Background

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 has 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.

Appointments

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

Qualifications

• 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

Awards

• 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

Projects (3)

Current (3)

• Clinical studies on malaria
  The negative consequences of malaria and how to prevent them in children and pregnant women.
• Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies
  A collaborative research program aimed at providing life-saving health care for women and children in PNG.
• Major advances in understanding malaria immunity and biology
  Identifying key targets of immunity, the mechanisms mediating immunity, and how it is acquired.

Publications (13)

2019 (2)

• Targets of complement-fixing antibodies in protective immunity against malaria in children.
  Reiling L, Boyle MJ, White MT, Wilson DW, Feng G, Weaver R, Opi DH, Persson KEM, Richards JS, Siba PM, Fowkes FJI, Takashima E, Tsuboi T, Mueller I, Beeson JG
  Nat Commun. 2019 Feb; 10(1):610
• Challenges and strategies for developing efficacious and long-lasting malaria vaccines.
  Beeson JG, Kurtovic L, Dobaño C, Opi DH, Chan JA, Feng G, Good MF, Reiling L, Boyle MJ
  Sci Transl Med. 2019 Jan; 11(474):eaau1458

2018 (2)

• Iron deficiency during pregnancy is associated with a reduced risk of adverse birth outcomes in a malaria-endemic area in a longitudinal cohort study.
  Fowkes FJI, Moore KA, Opi DH, Simpson JA, Langham F, Stanisic DI, Ura A, King CL, Siba PM, Mueller I, Rogerson SJ, Beeson JG
  BMC Med. 2018 Sep; 16(1):156
• Two complement receptor one alleles have opposing associations with cerebral malaria and interact with alpha(+)thalassaemia.
  D Herbert Opi, Olivia Swann, Alexander Macharia, Sophie Uyoga, Gavin Band, Carolyne M Ndila, Ewen M Harrison, Mahamadou A Thera, Abdoulaye K Kone, Dapa A Diallo, Ogobara K Doumbo, Kirsten E Lyke, Christopher V Plowe, Joann M Moulds, Mohammed Shebbe, Neema Mturi, Norbert Peshu, Kathryn Maitland, Ahmed Raza, Dominic P Kwiatkowski, Kirk A Rockett, Thomas N Williams, J Alexandra Rowe
  Elife. 2018 Apr; 7:e31579

2017 (1)

• No Evidence that Knops Blood Group Polymorphisms Affect Complement Receptor 1 Clustering on Erythrocytes.
  Swann OV, Harrison EM, Opi DH, Nyatichi E, Macharia A, Uyoga S, Williams TN, Rowe JA
  Sci Rep. 2017 Dec; 7(1):17825

2016 (2)

• Admixture into and within sub-Saharan Africa.
  Busby GB, Band G, Si Le Q, Jallow M, Bougama E, Mangano VD, Amenga-Etego LN, Enimil A, Apinjoh T, Ndila CM, Manjurano A, Nyirongo V, Doumba O, Rockett KA, Kwiatkowski DP, Spencer CC; Malaria Genomic Epidemiology Network. (including Opi DH as Collaborator)
  eLife. 2016 Jun; 5(pii): e15266
• Red blood cell complement receptor one level varies with Knops blood group, alphathalassaemia and age among Kenyan children.
  D H Opi, S Uyoga, E N Orori, T N Williams, J A Rowe
  Genes Immun. 2016 Feb; Epub ahead of print

2015 (1)

• Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and the risk of malaria and other diseases in children in Kenya: a case-control and a cohort study.
  Uyoga S, Ndila CM, Macharia AW, Nyutu G, Shah S, Peshu N, Clarke GM, Kwiatkowski DP, Rockett KA, Williams TN; MalariaGEN Consortium. (including Opi DH as collaborator)
  Lancet Haematol. 2015 Oct; 2(10):e437-44

2014 (1)

• Mechanistic Studies of the Negative Epistatic Malaria-protective Interaction Between Sickle Cell Trait and alphathalassemia.
  D Herbert Opi, Lucy B Ochola, Metrine Tendwa, Bethsheba R Siddondo, Harold Ocholla, Harry Fanjo, Ashfaq Ghumra, David J P Ferguson, J Alexandra Rowe, Thomas N Williams
  EBioMedicine. 2014 Nov; 1(1):29-36

2010 (1)

• High mortality from Plasmodium falciparum malaria in children living with sickle cell anemia on the coast of Kenya.
  Charlotte F McAuley, Clare Webb, Julie Makani, Alexander Macharia, Sophie Uyoga, Daniel H Opi, Carolyne Ndila, Antony Ngatia, John Anthony G Scott, Kevin Marsh, Thomas N Williams
  Blood. 2010 Sep; 116(10):1663-1668

2009 (2)

• Blood groups and malaria: fresh insights into pathogenesis and identification of targets for intervention.
  J Alexandra Rowe, D Herbert Opi, Thomas N Williams
  Curr Opin Hematol. 2009 Nov; 16(6):480-487
• Bacteraemia in Kenyan children with sickle-cell anaemia: a retrospective cohort and case-control study.
  Thomas N Williams, Sophie Uyoga, Alex Macharia, Carolyne Ndila, Charlotte F McAuley, Daniel H Opi, Salim Mwarumba, Julie Makani, Albert Komba, Moses N Ndiritu, Shahnaaz K Sharif, Kevin Marsh, James A Berkley, J Anthony G Scott
  Lancet. 2009 Oct; 374(9698):1364-1370

2008 (1)

• Haptoglobin HP2-2 genotype, alpha-thalassaemia and acute seizures in children living in a malaria-endemic area.
  Richard Idro, Thomas N Williams, Samson Gwer, Sophie Uyoga, Alex Macharia, Herbert Opi, Sarah Atkinson, Kathryn Maitland, Piet A Kager, Dominic Kwiatkowski, Brian G R Neville, Charles R J C Newton
  Epilepsy Res. 2008 Oct; 81(2-3):114-118

News Articles (9)

2019 (2)

• New approaches for malaria vaccines
• The path to an effective malaria vaccine

2018 (2)

• Bumper turnout for Student Night
• Malaria elimination to be stepped up, and fast

2017 (2)

• Investing in adolescent health
• Burnet Travel Awards

2015 (2)

• 2015 in Review: July - December
• Burnet's young malaria researchers shine at MiM

2014 (1)

• Behind the Microscope Discovery Tour a great hit!