DrRoma Chilengi

I am a Zambian Physician, epidemiologist and vaccinologist currently employed as Chief Scientific Officer at the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ). In my current role, I oversee all research programs, do lead several research studies as well as health systems strengthening programmes. Having primarily worked on vaccine preventable infectious disease research in for the past 18 years, my interests have been shifted towards non-communicable diseases in the last few years. I have ongoing research in enteric disease and working on several vaccine studies including rotavirus, ETEC, and Shigella. I held an R01 IRIDA grant 1R01AI099605, which evaluated potential causes of rotavirus vaccine failure in Zambian infants, and presently hold a senior Fellowship Award from the European Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) studying rotavirus vaccine immunogenicity.

My research career has spanned roles as study physician on clinical studies in Zambia while at Tropical Diseases Research Centre; as sponsor based central study manager for malaria vaccine trials while at the African Malaria Network Trust in Tanzania; and as head of clinical trials facility at the University of Oxford/KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Programme in Kenya. In the course of this career, I have gained a lot of experience as a clinical investigator as well as program manager for numerous studies in Africa and have also competed for and managed various research grants.
I have an adjunct faculty position as Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina as well as honorary lecturer appointment at the University of Zambia, School of Public Health.