Thomas Kariuki

Tom Kariuki is the Director Of Programmes at The African Academy Of Sciences (The AAS) where he Leads the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA Platform), which was launched in 2015 by The AAS and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Agency (now known as The African Union Development Agency). An internationally recognised immunologist, Kariuki leads the Academy's programmatic activities to accelerate world-class research, foster innovation, and promote scientific leadership on the continent. He oversees the funding of research, development and commercialisation of novel, high-impact STI solutions for the continent, and is cultivating strategic partnerships with academic institutions, governments and industry globally to transform Africa’s future through science-led, knowledge-based economies. Prior to his appointment at The AAS, Kariuki served as Director of the Institute of Primate Research/National Museums of Kenya, a biomedical and conservation biology facility. He has published widely on vaccines and diagnostics development for infectious diseases including schistosomiasis (Bilharzia), malaria and co-infections, and on policy related to biomedical research and funding. He is recipient of several international grants and awards.