Dr Herbert Opi

Following completion of his Bachelor of Science degree and a short stint as a research intern at the Kemri-Wellcome Trust Research Programme in Kilifi, Kenya, Herbert was awarded a Masters of Research (MRes) fellowship in 2007 to study at the University of Leeds. On completion of his masters, he re-joined the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme to pursue a PhD in 2009 under the Supervision of Professor Tom Williams from KEMRI and Professor Alex Rowe from the University of Edinburgh, UK. The project mainly involved looking at the association between host genetic factors associated with the red blood cells and their association with protection against severe malaria in African children. Herbert successfully completed his PhD in 2013 and joined Professor James Beeson's group as a postdoctoral scientist. His project will focus on gaining new insights into the mechanisms of immunity to malaria and the pathogenesis of malaria disease particularly in pregnant women.

• 2013: PhD, The Open University/The University of Edinburgh/KEMRI-Wellcome Trust;
• 2008: MRes, The University of Leeds, UK;
• 2006: BSc, The University of Nairobi, Kenya

• 2018: Fellow, Australian Centre for Research Excellence in Malaria Elimination (ACREME);
• 2016: Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Immunology Monash University

• 2019-2020: CASS Foundation Medicine Science Grant;
• 2018-2019: Australian Centre of Research Excellence in Malaria Elimination (ACREME) Seed Grant;
• 2018: CASS Foundation Travel Award;
• 2017: Harold Mitchell Foundation Postdoctoral Travel Fellowship;
• 2016: International Congress for Tropical Medicine and Malaria Travel award, Brisbane, Australia;
• 2015: Elsevier Best Postdoctoral Poster Presentation, Malaria in Melbourne Conference, Australia;
• 2012: Early Career Research Poster Prize, Molecular Approaches to Malaria, Lorne, Australia;
• 2012: Molecular Approaches to Malaria 2012 Meeting Travel Scholarship, Lorne, Australia;
• 2011: British Society of Parasitology 2011 Spring Meeting Travel Award, Nottingham, UK;
• 2007-2008: Marie Curie Early Stage Training Masters Fellowship, University of Leeds, UK