Katharina Kranzer
Co-Director
I am a Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), United Kingdom and a Senior Scientist at the Ludwig Maximillian University (LMU) in Munich, Germany. I am affiliated with the Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI) and have been based in Zimbabwe since 2018.
My research focuses on infectious disease diagnostics with a special interest in tuberculosis and spans from observational studies, clinical trials to implementation science. I lead the EDCTP funded SOFAR fellowship programme and I co-direct the Wellcome funded CREATE PhD programme.
Celia Gregson
Co-Director
I am a Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, a consultant geriatrician and a NIHR Global Health Research Professor of Healthy Ageing in sub-Saharan Africa. I direct the Global Health and Ageing Research Unit at the University of Bristol, UK, and co-direct The Health Research Unit Zimbabwe (THRU-Zim). I have expertise in musculoskeletal health and ageing. I and colleagues founded the ‘Sub-Saharan African MuSculOskeletal Network' (SAMSON), which aims to build musculoskeletal research capacity across the region. I lead a Wellcome-funded Collaborative: ‘Fractures in sub-Saharan Africa: Epidemiology, Economic impact and Ethnography’ (Fractures-E3), working with colleagues in The Gambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. I chair the UK National Osteoporosis Guideline Group and am a member of the Zimbabwean Osteoporosis and Bone Health Society. I also lead the KOSHESAI study that aims to implement community-based health checks for older people in Zimbabwe.
Tsitsi Bandason
Data Management Director
I am a data manager and statistician with over 20 years of experience supporting diverse research study teams. I have been instrumental in developing robust data management processes and documentation where I have demonstrated a steadfast commitment to advancing research quality through meticulous and innovative data management approaches. Before this, I served as a climate consultant at the Zimbabwe Meteorological Services, where I gained valuable experience in data management and analysis. Academically, I hold a BSc (Hons) in Statistics and an MSc in Clinical Epidemiology, both from the University of Zimbabwe.
Ivan Chigonde
Finance Director
I am a Registered Public Accountant accredited by the Public Accountants and Auditors Board (PAAB),an Associate Member of Chartered Governance and Accountancy Institute in Zimbabwe, and a Member of the Southern African Association of Accountants. I hold a practicing certificate in accountancy. Since joining the Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI) in 2001, I have been entrusted with financial management of all research grants under BRTI and THRU-Zim Unit. My responsibilities encompass the preparation of financial statements in accordance with donor requirements, ensuring comprehensive compliance with donor-specific financial policies and guidelines, maintaining an operational Finance Procedure Manual, and overseeing the rigorous enforcement of internal controls within the Finance Department.
Rudo Chingono
Training and Mentorship (Internal)
I am a Postdoctoral Social Scientist, (PhD, UCL) at The Health Research Unit Zimbabwe (THRU-Zim) and the Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI). My work focuses on public health, implementation science evaluations, with a special interest in global mental health. I have coordinated and provided social science expertise across a number of public health related health care studies and trials focused on healthy ageing, mental health, infectious and non-communicable diseases, maternal newborn care. I am also the dedicated Training and Mentorship lead at THRU-Zim, contributing to research capacity building.
Currently, I am the Lead Social Scientist for the NIHR & MRC funded KOSHESAI Healthy Ageing study and a Co-Principal Investigator for the Southern Africa Research Capacity Network (SOFAR) EDCTP-3 capacity building grant. My research interest specifically focuses on integrating perinatal mental health into MNCH services in Zimbabwe.
Felicity Fitzgerald
Training and Mentorship (PhD)
I am a Wellcome Senior Clinical Research Fellow in Paediatric Infectious Diseases, and an honorary consultant in Paediatric Infectious Diseases at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. I work between the UK and Harare, Zimbabwe on a portfolio of studies aimed at improving diagnosis, management and prevention of neonatal sepsis in low-resource settings. I'm particularly interested in how we can improve infection prevention and control (IPC) and limit the spread of anti-microbial resistance, despite the challenges of working with few and intermittent resources. I am part of a multidisciplinary international team led by Michelle Heys at University College London which has co-developed Neotree, a digital quality improvement tool aiming to support clinicians in Malawi and Zimbabwe care for vulnerable neonates while capturing data. I’ve recently taken over as PhD lead at THRU-Zim.
Constance Macworth-Young
Training and Mentorship (MsC)
I am an Assistant Professor of Medical Anthropology at LSHTM, based in Harare at THRU-Zim. My research focuses on adolescents and young people, sexual and reproductive health, and participatory qualitative and ethnographic methodologies.
At THRU ZIM, I lead qualitative and anthropological components of several studies with young people. I set up the Zimbabwe Qualitative Research Network, connecting social scientists across research organisations in Zimbabwe. I lead training and mentorship of the MSc students at THRU ZIM.
