Dr. Michael N. Walekhwa
Evidence · Systems · Impact
Nairobi, Kenya
Medical Immunologist
Strategic Management Specialist
QMS Expert
Senior Lecturer & Head of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Kabarak University. Board Member, National Quality Control Laboratory. Fifteen years building research systems and advancing vaccine science across Kenya.
Research Focus
"Behind Every Dataset Is a Life, I Study Streptococcus pneumoniae So Those Lives Continue..."
"My purpose is not merely to add to the body of knowledge it is to ensure that knowledge finds its way into systems, policies, and people's lives. Science without governance is incomplete. Governance without science is blind."
Research & Field Involvement
Field data collection underway in Marigat Sub-County, Kenya, for the RSTMH-funded study on cultural factors and traditional healing practices influencing the clinical course of snakebite envenomation. The research team Dr. Michael Walekhwa, Meshack Shiundu, and Francis is engaging local communities to generate evidence that will strengthen understanding, prevention, and management of snakebite cases in vulnerable populations.
Dr. Michael Nyongesa Walekhwa holds a Ph.D. in Medical Immunology, an MBA in Strategic Management, and professional certification in ISO 9001:2015 & ISO/IEC 17025 Quality Management Systems. Over fifteen years he has built a career spanning the laboratory bench, the lecture hall, and the boardroom developing institutions and shaping policy at the national level.
His doctoral research, conducted in partnership with KEMRI-Wellcome Trust in Kilifi, examined pneumococcal serotype epidemiology, antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, and PCV-10 vaccine immunogenicity among children at Gertrude's Children's Hospital, Nairobi yielding four peer-reviewed publications.
At Kabarak University, he served as Coordinator of Research Ethics and played a pivotal role in facilitating the registration of the university's ethics committee with NACOSTI. He was among the founding committee members who conceived the Central Rift Innovation Week, and has successfully mobilised over USD 59,000 in competitive research grants across national and international funders.
He serves on the Board of Management of the National Quality Control Laboratory, chairs its Technical, Standards & Compliance Committee, and sits on the Operational Research Committee of the Pharmacy & Poisons Board and the Ethics Committee of the National Cancer Institute of Kenya.
Ph.D. Medical Immunology
Kenyatta University · 2015–2020
MSc. Infectious Diseases
Kenyatta University · 2011–2016
MBA, Strategic Management
Kabarak University · 2019–2025
BSc (Hons) Medical Laboratory Sciences
Univ. of Eastern Africa, Baraton · 2004–2010
ISO 9001:2015 & ISO/IEC 17025 QMS
Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS)
Senior Management Course
Kenya School of Government · 2024
Senior Lecturer and Head of Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Kabarak University a role held since April 2021.
Kabarak University · April 2021 – Present
Leads a department of twelve academic and support staff with accountability for curriculum delivery, performance management, budget administration, and infrastructure planning. Oversees MSc, BSc, and Diploma programmes in Medical Laboratory Sciences, and the BSc in Forensic and Molecular Sciences.
University of Embu | University of Eastern Africa Baraton · January 2016 – December 2018
Taught Immunology, Microbiology, and Medical Laboratory Sciences while completing doctoral research, supervising undergraduate projects and contributing to assessment design.
Research at the convergence of immunology, infectious disease, vaccine science, and quality management generating evidence that informs national policy and practice.
Doctoral and post-doctoral research conducted at Gertrude's Children's Hospital (Nairobi) and KEMRI-Wellcome Trust (Kilifi) generated one of Kenya's most comprehensive datasets on Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype epidemiology, antimicrobial susceptibility, and PCV-10 vaccine immunogenicity. Studies characterised serotype-specific AMR profiles, evaluated PCV-10 immunogenicity via in vivo and in vitro assays, and tracked the impact of storage conditions on vaccine efficacy.
Nine competitive grants secured and managed across national and international funders, totalling USD 59,349.
Three authored textbooks and over 40 peer-reviewed journal articles spanning immunology, research methods, and scientific writing.
Walekhwa, M. & Otieno, F. · Utafiti Foundation Publishers · 2022
Foundational immunology text for undergraduate students and laboratory scientists.
Walekhwa, M. & Suge, V. · Utafiti Foundation Publishers · 2023
Practical research methods guide covering design, analysis, and scientific writing.
Thiga, M., Kimeto, P., Walekhwa, M. et al. · Utafiti Foundation Publishers · 2024
Step-by-step guide integrating scientific rigour and ethical compliance.
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Strategic board and committee roles shaping national policy and institutional excellence in healthcare quality and research governance.
2024 – Present
Chairs Technical, Standards & Compliance Committee. Reduced sample turnaround from 75 to 42 days.
2024 – Present
Contributes to national medicine regulation and operational research priorities.
2026 – Present
Provides ethical oversight for cancer research protocols and clinical trials.
2020 – 2022
Coordinated establishment and operationalization of the Kabarak University Research Ethics Committee (IREC), supporting policy development, SOPs, and review framework alignment with national standards.
Facilitated accreditation with NACOSTI, ensuring compliance with national research ethics requirements.
Coordinated institutional linkages with NACOSTI, KAVI-University of Nairobi, and KEMRI.
Communicating science, influencing policy, and building capacity through speaking engagements and institutional initiatives.
Ethical frameworks, institutional review boards, and responsible research practices.
ISO standards, laboratory accreditation, and quality assurance in healthcare.
Pneumococcal epidemiology, vaccine immunogenicity, and antimicrobial resistance.
Building research ecosystems, technology transfer, and academic entrepreneurship.
A visual record of speaking engagements, governance forums, academic events, and media appearances across Kenya and beyond.
Events
Dr. Michael Walekhwa attending the stakeholders forum for the development of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery and MSc in Bioethics at the Kabarak University City Campus.
Governance
Attending Thamani Africa Awards Gala at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, main auditorium.
Press
Dr. Walekhwa makes a presentation on "potential risks, protection procedures, risk-benefit ratio, and conflict of interest in research" during the Kabarak University Research Ethics Committee Members Workshop. Download his presentation here…
Download PDF
Speaking
Moderating the annual staff seminar at Kabarak University. An event that brings together workers from all units of the university.
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Dr. Walekhwa welcomes enquiries from researchers, institutions, funding bodies, policymakers, and aspiring scientists whether you are seeking a research collaborator, governance consultant, keynote speaker, or academic mentor.
Evidence. Systems. Impact.
