MMVC PhD fellow successfully defends his thesis, advancing transmission-blocking malaria vaccine research
- EVI
- Sep 3
- 2 min read
Dr. Charles Mulamba has successfully graduated after defending his thesis under the Multi-Stage Malaria Vaccine Consortium (MMVC) project, advancing the fight against malaria through innovative research.
September 2025
On 28th August 2025, Dr. Charles Mulamba successfully defended his PhD and officially graduated at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NMAIST), Tanzania. Dr. Mulamba is an MMVC fellow supported by EVI and based at the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) in Tanzania. His research focused on one of the most pressing public health challenges—malaria transmission. Between 2021 and 2023, he evaluated immune responses to a promising transmission-blocking malaria vaccine candidate (Pfs25-IMX313/Matrix-M) in Bagamoyo, Tanzania.
Alongside the vaccine trial, Dr. Mulamba conducted a large community survey in Bagamoyo, revealing that nearly one in four individuals had malaria infection, with adults being more likely to harbour gametocytes, the malaria parasite stage that is necessary for transmission. He also examined natural immunity to transmission-blocking target antigens, showing that while antibody levels increase with age, natural immunity alone may not be sufficient to interrupt transmission. These findings reinforce the potential role of transmission-blocking vaccines in accelerating malaria elimination efforts in Tanzania and beyond.
Dr. Mulamba’s findings have been published (PMC9161629 & PMC11846475). He is now seeking postdoctoral positions to continue his research work in the field of malaria vaccines and/or transmission blocking.
Acknowledgements
Funding: European Vaccine Initiative PhD fellowship, funded by the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP2) programme through the Multi-Stage Malaria Vaccine Consortium (MMVC, RIA2016V-1649). MMVC is coordinated by the University of Oxford, and EVI leads the capacity building and networking activities.
Supervisors: Dr. Ally Olotu, Prof. Katharina Kreppel, Prof. Sumi Biswas, Prof. Jean Bosco Ouedrago