Asiko Ongaya

Asiko Ongaya is formally trained as a medical laboratory scientist (BSc) and Mycobacteriologist (MSc) and currently pursuing a PhD in Microbiology from Jomo Kenyatta University of science and technology in collaboration with Institute of Tropical medicine and infectious (ITROMID) and Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI).

She currently a Senior Research Scientist based at the Centre for Respiratory Disease Research (CRDR), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). Her research work as a principle Investigator, co-investigator or author of various publications includes New tuberculosis (TB) diagnostics, immunology of TB/HIV, TB epidemiology, TB drug resistance (MDR-TB, XDR-TB) studies, TB case finding studies, COVID-19 epidemiology among others. Her main area of research interest includes general Microbiology, TB/HIV co-infection, TB diagnosis, TB drug development and vaccinology, Immunology of TB and HIV and COVID-19 research.

Asiko is also currently working with St Andrews Africa Research (StAAHR) in a collaborative study to establish Tuberculosis Molecular Bacterial Load Assay (TB-MBLA) at KEMRI and Kenya which is a capacity building study. The Molecular bacterial load assay provides a simple molecular approach to quantify and determine the viability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis samples.