Affiliate Associate Professor, Global Health
Dr. John Kinuthia, MBChB, MMed, MPH, is an Obstetrician Gynecologist and Head of Research and Programs at Kenyatta National Hospital and honorary lecturer, at the University of Nairobi Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He has been conducting HIV research focusing on PMTCT since 2004 when he took a position as the study physician for a randomized clinical trial that was evaluating viral and immune responses in mother-infant pairs who received either short course zidovudine or maternal HAART. Later in 2006, he was a co-Investigator for a study to determine contraceptive use among HIV-infected women attending comprehensive care centre at Kenyatta National Hospital. He has gained invaluable experience in the conduct of randomized trials in his position as study physician and later as deputy study coordinator of the Nairobi site for the multisite randomized clinical trial evaluating the role of acyclovir to prevent HIV transmission from individuals co-infected with HIV and herpes simplex type 2. In 2007, he enrolled in the MPH program at University of Washington and conducted a study to evaluate barriers (personal, social and institutional) to access and utilization of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV interventions. The study enrolled 2,700 mothers with infants for weekly immunization at six maternal and child health clinics in Nairobi and Western Kenya. In 2010, he was one of the regional directors for the study evaluating the impact of national PMTCT program in Kenya. The study enrolled 13,344 mothers from 304 facilities. Currently, he is the site Principal Investigator for a cohort study that will follow 2,000 women from pregnancy to 9 months postpartum to evaluate factors contributing to HIV acquisition during and after pregnancy. In addition, he is coordinating trainings in implementation science for the Partnership for Innovative Medical Education (Prime K) linked award that is focusing on strengthening maternal, newborn, and child health. He has also been very involved in mentoring and other training activities since 2009 when he was appointed the KNH Site Director for the International AIDS Research and Training Program’s activities in Kenya, including the FIC Research Scholars and Fellows Programs.
Publications
- Sila, J, Wagner, AD, Abuna, F, Dettinger, JC, Odhiambo, B, Ngumbau, N et al.. Impact of a stakeholder selected implementation strategy package - fast tracking, provider re-training, and co-location - on PrEP implementation for pregnant women in antenatal care clinics in western Kenya. Implement Sci Commun. 2025;6 (1):58. doi: 10.1186/s43058-025-00746-5. PubMed PMID:40355972 PubMed Central PMC12067655.
- Mogaka, JN, Concepcion, T, Abuna, F, Akim, E, Morroni, C, Mussa, A et al.. "It gives me the strength and courage to take care of myself": a qualitative exploration of experiences with STI testing among women who initiated PrEP during pregnancy in Western Kenya. J Int AIDS Soc. 2025;28 (4):e26464. doi: 10.1002/jia2.26464. PubMed PMID:40268677 PubMed Central PMC12018012.
- Žuštra, A, Leonard, VR, Holland, LA, Hu, JC, Mu, T, Holland, SC et al.. Longitudinal dynamics of the nasopharyngeal microbiome in response to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and HIV infection in Kenyan women and their children. mSystems. 2025; :e0156824. doi: 10.1128/msystems.01568-24. PubMed PMID:40261064 .
- Shakil, SS, Korir, S, Omondi, G, Ale, BM, Gitura, B, Tofeles, MM et al.. Early Structural Cardiovascular Disease, HIV, and Tuberculosis in East Africa (ASANTE): Cross-sectional study protocol for a multimodal cardiac imaging study in Nairobi, Kenya. medRxiv. 2025; :. doi: 10.1101/2025.03.16.25323832. PubMed PMID:40166534 PubMed Central PMC11957073.
- Oti, J, Adeleke, BO, Casabuena, LR, Kinuthia, JM, Sule, S. Utilization of a PFA-GGBS-Based Precursor in Geopolymer Concrete Production as a Sustainable Substitute for Conventional Concrete. Materials (Basel). 2025;18 (6):. doi: 10.3390/ma18061309. PubMed PMID:40141592 PubMed Central PMC11943638.