Profile Details

Create Project

★★★★★

☆☆☆☆☆

USD 80 /hr

★★★★★

☆☆☆☆☆

Hire Dr. Fridah M.

Kenya

USD 80 /hr

PhD Molecular Biologist | Genomics, NGS Data Analysis, Molecular Diagnostics, Scientific Writing & Grant Support

Profile Summary

I am a PhD-trained Molecular Biologist and Genomics Scientist with over 13 years of experience in infectious disease research, molecular diagnostics, genomics, immunology, and next-generation sequencing (NGS). My work spans academic research, public health, laboratory management, scientific consulting, and collaborative international research projects. My research has focused extensively on SARS-CoV-2 genomics, vaccine breakthrough infections, viral evolution, molecular epidemiology, host immune responses, and genomic surveillance. I have hands-on experience in molecular biology techniques including PCR, qPCR, nucleic acid extraction, library preparation, NGS workflows, and genomic data interpretation. I am also experienced in the analysis and interpretation of genomic and epidemiological datasets for research and public health applications. In addition to laboratory and research expertise, I provide scientific writing and research support services, including manuscript preparation and editing, grant and fellowship applications, research proposals, literature reviews, systematic reviews, data interpretation, and responses to peer reviewers. I have contributed to multiple scientific publications and have successfully supported multidisciplinary research teams from project conception through dissemination. My technical expertise includes: Molecular biology and molecular diagnostics Infectious disease genomics and molecular epidemiology Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies and bioinformatics SARS-CoV-2 and emerging infectious diseases research Immunology and vaccine-related studies Research design and methodology Scientific and medical writing Grant and fellowship proposal development Data analysis and interpretation Research project management I am passionate about translating complex scientific data into clear, impactful outputs that advance research, public health, and innovation. I welcome opportunities to collaborate with researchers, academic institutions, biotechnology companies, public health organizations, and healthcare stakeholders on projects requiring scientific expertise, analytical rigor, and high-quality communication.

Subject Matter Expertise

• ★ Molecular Biology
• ★ Genome Sequencing
• ★ Infectious Disease
• ☆ Microbiology
• ☆ Microbiome Research
• ☆ Parasitology
• ☆ Virology
• ☆ Coronaviruses
• ☆ Retrovirology
• ☆ Molecular Virology
• ☆ Microbiological Assays
• ☆ Bacteriology
• ☆ Gram-Negative Bacteria
• ☆ Gram-Positive Bacteria
• ☆ Biostatistics
• ☆ Biochemistry
• ☆ Immunoassay
• ☆ Biomarkers
• ☆ PCR
• ☆ Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)
• ☆ DNA Sequencing
• ☆ RNA Sequencing
• ☆ Cell Biology
• ☆ Microscopy
• ☆ Light Microscopy
• ☆ Fluorescence Microscopy
• ☆ Bioinformatics
• ☆ Structural Bioinformatics
• ☆ Clinical Microbiology
• ☆ Cell Culture
• ☆ Phylogenetics
• ☆ Clinical Trials
• ☆ IRB Applications
• ☆ Patient Recruitment
• ☆ Clinical Data Management
• ☆ Clinical Trials Data Analysis
• ☆ Allergy & Clinical Immunology
• ☆ Clinical Immunology
• ☆ Viral Diseases
• ☆ COVID-19
• ☆ Antibiotic Resistance Research
• ☆ Antibiotic Stewardship
• ☆ Clinical Laboratory Science
• ☆ Clinical Pathology
• ☆ Molecular Pathology

Services

• Writing
• Research
• Consulting
• Data & AI
• Product Development

Writing Medical Writing, Technical Writing, Audio Transcription, General Proofreading & Editing

Research Market Research, Feasibility Study, Gap Analysis, Gray Literature Search, Scientific and Technical Research, Systematic Literature Review, Secondary Data Collection

Consulting Healthcare Consulting, Scientific and Technical Consulting

Data & AI Statistical Analysis

Product Development Formulation, Recipe Development, Quality Assurance & Control (QA/QC), Concept Development

Work Experience

Research Assistant

Aga Khan University Nairobi

- 2021

Consultant

Aga Khan University

August 2018 - November 2019

Education

PhD Health Sciences (Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)

Aga Khan University

- Present

B.Sc. Medical Laboratory Science (Department of Medical Laboratory Science)

Kenyatta University

- Present

M.Sc. Molecular Medicine (Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases)

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology

- Present

Certifications

• MAKING SENSE OF GENOMIC DATA

  WELLCOME CONNECTING SCIENCE AND COG-TRAIN

  September 2022 - Present

Publications

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Fridah Mwendwa, Javaria Ashraf, Akbar Kanji, Sayed Ali Raza Shah Bukhari, Rumina Hasan, Zahra Hasan (2026). Genomic Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 variants in unvaccinated children found to be similar to that of adults with COVID-19 vaccinations . F1000Research.

Fridah Mwendwa, Javaria Ashraf, Akbar Kanji, Sayed Ali Raza Shah Bukhari, Rumina Hasan, Zahra Hasan (2025). Genomic Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 variants in unvaccinated children found to be similar to that of adults with COVID-19 vaccinations . F1000Research.

