Dr Lucy Ochola is the Head of the Tropical and Infectious Diseases Department at the Institute of Primate Research, Kenya. She is also a Research Associate at the Department of Environmental Health, Nelson Mandela University, South Africa. Dr Ochola started her career at the University of Manchester, UK and earned her PhD in Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology at the University of Basel, Switzerland. Lucy’s work focuses on advancing research in malaria and other infectious diseases and co-infections while fostering global collaborations in immunology and tropical medicine. Dr Ochola is the Kenya Society for Immunology (KSI) Secretary General and Vice-President of the Federation of African Immunology Societies (FAIS).
What inspired you to specialise in malaria and infectious disease research, and how has your journey shaped your perspective on global health challenges?
Malaria was and continues to be a leading cause of death in my part of the world. I come from a family of scientists; I have always had an inquisitive mind. I initially desired to find cures for diseases, and this led me to pursue an MSc degree in medicinal chemistry, where I interacted with clinicians treating fungal infections. I explored the utility of purifying a botanical product (blackjack or Bidens pilosa). The crushed leaves are used in my village and by my mother to treat fungal skin infections effectively. When I returned to Kenya, I secured a PhD in malaria immunology and my interest in this field was piqued.
My exposure to research in the West made me realise the significant inequalities in research in Africa, with women underrepresented, especially in STEM. I was, therefore, determined to move back and make a difference.
Can you share some of the most significant breakthroughs or challenges you’ve encountered in your research?
Breakthroughs: I was fortunate enough to conduct my PhD project in Switzerland and Kenya (at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, KWTRP) and my postdoc jointly between KWTRP and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. This exposure to international cutting-edge research supported my career growth and my ability to publish and compete on a level playing field with my counterparts across the globe. This was exciting and drew me deeper into research. Excellent mentorship also offered me the right connections for furthering my research goals.
Challenges: All is not equal in Africa, and not every research institution or university enjoys a supportive research culture and environment like that of KWTRP. Poor research infrastructure and lack of a strong and collaborative research culture that advances the collective rather than a few individuals mean we remain behind on the research front.
How do you see the role of immunology evolving in tackling diseases in Africa?
When I think of immunology, I think of vaccines’ power and global impact on public health. Recently, the COVID-19 vaccine was the game-changer that stemmed the tide of the pandemic. Historically, vaccines have eradicated diseases such as smallpox and eliminated others such as polio, yellow fever and tetanus. To design vaccines, we must understand human immunology to advance and accelerate the interrogation of our immune response to diseases and how different therapeutic designs can stimulate the immune system to confer protection against diseases.
Developing a greater understanding of the highly genetically diverse African population and no longer extrapolating and drawing inferences from global data is critical in preventing and treating diseases in Africa. I believe that this will have a positive impact on multiple fronts.
- Firstly, studying African immunogenetics will help us further understand risk factors and resistance patterns to diseases such as malaria, TB, and NTDs.
- Secondly, it will aid in developing effective vaccines that will account for the diverse genotypes within this population.
- Thirdly, it will facilitate the development of efficacious cancer immunotherapy, which may result in improved mortality rates due to better access to more widely available and cheaper medications as we become less reliant on higher-income countries as our supply chain.
- Finally, it will allow for the development of efficient point-of-care tests that will hopefully be manufactured on the continent so that they are cheap and easily accessible to the most rural communities.
As Vice-President of FAIS and Secretary General of the Kenya Society for Immunology, what initiatives are you most passionate about in strengthening immunology research in Africa?
I am keen to strengthen collaborations between scientists in Kenya and Sub-Saharan Africa. We are at an exciting time in Africa with an increasing number of researchers, particularly immunologists. This critical mass of high-quality immunologists needs to continue to connect to foster collaborative discourse and strengthen immunology science across Africa. It is also an opportunity to have a collective voice to bridge the gap in inequities, strengthen the research culture and influence and enhance the impact of immunology to shift the disease burdens we all face on the continent.
How do you balance your leadership roles with your scientific research, and what advice would you give young scientists aspiring to take on leadership positions?
Both leadership roles and scientific research go hand in hand. Every scientist should be a role model and lead by example. I advise young scientists aspiring to be leaders to remind them that even in their current circle of influence, they can be and are leaders. I encourage them to build upon their strengths, to never give up and be confident in their abilities. Identifying a mentor early on is critical as they support your career development.
Can you discuss co-infections impact on malaria treatment and immunity and how your research addresses these complexities?
Co-infections are a common occurrence in Sub-Saharan Africa. Studies in my lab have provided evidence on how helminth infections like Schistosoma mansoni can modulate the immune response and hamper the effectiveness of vaccines.
To address the complexities: S. mansoni releases a myriad of antigens that enable it to evade immune detection and survival in the human host. By studying these antigens, we are designing novel synthetic peptides and testing them as novel treatments.
We continue to explore novel experimental systems that can dissect these mechanisms further. One method establishes an organ-on-a-chip model that offers alternative models for evaluating drugs and disease progression.
Looking ahead, what are the most exciting developments in immunology and tropical medicine that you believe will shape the future of global health?
Africa faces numerous health challenges, taking the lion’s share of the global health problems. Exciting developments in the field of immunology and tropical medicine span from molecular, nanotherapies, monoclonal antibodies, immunotherapies and an improved understanding of the microbiome to systems approaches to unpack solutions for our common diseases that are overdue for elimination. As African immunologists, we can spur the local change required to find home-grown solutions, develop cost-effective diagnostics and vaccines that reach every corner of the continent to drastically reduce the disease burden, and take our solutions to the world.
Interview by Bonamy (Bon) Holtak
