Short CV
| 01/2020 – Present | PhD Candidate | Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam & IDeAL – KEMRI-Wellcome Trust |
| 03/2018 – 12/2019 | Research Officer, NeuroDev Study | KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya |
| 09/2016 – 12/2017 | MSc, Clinical Neurodevelopmental Sciences | Kings College London, UK |
| 07/2014 – 08/2016 | Assessments and Coaching Associate | Career Connections Limited, Nairobi, Kenya |
| 05/2010 – 08/2014 | BA, Psychology | United States International University-Africa, Nairobi, Kenya |
Research
In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is challenging, in part due to lack of culturally appropriate and adequately standardised screening and diagnostic tools. The validation of screening and diagnostic tools is crucial as we move towards better mental health care, particularly in SSA.
NDDs are a significant health concern in Africa, affecting many children and adults, and their genetic, phenotypic and risk architecture is not fully understood. Many recent studies have tried to understand the genetic causes of these problems, mostly in high-income countries in North American and Western European populations, but rarely in the context of African populations. Genetic analysis to examine the relationship between common and rare genetic differences and neurodevelopmental variation is important, not only in reducing the widening research gap between Africa and the rest of the world but in designing new treatment options for children with NDDs in the future.