Julie Nyamao | Senior Research Scientist
Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)

Dr. Julie Nyanchama Nyamao is a Senior Research Scientist at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), where she leads the Maternal Immunization Readiness Network in Africa and Asia (MIRNA) study. With over 13 years of multifaceted healthcare experience, she combines clinical practice, research leadership, and academic excellence to advance maternal and newborn health outcomes across Kenya and the region.
Currently completing her PhD in Clinical Research Maternal Newborn Health at the University of Nairobi, Dr. Nyamao holds a Master's degree in Obstetric Nursing/Midwifery. Her transformative leadership as former Head of Nursing Research and Training at Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital achieved an 80% reduction in maternal mortality in 2018 through innovative service delivery research and continuing medical education programs. She has also served as a lecturer at the University of Nairobi's Faculty of Health Sciences, mentoring the next generation of healthcare professionals.
Beyond institutional leadership, Dr. Nyamao serves as a consultant for the Ministry of Health's 100-Day Maternal and Newborn Health Rapid Results Initiative (MNH-RRI), focused on reducing maternal and newborn mortality across Kenya's high-burden counties. Her diplomatic mediation during the 2020 nurses' strike demonstrated exceptional crisis management, leading to her 2022 candidacy for Kisii County Women Representative to champion maternal health policy reform. Through peer-reviewed publications and strategic media engagement via local radio and television, she effectively bridges clinical expertise with community health advocacy, driving policy influence and lasting impact in maternal and newborn health.

Appearances:

Pre-Congress Workshops - Monday 30th March @ 10:30

GLOBAL HEALTH WORKSHOP

GLOBAL HEALTH

Room 209AB

Identifying innovative and collaborative solutions throughout the development pathway to advance Global Health vaccine candidates beyond historical roadblocks. Understanding the factors which influence access and equity in low resource settings.

10:30am Chair’s opening remarks & presentation:

Vaccine Equity—A Historical Perspective and Future Imperatives

Dr Seth Berkley, Senior Advisor, Pandemic Center at Brown University

11am Using a partnership model for peer-to-peer learning and planning to optimize vaccine impact: A case study from Hexavalent Vaccine Implementation in Africa

Dr Kate Hopkins, Senior Director of Research, Vaccine Acceptance & Delivery, Sabin Vaccine Institute

11.20am Maternal Immunization Readiness Assessment in Kenya: A Situational Analysis for RSV and GBS Vaccine IntroductionJulie Nyanchama, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)

11:40am From Capacity to Capability: How LMIC CDMOs Are Becoming Strategic Growth Engines

ALN Reddy, Sr Vice President, Strategic Business Development, Biological E

12:00pm Enhancing Adjuvant Availability: An Open-Access Model for Global Health

Dr Gerben Marsman, Head of Alliance Management, Vaccine Formulation Institute

12:20pm Innovative Adjuvants for Global Health

Peter Tygesen, Business Development Director, SPI PharmaJuhienah Khalaf, Director of Chemistry, InImmune

12:40pm Adjuvants at Scale: Sustaining Global Demand *Title TBC

Damien Hiley, Partner & Managing Director, Desert King

GH Vaccine Development Updates:

2:00pm Development Updates for NTD VaccinesDr Maria Elena Bottazzi, Co-Director of Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine

2:20pm Early development of a blood-stage, whole parasite vaccine for malaria

Dr Michael Good, Principal Research Leader, Head, Laboratory of Vaccines for the Developing World, Griffith University

2:40pm New Tuberculosis Vaccines – update and latest developments

Prof Richard White, Prof of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, LSHTM; Co-chair, Collaboration for TB Vaccine Discovery EMTD Research Community; WHO TB Vaccine Technical Advisory Group

3:00pm Fireside chat: The 96% Solution: Transforming the Fight Against Malaria Through Unprecedented Maternal and Infant Protection

· The Global Crisis: Addressing the critical need for next-generation malaria vaccines due to increasing cases and the limitations of current solutions.

· Breakthrough Data: Unveiling the "dream come true" results showing 96% protection against clinical malaria in infants born to mothers vaccinated pre-conception.

· Maternal Immunity: Examining the implications of long-lasting, transferred maternal immunity as a game-changer for infant survival.

· Policy and Elimination: Discussion on how this high, durable efficacy impacts global health policy, funding, scalability, and the path to malaria elimination.

Moderator: Dr Stephen Hoffman, Chief Executive and Scientific Officer, Sanaria

Dr Patrick E. Duffy, Chief, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA

Ambassador John Simon, Managing Partner, Total Impact Capital, Bethesda, MD, USA

3:45pm -4:45pm Panel: How Vaccine Access Differs Across Countries—and What to Do About It

· Examine how systems shape vaccine access from development to delivery.

· Contrast vaccine pathways in high- vs. low- and middle-income countries.

· Highlight barriers like trial investment gaps and delayed approvals.

· Share strategies from global experts to improve equitable access.

Moderator: Anna Larson, Advisor, Epstein Becker & Green

Rebecca Martin, President, Global Immunization, Sabin Vaccine Institute

Larry Kerr, DVP, Global Health & Multilateral Affairs, PhRMA

Chris Colwell, VP, International Government & Regulatory Affairs, USP