Cambridge-Africa

Researchers' Database

Researchers from across the University of Cambridge and its affiliated institutes are engaging with the initiatives of the Cambridge-Africa Programme by carrying out collaborative research with African colleagues, and/or supporting African fellows.

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Photograph:

Dr Annettee Nakimuli, Makerere University and MUII PhD Fellow, and her Cambridge co-supervisor Professor Ashley Moffett, Department of Pathology.

 

 

 

In order to encourage new collaborations with African researchers and to support African PhD students and post-doctoral fellows, we have built (and are continuously expanding) a database of current and potential Cambridge collaborators and their expertise. The Cambridge researchers listed are either already engaging with, or have indicated their interest in being matched to Africans who have similar research interests. Cambridge researchers who would like to get involved do not need to have a pre-prepared project available, or existing African links, in order to be included in the database. If you would like your details to be included, please complete the (short and painless) registration form.

Note to African researchers searching for a Cambridge collaborator: Please be aware that any enquiries about potential collaboration with a Cambridge researcher should to be directed to one of the Cambridge-Africa team or enquiries@cambridge-africa.cam.ac.uk in the first instance. They will then put you in touch with the Cambridge researcher if there is an appropriate match in the research interests. Thanks for your cooperation.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Professor Cinzia Cantacessi (Use of metagenomics technologies for rapid STH infection diagnostics) More Info

Position & Affiliation:
Professor of Parasite Infection Biology, Department of Veterinary Medicine
www.vet.cam.ac.uk/directory/cc779

Research Interests:

Our research interests fall within the general area of host-parasite interactions, and specifically the ability of gastrointestinal (GI) helminth parasites to modify the structure and function of the host gut flora to their advantage. In particular, our research focuses on identifying the immune-molecular mechanisms that underpin the observed canges in microbiota make-up of helminth-infected humans and animals.

Professor John Carr (Control of vectors of plant-infecting pathogens, biocontrol of crop pest insects) More Info

Position & Affiliation:
Professor of Plant Virology, Department of Plant Sciences
www.plantsci.cam.ac.uk/directory/carr-john

Research Interests:

Viral gene expression mechanisms, plant resistance mechanisms to viruses, viral mechanisms for evading those resistance mechanisms, how viruses manipulate host–insect interactions in ways that may encourage insect‐mediated virus transmission, and utilizing insect viruses for vector biocontrol.

Prof Mark Carrington ( Trypanosome / Host Interactions ) More Info

Position & Affiliation:
Professor, Dept of Biochemistry
web.me.com/mc115/mclab/home.html

Research Interests:

Interaction between trypanosomes and their mammalian hosts.

Possible project topics: (1) Geographic variation in VSG repertoire. (2) Development of serodiagnostics for T. brucei, T. congolense and T. vivax.

Current African links: Previously supervised Kenyan PhD students.

Publications:
(1) Jones N et al. (2007). J. Biol. Chem. 283, 3584-3593. Structure of a type I VSG C-terminal domain and GPI-anchor.

(2) Thomson R et al. (2009). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 106, 19509-19514. Gene therapy with baboon trypanosome lytic factor eliminates both animal and human infective African trypanosomes.

(3) Kramer S et al. (2008). J Cell Sci. 121, 3002-3014. Heat shock causes a decrease in polysomes and appearence of stress granules in trypanosomes independently of eIF2a phosphorylation at a position equivalent to serine 51.

Dr Isabel Clare (Mental Health & Intellectual Disabilities) More Info

Position & Affiliation:
Affiliated Lecturer, Cambridge Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Group, Dept of Psychiatry; Consultant Clinical and Forensic Psychologist
www.ciddrg.org.uk

Research Interests:

Mental health and social care legislation, policy, and practice for people with intellectual or other developmental disabilities. The criminal justice system and suspects/defendants, victims, and witnesses with mental health difficulties.

Possible project topics: For any of the topics listed above, I am able to supervise projects using quantitative or qualitative methodologies, and adopting a psychological, sociological, comparative and/or human rights perspective.

