Professor Njeri Wamae is a distinguished scientist, researcher, and global health leader with decades of experience in tropical medicine, public health, research, and institutional leadership. She is a Professor of Tropical Medicine and has held numerous national and international leadership roles, including Chairperson of the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI), Chairperson of the Kenya National Guinea Worm Eradication Certification Committee, and Councilor of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH). She currently serves on several boards and advisory bodies, including the Kajiado County Health Service Board, Operation Eyesight Universal (Canada), and Sightsavers’ External Technical Advisory Group.
She holds a PhD in Parasitology and a Master of Science in Public Health from Tulane University, USA, and a Bachelor of Science in Parasitology and Medical Entomology from Bowling Green State University, USA. Her distinguished career spans over three decades at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), where she served as Chief Research Officer, Director of the Centre for Microbiology Research, and Founding Director of the Eastern and Southern Africa Centre of International Parasite Control (ESACIPAC). Her contributions to global health include pioneering innovations in the treatment and control of neglected tropical diseases and leading Kenya’s successful certification as guinea worm disease-free by the World Health Organization in 2018.
Professor Wamae has held senior academic and research leadership positions at leading institutions in Kenya and internationally, supervised numerous postgraduate students, published over seventy peer-reviewed scientific papers, and served as an advisor and consultant to organizations including the World Health Organization. Her contributions to science, research, and public health have earned her numerous accolades, including the Elder of the Burning Spear (EBS), the Clara Southmayd Ludlow Medal from ASTMH, the Nelson Mandela Distinguished Africanist Award, and recognition as an ASTMH Distinguished International Fellow. Through her leadership, scholarship, and service, she continues to advance scientific excellence, public health, and sustainable development both in Kenya and globally.
