Kenya Research Station
The Kenya Research Station was established in September 2005 at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) in Nairobi, Kenya, with the aim of conducting research and training in tropical medicine in the 4 field stations (Kwale, Mbita, Kisian, Nairobi-Hub). In FY2022, the station's laboratory was significantly upgraded with newly installed research equipment. From FY2022 to FY2024, the Station has supported the JICA technical cooperation project aimed at strengthening the research capacity of KEMRI which focused on (1) OMICS trainings for young researchers and (2) capacity development of Research Assistant(RA), and (3) e-learning system development.
Members
- Leader and Professor
- Shingo Inoue
- Associate Professor
- Nobuo Saito
- Associate Professor
- Raita Tamaki
- Assistant Professor
- Kwallah Allan Biwott ole
- Assistant Professor
- Luvai Elizabeth Ajema Chebichi
- Assistant Professor
- Mayu Hikone
- Research Fellow
- Kazuchiyo Miyamichi
- Assistant
- Ryuji Yoshino (Kenya)
- Assistant
- Yoko Mbugua (Kenya)
- Coordinater
- Takeshi Sato (Kenya)
- Coordinater
- Shiho Hara (Kenya)
- Assistant
- Kumiko Kitaura
- Assistant
- Kaori Mori
Activities
- Research activities:
Major research projects have been conducted based on the station, including the SATREPS project (2012-2017), which aims to develop rapid diagnostic methods and establish an alert system for yellow fever and Rift Valley fever, and the JST/AMED project (2009-2019), which aims to develop multiple serological diagnostics for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). From FY2023, the new SATREPS project "Integrated Research and Development for the Control and Elimination of Schistosomiasis" (PI: Prof. Shinjiro Hamano) will be launched for five years. From 2020 to 2023, as an Asia-Africa Science Platforms of Core-to-Core Program supported by JSPS, the station conducted research activities for the formation of IoT academic centers that contribute to the improvement and enhancement of global health.
To strengthen clinical epidemiological researches, two researchers (Drs. Saito and Hikone) has been dispatched from 2024, and research on tuberculosis and rabies has been started. In addition, the Kenya Research Station is actively conducting Using JSPS Grants-in-Aid for scientific research (KAKENHI) and AMED research grant for TB research in Kenya as a "Research Project for Promoting the Resolution of Global Health Issues," and another AMED research grant for Rabies research in Zambia as a "Basic Research on Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases Using Overseas Bases". Additionally, various research funds from private companies and foundations (Shionogi, Oyama Foundation, MSD Life Science Foundation). - Education and training activities:
The Station fully cooperates with the JSPS Inter-University Exchange Program "Planetary Health Africa-Japan Strategic and Collaborative Education (PHASE) Program," operated by the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences has been conducted from FY 2020 to FY 2024 and supports student exchange between four educational institutions in Kenya and Nagasaki University. Since FY 2022, Kenya Research Station is supporting advanced clinical training for sixth-year medical students at Kenyatta National Hospital. - Social contribution activities:
The station continues to operate the JICA Grassroots Technical Cooperation Project (Tungiasis Control Project) within Kenya.
Recent main research achievement
- Hitachi et al. Trop Med Health 2025; 53: 1-9.
- Wandera et al. Vaccine 2024; 42: 1-7.
- Huang et al. Trop Med Health 2024; 13: 1-12.
- Cheruiyot et al. Trop Med Health 2024; 52: 1-11.
- Suzuki et al. Trop Med Health 2024; 52: 1-12.