Publications:
(1) Jacob R et al. (2005). Self-harm, capacity and refusal of treatment: Implications for emergency medical practice, Emergency Medicine Journal, 22, 799-802.

(2) Fistein EC et al. (2009). A comparison of mental health legislation from diverse Commonwealth jurisdictions. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 32, 147-155.

(3) Murphy GH and Clare ICH (2009). Intellectual disabilities and decision-making, in (Eds.) S.Young, M. Kopelman and G.H. Gudjonsson. Handbook of Forensic Neuropsychology, pp. 53-79.Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Professor stuart clarke (Surface science, adsorption) More Info

Position & Affiliation:
Professor, University of Cambridge
www.ch.cam.ac.uk/person/sc10015

Research Interests:

Adsorption for the removal of pollutants, bacteria etc. for water purification.

Dr Alasdair Coles (Multiple Sclerosis & Demyelinating Diseases In Africa) More Info

Position & Affiliation:
Senior Lecturer in Neuroimmunology, Dept of Clinical Neurosciences
www.neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/directory/profile.php

Research Interests:

Multiple sclerosis and monoclonal antibody therapy.

Possible project topic: Phenotype of demyelinating illness in Africa. Current African links: I have worked as a neurologist in Nigeria.

Publications:
(1) Jones JL et al. (2009), IL-21 drives secondary autoimmunity in patients with multiple sclerosis, following therapeutic lymphocyte depletion with alemtuzumab (Campath-1H). J Clin Invest 119(7):2052-61.

(2) CAMMS223 Trial Investigators, Coles AJ et al. (2008), Alemtuzumab vs. Interferon beta-1a in early multiple sclerosis. N Engl J Med 359(17):1786-801.

Dr William Colledge (Neuroendocrine Regulation Of Fertility) More Info

Position & Affiliation:
Professor of Reproductive Physiology, Dept of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience
www.pdn.cam.ac.uk/groups/colledgelab/index.html

Research Interests:

Neuroendocrine regulation of fertility. Role of kisspeptin signalling in implantation and placental function.

Publications:
(1) d'Anglemont de Tassigny, X. et al. (2008). Kisspeptin can stimulate GnRH release by a direct action at GnRH nerve terminals. Endocrinology 149: 3926-3932.

(2) d'Anglemont de Tassigny, X. et al. (2007) Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in mice lacking a functional Kiss1 gene. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 104: 10714-10719.

(3) Seminara, S.B., et al. (2003). The GPR54 gene as a regulator of puberty. N. Engl. J. Med. 349:1614-1627.

Dr James Cotton (Population genomics of Neglected Tropical Disease parasites) More Info

Position & Affiliation:
Senior Staff Scientist, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute
www.sanger.ac.uk/people/directory/cotton-james

Research Interests:

Comparative and population genomics of parasites, particularly those causing neglected tropical disease. Current projects are on Schistosoma, Leishmania, and Cryptosporidium. I am also interested and involved in using veterinary helminths as models for the genetics and evolution of anthelminthic drug resistance. I work with Matt Berriman as part of the larger parasite genomics group at WTSI.

Publications:
Evolutionary genomics of epidemic visceral leishmaniasis in the Indian subcontinent, 2016, eLife. PUBMED: 27003289

Whole genome resequencing of the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni reveals population history and effects of selection. 2016, Scientific Reports. PUBMED: 27003289

The genome of Onchocerca volvulus, agent of river blindness. 2016, Nature Microbiology; doi:10.1038/nmicrobiol.2016.216

Dr Devon Curtis (Politics and International Relations) More Info

Position & Affiliation:
Lecturer in Politics and International Studies, Department of Politics and International Studies
www.polis.cam.ac.uk/Staff_and_Students/dr-devon-cu…

Research Interests:

Dr Curtis offers research supervision on a variety of topics in African politics and international relations. She is particularly interested in research projects that focus on peacebuilding, humanitarianism, rebel movements and non-state actors, and the politics of north-south and south-south engagement.