KENNETH R. KATUMBA
PHD CANDIDATE,
MRC/UVRI & LSHTM UGANDA RESEARCH UNIT
Kenneth is a multi-disciplinary Health Economist with experience from France, East and West Africa. As the Health Economist at the MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit, he has carried out and participated in a range of health economics research including cost and cost-effectiveness of interventions, wellbeing research, quality of life valuation, capacity building for health economics research and uptake by policy. He has an MPH from the EHESP French School of Public Health, and is carrying out his PhD research in behavioural economics with the LSHTM.
Role in UPTAKE: Research Assistant (Health economics)
Research interests: Behavioural health economics, extended value for money analysis, equity in health especially for maternal and neonatal health, and the intersection of behaviour, value for money and equity in health.
IVY KAYESU
MSC CANDIDATE,
MRC/UVRI & LSHTM UGANDA RESEARCH UNIT
Ivy is a research assistant at MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit. She has been involved with carrying out qualitative research among HIV high-risk AGYW with the purpose of exploring perceptions and experiences with available and future biomedical HIV prevention products. Before joining MUL, Ivy coordinated projects which were geared towards economically empowering women in northern Uganda who were stigmatized due to their inability to give birth and improving knowledge and skills among school-going adolescent girls in menstrual hygiene management. Ivy graduated from Uganda Christian University and was awarded a bachelor’s degree in Community Health. She now seeks to contribute to the improvement of health and well-being of populations through research.
Role in UPTAKE: Research Assistant (Qualitative data collection and analysis in stage 1)
Research Interest: Exploring the role of sociocultural factors in the uptake of Long Acting HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and Multi-purpose Prevention Technologies.
LAURA LUSIKE LUNANI
PHD CANDIDATE,
KAVI-INSTITUTE OF CLINICAL RESEARCH (KAVI-ICR)
Laura Lusike Lunani is a research assistant at KAVI-ICR. She has participated in several research projects, including feasibility, vaccine, drug, and observational studies that involved low and high risk cohorts. These populations included adolescents, sex workers and men who have sex with men. Laura has a BSc in Family and Consumer Studies from Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Kenya. She later obtained an MA in Population Studies at the University of Nairobi, where she is currently attached. Laura seeks to better understand the sexual and reproductive health needs of women including adolescent girls, specifically in relation to family planning and HIV prevention. She is also an active member of the Kapropita Girls High school Alumni which provides mentorship to young girls for their future careers.
Role in UPTAKE: Research Assistant
Research Interest: Sociobehavioural science with a focus on gaining a greater and more nuanced understanding of sexual and reproductive health issues of adolescent girls and women.
SHARON LIPESA
MSC CANDIDATE,
KAVI-INSTITUTE OF CLINICAL RESEARCH (KAVI-ICR)
Sharon Lipesa is a Research Assistant at KAVI-ICR. She has a career spanning over 10 years in clinical and community health nursing. A graduate of the University of Nairobi with a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, Sharon has a passion for assisting individuals and communities to achieve optimal health through innovative and community responsive technologies and systems. She has previously supported community programs in water and sanitation, reproductive health, and HIV and TB. She has been a community liaison officer at KAVI-ICR for the past 5 years supporting community engagement activities in HIV and Ebola vaccine clinical trials. She firmly believes in the self-efficacy of communities and participates in projects which empower communities to craft innovative solutions for social as well as health issues affecting them. She loves reading in her spare time as well learning new dance moves from her three sons.
Role in UPTAKE: Research Assistant (Epidemiology)
Research Interest: Intimate partner involvement in sexual and reproductive health decision making among AGYW and the use of Discrete Choice experiments (DCEs) in behavioral research among AGYW and FSWs.
