Martin Kibet Rono
Biobank Fellow
Kilifi
Summary
I am a research scientist with a PhD in cell and molecular biology with over 20 years’ experience in infectious diseases, biobanking, capacity building, grant application and management.
Overview
2025
2025
years of professional experience
8
8
years of post-secondary education
5
5
Certifications
Work History
Principal Research Scientist /Biobank Fellow
KEMRI
Kilifi, Kenya
01.2021 - Current
Assistant Principal Research Scientist
CGMRC
07.2023 - 09.2023
- Develop research proposals and grant applications mainly in infectious diseases including, malaria, soil transmitted helminths and HIV
- Contributing to peer reviewed publications I have over 20 publications including high impact publications, first or lead author
- I have mentored over 10 postgraduate students at Master and PhD level including one postdoc
- I am a faculty member for the KEMRI Graduate School and in charge of students’ seminar presentation and member of the steering committee in charge of preparations for the KEMRI Graduate School charter for degree awarding status by the commission of university education (CUE) in Kenya
- I have developed funded proposals and lead research in discovery of malaria parasite transmission and control
- My role was to have oversight on both scientific and administrative management of the Centre.
Biobank Fellow
KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research, lecturer Pwani University
Kilifi, Kenya
01.2016 - 12.2020
- Management of biobank operations and staff
- Coordinate sample reception, archival, the delivery of samples on demand to researchers and collaborating scientists for these I implemented inhouse solution in LIMS for samples and storage request and approvals with lead timelines
- Complete implementation of LIMS for sample data management from old software’s include excel, FoxPro and other databases of hardcopy paper templates
- Development of in house functionalities on LIMS in collaboration with IT to register new studies, automated upload of large-scale sample data and generate reports
- Biobank staff recruitment, appraisals, and management with liaison with institute HR department
- Automation of biobank operations and utilization of LIMS
- Staff and personnel training on biobank operations and issues related to sample storage and archiving and utilization of sample management software (LIMS)
- Contribute to budgeting and proposal development, for sustaining the institute biobank
- Honorary lecturer, Pwani University
- Main achievements include:
- As a lead PI in a consortium of scientist from KEMRI and Pwani University I was awarded a grant $450K from National Research Fund (NRF) in Kenya for further development and equipping PUBReC in Pwani University as a state-of-the-art facility and a model for conducting health research in Kenya University
- Conducted research and supervised MSc Students and one postdoc and contributed to several peer reviewed publications.
09.2018 - 09.2018
Honorary Visiting Research Fellow
department of Medicine
01.2016 - 01.2018
- Develop proposals, apply for grants and carryout independent research in malaria parasites and vectors in East Africa
- Supervise and mentor graduate students in research work.
Post-Doctoral Research Assistant
KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme
01.2009 - 01.2015
- Kilifi
- Developed and implemented DNA microarray platform in Kilifi and Kenya for analyzing large scale data analysis of clinical isolates of malaria parasites from East Africa
- The work led to new insights into how parasites can adapt to different regions and transmit the disease (Rono et al., 2017, Nat
- Ecol
- And Evol.)
- I participated in supervision of PhD and MSc students
- Contributed to institute management and was secretary to the institute scientific review committee that coordinates proposal development and scientific management
- Contributed to capacity building at Pwani University through a collaborative joint venture between KEMRI-Wellcome Trust and Pwani University in Kenya
- Initiated the development of molecular biology laboratory in Pwani and was a member of the committee coordinating the collaboration in research and training
- In charge of designing and oversight in construction and implementation of the Pwani University Bioscience Research Centre (PUBReC, https://pubrec.pu.ac.ke) in Pwani University through funds from The Wellcome Trust
Disease Vectors, KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Pathogens
09.2014 - 03.2014
- Applied Bioinformatics and Ecology of Disease Vectors and
- 08.2013
- Conferences
- Biobank (ESBB) conference in Stockholm, Sweden - 12th to 15th September 2017
- Oral presentation at the 9th Annual BioMalPar I EVIMalaR Conference, 13th-15th May 2013, Heidelberg, Germany
- Poster presentation at the Molecular Approaches to Malaria 2012, 19th - 23rd February 2012, Lorne, Virtual poster presentation, BioMalPar XVI: Biology and Pathology of the Malaria Parasite-Virtual: 18th -19th May 2020, EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany
- Oral presentation at The XIIth International Congress of Parasitology 2010, 15th -20th
- 08.2010
- Melbourne Australia
- Capacity building: Teaching, mentoring and supervision of graduate students
- Workshops organized and facilitated
- Biology
Post-Doctoral Researcher, Recherche Scientifique
National de la, CNRS
01.2009 - 01.2009
Pre-Doctoral Fellow
European Molecular Biology Laboratory
01.2005 - 01.2009
- Won the prestigious BioMalPar PhD fellowship to undertake Ph.D
- Training at EMBL and University of Strasbourg
- The focus was on understanding the biology of malaria vectors with focus of stopping disease transmission.
