Host organisation: Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, UK
Project title: Learning mathematical modelling skills in order to develop innovative surveillance and analysis tools for risk management of foodborne and non-communicable diseases
Dr Mbazi Senkoro is a research scientist based at the NIMR in Tanzania. He has a Master’s degree in International Health (Epidemiology) and a PhD in Epidemiology focusing on the burden of tuberculosis, both from the University of Bergen, Norway. He has been involved in several research projects including reproductive and Child Health, non-communicable diseases, HIV and tuberculosis.
Dr Senkoro is a Postdoctoral Fellow on the Afrique One-ASPIRE programme, funded by the Wellcome Trust and the UK Department for International Development. One of the objectives of his research proposal is to develop models for predicting foodborne disease and non-communicable disease risk factors and burden. This requires skills and expertise in mathematical modelling, which at present his institution cannot provide.
AREF Fellowship research project:
As part of this EDCTP-AREF Preparatory Fellowship, Dr Senkoro will be attached to the University of Glasgow, where he will focus on acquiring knowledge of mathematical and statistical modelling, including an introduction to Bayesian modelling methods, widely used in the research world. He will gain this expertise through short courses and hands-on training using data generated from his postdoctoral research project.
This [Fellowship strengthened] my competencies in project and proposal design, my research skills and data analysis capabilities.