Bioscience

Bio

Upon completion of her PhD training, Euniece was awarded a Wellcome Training Fellowship to determine whether exposure to HIV antigens or to an altered cytokine environment in utero alters the developing immune responses in HIV-exposed but uninfected infants. In parallel determined immune responses to childhood vaccines in HIV infected children. In 2017, she was awarded a four-years mid-career research fellowship through the Initiative to develop African Research Leaders (IDEAL) - DELTAS programme. This fellowship supported my work to understand cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the generation of antibodies with relevant functions in HIV infection. During this time, I established collaboration with the International AIDS vaccine Initiative (IAVI) which is currently supporting my programme of work to characterize B cell responses and monoclonal antibodies to inform HIV vaccine design

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Current Work

We are specifically interested in understanding differences in population immune baselines by characterizing the naïve B cell repertoire and HIV-antigen specific precursors in African populations. In addition, establishing immunogenicity testing frameworks for HIV vaccine studies. We are currently preparing for B cell and monoclonal antibody characterization for the G003 Clinical Trial that aims to use a germline targeting approach to elicit desired VRC01 class of antibodies. In addition, we are supporting immunogenicity testing (IFNg ELISPOTs) for the GREAT clinical trial (conserved Mosaic HIV-1 phase 1 Trial). As part of our research capacity strengthening agenda, I am actively involved in student supervision (interns, MSc students and Ph.D. students), mentorship and teaching immunology courses. Under the SANTHE consortium, on which I am a co-applicant, we recently received funding from the DELTAS-AESA programme and BMGF to support capacity building in the next four years. Appointments: Adjunct lecturer at Pwani University, Kilifi; member of the SANTHE Consortium Steering Committee. On-going collaborations: Dr. Daniel Muema - Kenya AIDS Vaccine Initiative – Institute of Clinical research (KAVI-ICR), Prof. Thumbi Ndungu - University of Kwa Zulu Natal – Africa Health Research Institute, Dr. Devin Sok/Elise Landais - Scripps Research Institute – Neutralizing Antibody Centre, Prof. Penny Moore - National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), South Africa.

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Recent publications

Atypical B cells are part of an alternative lineage of B cells that participates in responses to vaccination and infection in humans.
Sutton, H. J., Aye, R., Idris, A. H., Vistein, R., Nduati, E., Kai, O., Mwacharo, J., Li, X., Gao, X., Andrews, T. D., Koutsakos, M., Nguyen, T. H. O., Nekrasov, M., Milburn, P., Eltahla, A., Berry, A. A., Kc, N., Chakravarty, S., Sim, B. K. L., Wheatley, A. K., Kent, S. J., Hoffman, S. L., Lyke, K. E., Bejon, P., Luciani, F., Kedzierska, K., Seder, R. A., Ndungu, F. M., Cockburn, I. A.
Cell Rep, (2021). 34:108684

Symptom-based Scoring for Acute Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
Sanders, E. J., Kigoro, A., Thiong'o, A., Nduati, E., Graham, S. M.
Clin Infect Dis, (2019). 69:736-737

Cytomegalovirus viraemia is associated with poor growth and T-cell activation with an increased burden in HIV-exposed uninfected infants.
Garcia-Knight, M. A., Nduati, E., Hassan, A. S., Nkumama, I., Etyang, T. J., Hajj, N. J., Gambo, F., Odera, D., Berkley, J. A., Rowland-Jones, S. L., Urban, B.
AIDS, (2017). 31:1809-1818

Altered Memory T-Cell Responses to Bacillus Calmette-Guerin and Tetanus Toxoid Vaccination and Altered Cytokine Responses to Polyclonal Stimulation in HIV-Exposed Uninfected Kenyan Infants.
Garcia-Knight, M. A., Nduati, E., Hassan, A. S., Gambo, F., Odera, D., Etyang, T. J., Hajj, N. J., Berkley, J. A., Urban, B. C., Rowland-Jones, S. L.
PLoS One, (2015). 10:e0143043

HIV-exposed uninfected children: a growing population with a vulnerable immune system?.
Afran, L., Garcia Knight, M., Nduati, E., Urban, B. C., Heyderman, R. S., Rowland-Jones, S. L.
Clin Exp Immunol, (2014). 176:11-22