Dr. Bernard Kanoi
Department : Centre for malaria Elimination, Institute of Tropical Medicine
Email : bkanoi@mku.ac.ke
Website: https://www.bernardkanoi.com/team
Dr. Bernard Kanoi is biomedical scientist with expertise in immunity against infectious diseases. He holds a degree in Biomedical Sciences, He holds a master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences, PhD in Life Sciences (Japan), and Postdoctoral Training in Parasite Immunology (Japan). With his extensive experience, he has made significant contributions to malaria research using advanced techniques such as high-throughput immuno-profiling and reverse vaccinology studies. Before joining Mount Kenya University and Ehime University, Dr. Kanoi conducted malaria vaccine trials and immuno-epidemiology studies in Northern Uganda. His research has been recognized with numerous awards and funding, and he has coauthored over 40 original peer-reviewed research papers, published in high-impact journals. He also serves as a review editor for international scientific journals.
Dr. Kanoi’s current research focuses on understanding acquired immunity against infectious diseases, employing cutting-edge methods such as high-throughput screening and functional studies. His team possesses diverse expertise including bioinformatics, genomics, and immunological assay development. They aim to uncover the mechanisms of acquired immunity against malaria and other infectious disease, in children and during pregnancy, with a goal of developing effective vaccines and immunotherapies. In addition, Dr. Kanoi investigates the immunology of COVID-19 and tuberculosis, providing valuable insights into these global health challenges caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Research Interests :
Understanding acquired immunity following natural infection or vaccination against infectious diseases using high-throughput screen and functional studies.
- Immunology of infectious diseases
- Vaccine antigens discovery and development
- Proteomics and recombinant protein technology
- Basic sciences to vaccine mechanisms using invitro studies and lab animal models
- Immuno-surveillance and molecular-epidemiology
- Assessing role of immunology in emergence drug resistance pathogens
- Effect of pathogen co-infections on human immunity, including assessing the role of microbiome, viral and parasitic infections.
2023 Ongoing Research Projects
- Serological profiling of a malaria exposed populations of Western Kenya
- Multidisciplinary study on interactions between parasites, mosquitoes and humans to eliminate malaria in tropical Africa
- Prioritization and characterization of P. falciparum vaccine antigens against pregnancy associated malaria
- Evaluation of pathogen infections and history of co-infections on anti-disease immune responses
- Identification of cross-species and cross-conserved malaria vaccine targets.
- Assessing the kinetics of key protective antibodies in pregnancy Associated Malaria using Wheat germ cell-free system Synthesized Plasmodium Recombinant Proteins
- Generation of Monoclonal Antibodies Against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome- Coronavirus-2 Nucleocapsid protein for Antigen Detection Test
Awards issues in year 2023
- Rajiv K. Dixit Travel Award
- Sakura Science Exchange award
Memberships
- Kenya Society for Immunology
- Society of Biomedical-Biotech Research
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM)
- American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH)
- Christian and Scientific Association of Kenya (CSAK)
- American Society for Microbiology
International Collaborators
- Ehime University
- Nagasaki University
- NIH
- Pasteur Institute, Paris
- Osaka Metropolitan University
- Karolinska University
- Osaka University
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=POuN6S8AAAAJ