for up to 12 months.

AVAILABLE RESEARCH PROJECT

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF RESEARCH PROJECT 1

Investigating Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte carriage in pregnant women under intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine

During pregnancy, malaria can have serious consequences for both the mother and the unborn baby. It increases the risk of maternal anaemia, low birth weight, and prematurity. In areas where malaria is regularly transmitted, adults, including pregnant women, can develop immunity to malaria, which helps them control the infection but not clear it entirely. Three strategies are used to combat malaria during pregnancy: intermittent preventive treatment during pregnancy (IPTp), insecticide-treated bed nets, and prompt diagnosis and effective treatment. Early trials conducted between 1998 and 2008 showed significant reductions in maternal anaemia and low birthweight when two doses of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) were given in the second and third trimesters of the first and second pregnancies.

Further subsequent trials indicated that administering three or more doses of IPTp-SP was associated with reduced placental malaria, increased mean birth weight, and fewer low birthweight births compared to only two doses. As a result, in 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that two doses of SP should be administered during antenatal care visits from the second trimester. WHO revised this policy in 2012 to specify that 'IPTp-SP is recommended for all pregnant women at each scheduled antenatal care visit in areas with moderate-to-high malaria transmission.' However, the effectiveness of IPTp-SP is threatened by increasing levels of parasite resistance to SP in several African countries. Although resistance to SP reduces the effectiveness of IPTp, beneficial associations between the use of IPTp-SP and low birthweight are still observed in areas where parasites with SP mutations are prevalent. IPTp-SP also appears to protect against malaria as well as other non-malarial causes of low birth weight, such as sexually transmitted infections. However, the use of SP, whether for curative or preventive treatment, is associated with microscopic and sub-microscopic gametocytemia, which contributes to sustained malaria transmission.

Question(s) to be addressed by the student.

What is the prevalence of Pf gametocyte carriage in pregnant women under IPTp-SP in Kilifi?
What is the relationship between IPTp-SP doses and the frequency of SP-resistant parasites?
What is the level of SP resistance in pregnant women under IPTp-SP?

Required skills

Candidate should be able to analyse data using statistical software like STATA or R Studio.
Understanding laboratory assays such as PCR and sequencing and being able to perform these assays independently

ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must already be registered for a particular Masters' programme and have completed all taught modules - including passing all exams. Applicants must have scored a B+ and above in their KSCE and attained at least an upper 2nd class degree or its equivalent in the respective undergraduate degree programme.

Applicants who have already started another masters' research project and done more than a quarter of the proposed research work will not be considered.
For undergraduate degrees that are not classified, ensure your average score through the four/three years is above 60 (GPA above 3.3). Provide certified proof of the same from your University.

SELECTION

Studentships are awarded competitively through shortlisting of online applications and subsequent interviews. Before starting respective research projects, successful applicants are expected to submit evidence of strong support from their registering university and current university supervisors (main supervisor). This should be in the form of a certified written letter. In addition to their university supervisors, successful applicants are allocated KWTRP-based supervisors according to their preferred projects – and as indicated in their application forms.

STARTING DATE

Studentships will start as soon as possible.

APPLICATION PROCESS

You can apply for two positions in one application by applying for the position you're mostly interested in (1st preference) and then specify a 2nd preference when completing your application. Note that this is only applicable when there is more than one studentship position advertised.

Click on the title of a position you're interested in to see the full description of the post.
A link to apply will be available at the bottom of the page.
Click on the submit application link and complete the resulting form. You’ll be required first to create an account and update your profile – then apply for the preferred position.