Quality of Malaria and Tuberculosis Genomic Sequencing in Malawi.

Lead Scientists & Contributors

Dr. Matthew Kagoli

Director, PHIM

Dr. Kagoli provides comprehensive oversight of the strategic integration of genomic surveillance into Malawi’s National Health Security Framework. He focuses on ensuring that genomic data informs real-time public health responses and national policy. His leadership is pivotal in bridging the gap between laboratory research and community-level interventions. He is a strong advocate for evidence-based decision-making in the Malawian healthcare system.

Dr. Bitilinyu Bango

Deputy Director, PHIM

Dr. Bango leads the technical implementation of advanced sequencing platforms specifically targeted at Malaria drug-resistance monitoring. He is instrumental in establishing TB lineage characterization protocols that meet international standards. His expertise ensures that the laboratory workflows remain efficient and scalable during public health emergencies. He actively collaborates with international partners to bring cutting-edge technology to the PHIM laboratories.

Dr. Bernard Mvula

Head of Knowledge Management

Dr. Mvula is a specialist in bioinformatics and data architecture, focusing on the complex translation of raw sequencing reads into actionable insights. He manages the national genomic data repositories, ensuring data integrity and accessibility for research and surveillance. His work is essential for developing automated pipelines that reduce the turnaround time for diagnostic reporting. He also leads training initiatives to build bioinformatics capacity within the Malawian scientific community.

Flora Dimba

Deputy Director, E&S Unit

Ms. Dimba provides expert leadership in epidemiological field linkage, ensuring that genomic findings for TB and Malaria are geographically mapped. Her work allows for targeted interventions in hotspots where drug resistance or specific lineages are emerging. She coordinates with district health offices to synchronize sample collection with surveillance data. Her efforts are vital for maintaining the resilience and transparency of Malawi’s integrated health monitoring systems.

Technical Delivery

Deep dive into laboratory protocols, bioinformatic pipelines, and quality assurance for pathogen sequencing.

Sequencing Library Prep Standards
Bioinformatics Pipeline Review
QA/QC for Clinical Data

Seminar Program

Wednesday, 22nd April

02:00 PM

Opening & Policy Context

State of Genomics in Malawi: Dr. Matthew Kagoli

02:15 PM

Malaria & TB Quality Assessment

Benchmarking Sequencing Accuracy: Dr. Bitilinyu Bango

02:35 PM

Bio-Surveillance & Resistance Mapping

Data Integration: Dr. Bernard Mvula & Flora Dimba

02:50 PM

Interactive Q&A Session

Open Floor: Addressing Laboratory Challenges

Webinar Registration

Join the specialized session on Pathogen Genomic Quality.

Research & Resources

Authored & Published By

Moses Nyambalo Phiri

Public Health Institute of Malawi

Ministry of Health, Republic of Malawi

Advancing Diagnostic Excellence in Malawi