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The PCV10 vaccine which prevents cases of pneumonia, meningitis and a couple of other diseases caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae was introduced in Kenya in January 2011. My work involves assessing the impact of the vaccine on diseases caused by the bacteria and the various types of the bacteria that are circulating post-vaccine introduction. Just like any other organism, bacteria usually evolve under any form of selective pressure to better adapt to prevailing conditions. We expect that the the pneumonia causing bacterium has evolved to escape vaccine-induced immunity. I am therefore also researching to find ways in which the bacterium has evolved and how that affects its disease causing abilities.

I am also coordinating a field based study called the Pneumococcal Transmission Study (PneumoTrans) whose main aim is to investigate the rate at which Streptococcus pneumoniae is acquired and how long it is carried.

*NB: Streptococcus pneumoniae is a commensal at the back of our noses. This means  it can live/be carried at the back of our noses and depend on the host for nutrients and the right conditions for survival without causing disease. It can however spread from the back of the nose to other parts of the body in some cases and result in disease.

I would start a typical day at 8:30 at the very latest. The first thing I would do in the morning is read and respond to emails and act upon any of the requests on the emails. I would then work on any unleft work from the previous day. Currently, I have a pending manuscript and 2 sets of data to analyse and one upcoming lab study to set up. I juggle between these depending on their urgencies. For data analysis I would meet with my study assigned statistician in the mornings to check on progress. For my lab study, I have just gotten the go-ahead to proceed to I am in the process of placing an order for the reagents to be bought, so until then I am doing more literature review to build my understanding of the project. I would also close the day with some literature review and writing the discussion for a manuscript I hope to submit soon.

I would find out from the various schools what their challenges are in teaching/promoting/encouraging students to take interests in the sciences. If at all one of the reasons is lack of reading/ teaching materials, I would give the money back to the schools to meet those needs.