# GH21-003, Advancing Public Health Research in Kenya

> **NIH ALLCDC U01** · WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $7,461,424

## Abstract

SUMMARY (ADMINISTRATIVE CORE)
Our Consortium consisting of Washington State University (WSU), the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), and
the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) proposes to support KEMRI to develop and manage a highly cost-effective
and sustainable KEMRI/CGHR Research Platform (KRP) in western Kenya (under “Category 1. Research Coordination and
Administration” of the administrative core). The platform includes the population-based health and demographic
surveillance systems, laboratories in Kisumu and Nairobi, clinical research centers in Kisumu, and offices and shared
services at the Kisian campus, Kisumu. Between 2014 and 2020, KRP’s day-to-day management was changed three times
to make it more efficient, transparent, affordable, and less contentious with KEMRI, CDC, and other partners. Currently,
the platform is managed by KEMRI, with CDC (through its partners) contributing financially together with the other
international partners who share the platform. WSU and LSTM have an excellent relationship with KEMRI and its partners
and many years of administrative and technical expertise in Kenya. Following extensive discussions and agreements
leading up to this joint application, WSU, LSTM, and KEMRI central leadership will support KEMRI/CGHR to implement a
management plan to strengthen the Center’s capacity to assume cost-effective and sustainable management of the
platform in support of their public health research in Kenya. This will include a phased introduction of financial and
administrative management systems, mutually agreed systems for cost-sharing across all national and international
partners sharing the facilities, close fiscal oversight by WSU, and mentorship and training. KEMRI has already taken critical
steps to streamline the platform’s management and strengthen its leadership, including the appointment of three senior
staff at KEMRI/CGHR, the revision of policies to enhance decision-making at the Center level, and commitment to providing
its share of financial support. It also includes the rolling out of an electronic system for the management of grant and
ethics applications. As part of “Category 2. Research Laboratory Administration”, we will maintain accreditation standards,
quality assurance processes, and integrated biosafety and biosecurity systems to support KEMRI state-of-the-art
laboratories. We will also introduce a laboratory information management system, including for effective management of
samples and associated data. The KEMRI laboratories recently demonstrated their utility to the country by providing >70%
of the country’s testing capacity for COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we present evident technical expertise to lead the
Research Core areas identified in the RFA, including HIV and TB, malaria, influenza, and other respiratory pathogens,
zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, neglected tropical diseases, non-communicable diseases, and vaccine-
preventable diseases. Experienc...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11031922
- **Project number:** 5U01GH002346-04
- **Recipient organization:** WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** M KARIUKI NJENGA
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $7,461,424
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-30 → 2026-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11031922

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11031922, GH21-003, Advancing Public Health Research in Kenya (5U01GH002346-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11031922. Licensed CC0.

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