Edson Marambire
Training and Mentorship (Internal)
I am an experienced public health professional and researcher with a nursing background. I hold a PhD in Medical Research and International Health from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) and a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Africa University.With over 15 years of technical experience, my career has focused on HIV and TB prevention and treatment programs.
Since September 2020, I have been working as a Research Coordinator at THRU Zim, where I currently lead the TB research portfolio. Over the years, I have progressed through roles involving coordination, management, and implementation of impactful clinical research studies.I have collaborated with several prominent organisations, including the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Population Services International, and the Ministry of Health in Zimbabwe. My work is driven by a strong commitment to improving infectious disease outcomes and strengthening public health systems both locally and globally.
Ethel Dauya
Governance
I am a public health specialist with more than 20 years of experience in research on HIV, TB and adolescent Health. I have managed studies under Phase 1, 2, 3 and 4 trials involving children, adolescents and young people for more than 10 years. I am the Director of Field Work for the group and provide field oversight, support and guidance for the different studies in our group. Before becoming a researcher in 2001, I was a nurse manager for the Harare City Health Department. I have a Master in Public Health (MPH) degree from Africa University, degree in Community Development from the University of South Africa and diplomas in Community Nursing, Midwifery, General Nursing with certificates in Family Planning and Syndromic Management of STIs.
Rashida Ferrand
Grantsmanship
I obtained my primary medical degree from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and following postgraduate training in internal medicine and clinical specialist training in HIV Medicine and Sexual Health, I joined the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Since 2007, I have been based in Harare, hosted by the Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI) where I lead the Zimbabwe-LSHTM research partnership. Our focus is on HIV, Adolescent Health, Chronic non-infectious morbidities, Tuberculosis and Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance.
Tendai Muchena
Adminstration
I am the group’s administrator and my role includes organising meetings, supporting our overseas research visitors, procurement, managing regulatory applications and visas for our team and working with the field manager to ensure that field procedures run smoothly. I joined the group in 2008, initially as an administrator for a 1-year project, before joining the research teams as a research assistant. I trained in Marketing and M&E in the past, and I am currently in my final year for a BSc (Hons) degree in Development Studies.
Tafadzwa Madanhire
Statistics
Mandikudza Tembo
Public Engagement and Communications
I am a public health specialist and postdoctoral research fellow with a research focus on menstrual health, adolescent sexual and reproductive health service delivery, and public engagement. I am passionate about and have vast experience coordinating and implementing interventions focusing on marginalized populations such as older people, the LGBTQIA+ community, young women, and people with disabilities. Currently, I am a Reckitt Global Hygiene Institute post-doctoral fellow leading an innovative project focusing on women and menstruation across the life-course and on the co-creation of a menstrual health toolkit with women, healthcare providers, and other relevant stakeholders in rural and urban communities across Zimbabwe. As the public engagement lead for THRU-Zim, I am open to collaboration and involved in several public engagement research projects across Zimbabwe including the Youth Researchers Academy (YRA), KOSHESAI, and the Art of Health. I hold a PhD (Epidemiology) from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, an MSc in Global Health and Development from UCL and a BA in Public Health and Women's Gender Studies.
Sarah Bernays
Social Science
I am an Associate Professor of Global Health at the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney. Trained as an anthropologist, I held a position at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine from 2006-2024. I have been conducting social and implementation science to inform the design of youth-focused infectious disease programming and policy in HIV and TB, including its impact on mental health, in Zimbabwe since 2010. I lead community engaged participatory research and process evaluations for a range of complex sexual and reproductive health and HIV interventions here, as well as in Uganda, South Africa, Vietnam and the Pacific. I have twenty years’ experience of teaching qualitative research methods and providing sustained mentorship to social science teams.
Jacqueline Kabongo
Field Director
I am a passionate researcher and Social Scientist with over a decade of experience in public health research. My expertise spans implementation science, clinical and operational research, with a focus on maternal, newborn, and child health and nutrition, SRH and HIV, and Social and Behaviour Change Communication. I hold an MSc in Development Studies and a BSc Honours in Psychology, and I am currently pursuing a PhD in Health Sociology at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
I currently serve as the Field Director at THRU-Zim and manage the PROMISE Trial, leading a dynamic, multi-site team investigating the impact of STI screening during pregnancy on maternal and neonatal outcomes. I also support the ethics and compliance aspects of all studies run at THRU-Zim. I am deeply committed to ethical, participant-centered research and to building systems that empower both research teams and the communities we serve
Edith Majonga
Imaging
I am a diagnostic radiographer, echocardiographer and post-doctoral research fellow currently based at The Health Research Unit Zimbabwe in Harare. I am a Wellcome Trust early career fellow, and my research focuses on understanding the relationship between chronic infections, such as HIV, and cardiovascular diseases using advanced cardiovascular imaging techniques.I am also part of the Centre for Global Chronic Conditions at LSHTM and am a member of the multi-morbidity group at THRU-Zim.