Zahra Hasan, Kiran Iqbal Masood, Shama Qaiser, Akbar Kanji, Fridah Mwenda, Marta Alenquer, Junaid Iqbal, Filipe Ferreira, Yaqub Wassan, Sadaf Balouch, et al. (2025). Comparative study of humoral and cellular immunity against SARS-CoV-2 induced by different COVID-19 vaccine types: Insights into protection against wildtype, Delta and JN.1 omicron strains . Vaccine.

Mwendwa, Fridah, Ashraf, Javaria, Kanji, Akbar, Bukhari, Ali Raza, Hasan, Rumina, Hasan, Zahra (2025). Temporal Mapping of SARS-CoV-2 Variants During the Pandemic Reveals Similar Genomic Divergence in Unvaccinated and Vaccinated Cohorts, and in Both Adults and Children . Preprints.org.

Hasan, Z., Masood, K.I., Qaiser, S., Kanji, A., Mwendwa, F., Alenquer, M., Iqbal, J., Ferreira, F., Wassan, Y., Balouch, S., et al.(2025). Corrigendum to “Comparative study of humoral and cellular immunity against SARS-CoV-2 induced by different COVID-19 vaccine types: Insights into protection against wildtype, Delta and JN.1 omicron strains” [Vaccine 59 (2025) 127270] (Vaccine (2025) 59, (S0264410X25005675), (10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127270)) . Vaccine. 63.

Fridah Mwendwa, Akbar Kanji, Ali Raza Bukhari, Unab Khan, Ayesha Sadiqa, Zain Mushtaq, Nosheen Nasir, Syed Faisal Mahmood, Uzma Bashir Aamir, Zahra Hasan (2024). Shift in SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern from Delta to Omicron was associated with reduced hospitalizations, increased risk of breakthrough infections but lesser disease severity . Journal of Infection and Public Health.

Mwendwa, F., Kanji, A., Bukhari, A.R., Khan, U., Sadiqa, A., Mushtaq, Z., Nasir, N., Mahmood, S.F., Aamir, U.B., Hasan, Z.(2024). Shift in SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern from Delta to Omicron was associated with reduced hospitalizations, increased risk of breakthrough infections but lesser disease severity . Journal of Infection and Public Health. 17. (6). Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Localization.LocalizedHtmlString 1100-1107.

Fridah Mwendwa, Edgar Gulavi, David O. Atandi, Patricia O. Okiro, Michael Hall, Robert G. Beiko, Rodney D. Adam (2022). Vaginal microbiota in women with spontaneous preterm labor versus those with term labor in Kenya: a case control study . BMC Microbiology.

Gulavi, E., Mwendwa, F., Atandi, D.O., Okiro, P.O., Hall, M., Beiko, R.G., Adam, R.D.(2022). Vaginal microbiota in women with spontaneous preterm labor versus those with term labor in Kenya: a case control study . BMC Microbiology. 22. (1).

Fridah Mwendwa, Jamila Nambafu, Mary Achakolong, Jumaa Bwika, Felix Riunga, Samuel Gitau, Hanika Patel, Rodney D. Adam (2021). A prospective observational study of community acquired pneumonia in Kenya: the role of viral pathogens . BMC Infectious Diseases.

Nambafu, J., Achakolong, M., Mwendwa, F., Bwika, J., Riunga, F., Gitau, S., Patel, H., Adam, R.D.(2021). A prospective observational study of community acquired pneumonia in Kenya: the role of viral pathogens . BMC Infectious Diseases. 21. (1).

Fridah Mwendwa, Cecilia K. Mbae, Johnson Kinyua, Erastus Mulinge, Gitonga Nkanata Mburugu, Zablon K. Njiru(2017). Stem loop-mediated isothermal amplification test: comparative analysis with classical LAMP and PCR in detection of Entamoeba histolytica in Kenya . BMC Research Notes. 10. (1). Springer Nature

Mwendwa, F., Mbae, C.K., Kinyua, J., Mulinge, E., Mburugu, G.N., Njiru, Z.K.(2017). Stem loop-mediated isothermal amplification test: comparative analysis with classical LAMP and PCR in detection of Entamoeba histolytica in Kenya . BMC Research Notes. 10. (1).

PREPRINT

Fridah Mwendwa, Javaria Ashraf, Akbar Kanji, Ali Raza Bukhari, Rumina Hasan, Zahra Hasan (2025). Temporal Mapping of SARS-CoV-2 Variants During the Pandemic Reveals Similar Genomic Divergence in Unvaccinated and Vaccinated Cohorts, and in Both Adults and Children .

DISSERTATION THESIS

Fridah Mwendwa (2018). Development and Evaluation of a Modified Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (mLAMP) Test for the Detection of Entamoeba Histolytica.

WORKING PAPER

Temporal Mapping of SARS-CoV-2 Variants During the Pandemic Reveals Similar Genomic Divergence in Unvaccinated and Vaccinated Cohorts, and in Both Adults and Children .