Sayoki Mfinanga is a global health and clinical research expert working for the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) in Tanzania.
He is a medical doctor and epidemiologist, as he holds a Degree of Medicine (MD) and a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Medical Epidemiology focusing on tuberculosis and HIV. Mfinanga supervises and mentors fellows at a junior and mid-career level in various local and international academic and non-academic institutions. He has published over 100 scientific articles in peer-reviewed journals, including The Lancet and New England Journal of Medicine. He has expertise in epidemiology, clinical trials, and public health surveillance for infectious and non communicable diseases.
Mfinanga is the Director and Chief Research Scientist for NIMR Muhimbili Cenre, Honorary Professor of Global Health at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Honorary Lecturer at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences in Dar es Salaam, and Adjunct Professor at Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania.
Mfinanga specific skills includes designing, implementing, monitoring, and running interdisciplinary research projects, including clinical trials, biomedical research, disease surveillance studies, health system and capacity assessments, policy-driven health surveillance, and health system improvement research.
He is leading several scientific research networks in Africa. He is Deputy Director-UK NIHR Global Health Research Group on prevention and management of non-communicable diseases and HIV-infection in Africa, Deputy Director for Afrique one ASPIRE consortium, and Coordinator of TB node of excellence in East Africa under East Africa Consortium for Clinical Research (EACCR2).
Mfinanga has/is/ led/leading/Co led/leading several multi-countries clinical trials with funding level ranging 0.5 to 5M Euros and contributed to national and global policies in management, prevention, and control, mainly in TB and HIV.
Also, he has research experience in other scientific topics, including non-communicable diseases, zoonosis, maternal, and child health (immunizations). Such global policy include the WHO Guidelines for managing advanced HIV disease and rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy and Guidelines for the diagnosis, prevention and management of cryptococcal disease in HIV-infected adults, adolescents and children
Mfinanga supervisors Master and PhD students, as well as post-doctoral fellows and he facilitates various courses in epidemiology, clinical trials and tuberculosis at several institutions and networks in Africa and Europe.
Mfinanga won several research grants and scientific awards, including the NIMR Best Journal Publishing Scientist Award and American Thoracic Society (ATS) certificate of Scientific Merit.