Biobank fellow
KEMRI
- 05.2003
- Iquitos, Peru
- Advanced Imaging Techniques for Malaria Researchers, supported by University of Technology Sydney and EVIMALAR, 5th -, I am a research scientist with over six and half years as the biobank fellow/manager for KEMRI Wellcome Trust Biobank
- The institute biobank has over 1.8 million specimens including human samples and pathogens samples collected over three decades
- My roles include oversight of biobank day to day operations and strategic steering of the institute biobank to meet current and future needs
- More specifically my roles include:
- Coordination of the technical setup of the biobank infrastructure which includes 57 ultra low temperature freezers and three 40K liquid nitrogen sample storage tanks
- Development and maintenance of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), applied to sample collection, archiving and management
- Evaluate suitable IT solutions for biobanking and advice management
- Develop and implement quality assurance processes, audits pertaining to sample accessioning and archiving
- Coordinate sample reception, archival, the delivery of samples on demand to researchers and collaborating scientists for these I implemented inhouse solution in LIMS for samples and storage request and approvals with lead timelines
- Biobank staff recruitment, appraisals, and management with liaison with institute HR department
- Staff and personnel training on biobank operations and issues related to sample storage and archiving and utilization of sample management software (LIMS)
- Contribute to budgeting and proposal development, for sustaining the institute biobank
- Responsible for development and implementation of a strategic plan to upgrade the Institute’s biobank to meet current and future needs
- Assist researchers in planning and coordination of new studies with sample storage requirements
- Oversight on quality control processes involved in sample processing and archival
- Coordinate biosafety and biosecurity requirements for the institute biobank in liaison with departments involved in biosafety and biosecurity.
Visiting scientist
International Centre
1 1 - 1 1
- Joint TDR & GMP workshop to discuss findings for Residual Malaria Transmission, of Insect Physiology Ecology (ICIPE)
- I was awarded postdoctoral fellowship and lead a team in ICIPE in collaboration with teams in University of Strasbourg where I trained for my doctoral studies to perform surveillance malaria vectors from Kenya and investigate their ability to transmit malaria.
Education
Ph.D. - Cell and Molecular Biology
University of Strasbourg
Strasbourg 03.2005 - 01.2009
BSc - 2nd Upper (hons)
Moi University
Eldoret, Kenya 05.1993 - 05.1997
Skills
Laboratory information management system (LIMS)
Data analysis
Bioinformatics tools
R programming
Cell biology techniques
Molecular biology techniques
PCR
RTPCR
ELISA
Gene cloning
Recombinant protein expression
Functional genomics
DNA microarray analysis
undefinedCertification
Basics of biobanking, NSW biobank Certification Program, 06/01/23
Memberships And Affiliations
- European Society of Biobanking (ESBB)
- Pan African Mosquito Control Association (PAMCA)
Grants
- ERC.0002666, WHO TDR, $219,647, Co-PI, Understanding residual transmission for sustainable malaria control.
- 16-194 RG/BIO/AF/AC_I, TWAS, $17,800, PI, Functional analysis of Plasmodium PHIST proteins.
- Research Infrastructural Grant 201/2018 FY, NRF, $450,000, PI, Developing PU Bioresearch Centre (PUBReC).
Editorial Functions
Associate Editor, International Journal of Tropical Insect Science, 2017-Present
Skype Id
martinkibet
Media Articles
In Biobanks Lies the Future of Research, https://nation.africa/kenya/healthy-nation/in-biobanks-lies-the-future-of-research-240736
Awards
- Pre-Doctoral Fellowship, BioMalPar-EMBL, 2005-2009
- BioMalPar Short term Postdoctoral Fellowship, Euros 50,000, 2009
- 8th annual BioMalPar-EVIMalR People’s choice poster prize, 2012
Training
- Biobank (ESBB) conference, Stockholm, Sweden, 09/12/17
- 9th Annual BioMalPar I EVIMalaR Conference, Heidelberg, Germany, 05/13/13
Timeline
Assistant Principal Research Scientist
CGMRC
07.2023 - 09.2023
Principal Research Scientist /Biobank Fellow
KEMRI
01.2021 - Current
09.2018 - 09.2018
Biobank Fellow
KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research, lecturer Pwani University
01.2016 - 12.2020
Honorary Visiting Research Fellow
department of Medicine
01.2016 - 01.2018
Disease Vectors, KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Pathogens
09.2014 - 03.2014
Post-Doctoral Research Assistant
KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme
01.2009 - 01.2015
Post-Doctoral Researcher, Recherche Scientifique
National de la, CNRS
01.2009 - 01.2009
Ph.D. - Cell and Molecular Biology
University of Strasbourg
03.2005 - 01.2009
Pre-Doctoral Fellow
European Molecular Biology Laboratory
01.2005 - 01.2009
BSc - 2nd Upper (hons)
Moi University
05.1993 - 05.1997
- 08.2013
- 08.2010
Biobank fellow
KEMRI
- 05.2003
Basics of biobanking, NSW biobank Certification Program, 06/01/23
Information Security & Data Protection, KEMRI Wellcome Trust, 04/01/23
Introduction to Good Clinical Laboratory Practice, The global Heath Network, 01/01/22
Research Ethics Evaluation, TRREE training programme, 12/01/20
Good Clinical Practice, NID Clinical Trials Network, 12/01/18
Visiting scientist
International Centre
1 1 - 1 1
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