A research team led by Prof. Masahiro Kajihara, Associate Professor at the International Institute of Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, paid a courtesy visit to Prof. Phillip Raburu, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the University of Eldoret.  

Prof. Kajihara has been actively engaged in zoonotic disease research, particularly in Africa. His work focuses on vector-borne zoonotic pathogens in Zambia, contributing to the understanding of diseases transmitted from animals to humans.  

The research team aims to expand collaborations with more African countries to study host animals in their natural habitats and analyze zoonotic pathogens. The discussions were centered on partnerships in bat-virus ecology, with a particular emphasis on hemorrhagic fevers, such as those caused by the Marburg virus.  

Prof. Raburu reaffirmed the university’s commitment to the partnership, highlighting the significance of such research in advancing scientific knowledge and public health.  

As part of their visit, the team toured the newly established Genomics and Molecular Biology Laboratory, guided by Prof. Lizzy Mwamburi, Director of Research and Innovation at the University of Eldoret.  

The visiting delegation included Prof. Katendi Changula from the University of Zambia, Dr. David Wechuli from the University of Kabianga, and Dr. Ogata Shohei from the Institute of Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Japan.  They were accompanied by Dr. Samuel Kariuki, a virologist and lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Eldoret, whose research focuses on bat-borne viruses.