Prof Nyaga’s research interests utilise genomics surveillance on vaccine-preventable diseases (VPD), particularly pre- and post-vaccination enteric virus surveillance at whole genome level for the WHO African Rotavirus Surveillance Network (ARSN) and the Africa CDC Pathogen Genomics Initiative (PGI) VPD focus group, with the aim of providing technical guidance and support to develop a continental VPD road map and implementation strategy for the PGI. He is currently investigating the long-term effects of the introduction of the monovalent Rotarix vaccine in five African countries (Cameroon, Ghana, Malawi, Kenya, and South Africa) through the African Enteric Viruses Genome Initiative (AEVGI). One of the key goals of the AEVGI is to leverage a genomics and bioinformatics approach to complement the routine work done by the ARSN.

Prof Nyaga is also the team lead for studies on metagenomics of gut and respiratory virome in the UFS-NGS Unit. The aim of these studies is to establish the role played by the gut and respiratory virome in young children over time to effect normal and metabolic disorders that may influence a child’s healthy growth or impact medical conditions such as obesity later in life.

Prof Nyaga is an NRF-rated researcher. His research initiatives are funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the World Health Organisation (WHO), the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), the Distributed Platform in Omics (DIPLOMICS), the Poliomyelitis Research Foundation (PRF), the National Research Foundation (NRF), and the Rostropovich-Vishnevskaya Foundation (RVF). More information about Prof Martin Nyaga can be accessed at the following links. 

Telephone:  +27 51 401 9158

E-mail: NyagaMM@ufs.ac.za