Marianne Wanjiru Mureithi

Affiliate Associate Professor, Global Health

Dr. Marianne Mureithi serves as the Chair of the Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya, and as Team Leader at the Kenya AIDS Vaccine Initiative - Institute of Clinical Research (KAVI-ICR). She is also a co-investigator in the ADVANCE program under the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI). Her educational background includes degrees from the University of Essex and the University of Bristol, as well as a post-doctoral fellowship from the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, USA, and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, SA. Driven by the dream of a world without AIDS, Her research focuses on characterizing the early stages of HIV infection, studying the phenotype of target cells in mucosal tissues, and investigating the establishment of mucosal viral reservoirs, particularly in the female genital tract. She also analyzes biological markers and metabolomics in early HIV infection to support vaccine design and treatment development.

Dr. Mureithi is also actively involved as a lead in the Kenya Research and Training Centre's priority area of Strengthening and Increasing Access to a Network of Facilities and Resources. She is also part of the leadership of the Women's Health Project in Mombasa, which is a collaborative initiative between the University of Nairobi and the University of Washington. The project aims to improve women's health outcomes by conducting research, implementing interventions, and providing comprehensive healthcare services.

Publications

  1. Musyoki, VM, Mureithi, M, Heikinheimo, A, Maleche-Obimbo, E, Maina, D, Musau, S et al.. Temporal patterns of tuberculosis-associated hyperglycaemia and its effect on treatment outcomes in individuals not previously diabetic: A prospective cohort study. PLoS One. 2026;21 (9):e0358593. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0358593. PubMed PMID:42743331 PubMed Central PMC13577521.
  2. Musau, S, Odera, S, Musyoki, VM, Lamont, EI, Onyango, N, Morrison, B et al.. Genomic characterization of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in western Kenya reveals predominance of isoniazid resistance and discordance with routine susceptibility testing. Front Tuberc. 2026;4 :1855780. doi: 10.3389/ftubr.2026.1855780. PubMed PMID:42638759 PubMed Central PMC13491443.
  3. Mbuthia, O, Mehmood, A, Mahjabeen, I, Kayani, MA, Obiero, J, Matsumoto, T et al.. Integrated virulence-resistance profiling of Helicobacter pylori reveals context-dependent pathogenic signatures in gastric cancer. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2026;16 :1812371. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2026.1812371. PubMed PMID:42239538 PubMed Central PMC13226509.
  4. Mwatondo, A, Muturi, M, Akoko, JM, Nyamota, R, Nthiwa, D, Gichuhi, S et al.. Seroincidence of Brucella spp. infection among humans and livestock in a pastoralist setting in Northern Kenya. Sci Rep. 2026;16 (1):. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-52087-5. PubMed PMID:42178341 PubMed Central PMC13451184.
  5. Musau, S, Odera, S, Onyango, N, Musyoki, VM, Wandiga, S, Nduba, V et al.. Modified cetyltrimethylammonium bromide DNA extraction for Mycobacterium tuberculosis whole genome sequencing. Pan Afr Med J. 2026;53 :28. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2026.53.28.50239. PubMed PMID:42111515 PubMed Central PMC13156016.
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