Ramadhan Luvandale

Mr
Ramadhan
Luvandale

Research Fellow in One Health & Emerging Pathogens
Kenya Institute of Primates Research
Biography
Ramadhan Luvandale is a Research Fellow at the Kenya Institute of Primate Research, where he collaborates with Dr. Joseph Kamau on cutting-edge infectious disease research. He holds a BSc in Microbiology and an MSc in One Health: Emerging Infections and Research Ethics from the University of Nairobi. Currently, he is pursuing his PhD at the University of Manchester, focusing on the pathogen dynamics of CHIKV (Chikungunya virus), viral competence, and viral evolution in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the Global South. With expertise in molecular biology, computational biology, and eco-immunology, Ramadhan’s research spans viral and bacterial pathogens. His work emphasizes the intersection of environmental change, pathogen surveillance, and public health, leveraging advanced data modeling and epidemiological tools to assess the risks of emerging and re-emerging diseases. He has contributed to projects on Chikungunya virus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, and Theileria parva (the causative agent of East Coast Fever). Previously, Ramadhan supported zoonotic viral surveillance under the USAID PREDICT program and was honored with a Vaccinology Training Fellowship by The Pirbright Institute’s Centre for Veterinary Vaccine Innovation and Manufacturing (CVIM) in 2025. His multidisciplinary approach bridges laboratory science, computational analysis, and global health policy to mitigate infectious disease threats.
Research interests
I study how environmental change drives the emergence of zoonotic diseases, integrating molecular biology, computational biology, and eco-immunology. My research focuses on viral, and bacterial pathogens—such as Chikungunya virus and other arboviruses , Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, and Theileria parva. I use pathogen surveillance, data modeling, and genomics to explore host-pathogen dynamics at the human-animal-environment interface. With experience from USAID PREDICT, Kenya Institute of Primates Research (KIPRE) and vaccinology training at The Pirbright Institute, I aim to support early-warning systems, vaccine development, and One Health-informed public health strategies.
Projects you're working on
Projects you're working on I am currently involved in: Chikungunya virus sero-epidemiology, assessing antibody responses in exposed populations. Tuberculosis surveillance, investigating genetic variation and drug resistance in zoonotic strains among livestock and communities. East Coast Fever (ECF) studies, characterizing Theileria parva diversity and evaluating antigenic variation for vaccine development. These projects utilize integrated One Health frameworks and molecular tools such as PCR, sequencing, ELISA, and bioinformatics.
Discipline
Bacteriology Bioinformatics Cellular biology Challenge model development Clinical trials – efficacy Ethics Immunology – B-cells Immunology – T-cells Immunology – innate Molecular biology Parasitology Social sciences Virology
Host species
Wildlife Zoonoses
Pathogen
Parasites›Theileria annulata Parasites›Theileria parva Viruses Viruses›Adenovirus Viruses›Arboviruses Viruses›Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus Viruses›Rift Valley fever virus Viruses›Rotavirus
Stage of vaccine development
Adjuvants Antigen discovery and immunogen design Field trials Pre-clinical trials