Dr Reagan Mogire

I am a research scientist with an interest in application of bioinformatics in biomedical research. Previously, in a project aimed at repurposing approved drugs for antimalarial use, I applied a computer aided drug design to predict currently used drugs with unknown antimalarial activity. Currently, my PhD project is aimed at evaluating the association between vitamin D status and infectious diseases. Epidemiological studies have linked vitamin D deficiency and several infectious and non-communicable diseases. However, the direction of causality most of these associations has not been determined due to the observational nature of these studies. Therefore, I am going to use a Mendelian Randomization approach to determine whether vitamin D deficiency increases risk of these diseases or the other way round. As part of my project, I am also evaluating the vitamin D status of African children drawn from across East, West and South Africa. In addition, I will carry out the first genome wide association study to identify genetic variants that’s influence vitamin D status in African populations. Understanding how vitamin D deficiency is linked to associated diseases would be important in guiding public health policy and primary health care.

Publications

Mogire, R. M., Mutua, A., Kimita, W., Kamau, A., Bejon, P., Pettifor, J. M., ... & Atkinson, S. H. (2020). Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Global Health, 8(1), e134-e142.

Mogire, R. M., Akala, H. M., Macharia, R. W., Juma, D. W., Cheruiyot, A. C., Andagalu, B., ... & Nyanjom, S. G. (2017). Target-similarity search using Plasmodium falciparum proteome identifies approved drugs with anti-malarial activity and their possible targets. PloS one, 12(10).