Ruth Nanjala

I am a scientist that explores the use of computational tools to understand the Human Leukocyte Antigen region and its relationship to complex immune-mediated diseases.

My background is in Bioinformatics and Microbiology. My master’s research focused on evaluating the accuracy of genotype imputation in the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) region in selected African populations. Since then, I developed a research interest in HLA genetics, focusing on applying computational tools to understand the mechanisms by which HLA variants affect gene expression. I am devoted to working towards addressing the gap in disease diagnoses, prognosis, and treatment and thus improving the health and lives of others.

I started my DPhil in Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Oxford in October 2022, funded by the AfOx Kennedy Trust Prize Studentship and Clarendon. My Ph.D. research focuses on establishing the molecular mechanism by which disease-causing HLA variants affect autoimmune disease risk under the supervision of Dr. Yang Luo and Prof John Todd.

Also, I am passionate about capacity building. I have been involved with different projects (the Pan African Bioinformatics Network, The Carpentries, and the Bioinformatics incubation and mentorship program at ICIPE), aimed at building Bioinformatics capacity in Africa.