MKUNDE CHACHAGE

Lecturer, Mbeya College of Health and Allied Sciences
Education:

BSc, BSc (Hons), PhD

Teaching:

Immunology

Research:

2018-Present: NIMR-MBEYA MEDICAL RESEARCH CENTER- TANZANIA

Dissecting the effects of filarialassociated immunomodulation on HIV susceptibility (RHINO). Grantholders: Prof. Achim Hoerauf (University of Bonn, Germany); Dr. Inge Kroidl (LMU, Germany); Prof. Alex Debrah (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana) and Dr. Mkunde Chachage (UDSM-MCHAS/NIMR-MMRC, Tanzania).

2017-Present: NIMR-MBEYA MEDICAL RESEARCH CENTER- TANZANIA

Pilot study for systematic comparison of HIV vaccine-induced immune responses between Caucasian and African populations. Grantholders: Dr. Mkunde Chachage (UDSM-MCHAS/NIMR-MMRC, Tanzania) and Dr. Edna Viegas (INS, Mozambique).

2017-Present: NIMR-MBEYA MEDICAL RESEARCH CENTER- TANZANIA

Pathogenesis and risk factors of long-term sequelae of pulmonary TB defining individual outcomes and public health impact (TB Sequelae). Grantholder: Prof. Gavin Churchyard (The Aurum Institute, Republic of South Africa).

Investigators: Dr. Salome Charalambous, Dr. Robert Wallis (The Aurum Institute, Republic of South Africa), Prof. Michael Hoelscher, Dr. Andrea Rachow, Dr. Olena Ivanova, Dr. Christof Geldmacher, Dr. Ulrich von Both (LMU, Germany), Prof. Stefan Niemann, Dr. Matthias Merker, Prof. Ulrich E. Schaible (Research Center Borstel, Germany), Prof. Ian Sanne, Dr. Mohammed Rassool, Dr. Denise Evans, Prof. Maria Papathanasopoulos (University of Witwatersrand, Republic of South Africa), Dr. Nyanda E. Ntinginya, Dr. Issa Sabi, Dr. Mkunde Chachage, Dr. Christina Manyama, Dr. Wiston William, Mr. Bariki Mtafya, Mr. Daniel Mapamba (NIMR-MMRC), Dr. Ilesh Jani, Dr. Nilesh Bhatt, Dr. Celso Khosa, Dr. Edna Viegas, Dr. Khalide Azam, Ms. Nadia Sitoe (Instituto Nacional de Saúde, Mozambique), Prof. Beate Kampmann, Prof. Jayne Sutherland, Dr. Olumuyiwa Owolabi, Dr. Florian Gehre, Dr. Abdou Sillah (MRC Unit The Gambia, Gambia)

2013-Present: NIMR-MBEYA MEDICAL RESEARCH CENTER- TANZANIA

Case-control study to identify risk factors associated with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) associated lesions within the female reproductive tract (2H study). Grantholders: Dr. Christof Geldmacher, Dr. Arne Kroidl (LMU, Germany) and Dr. Ruby Mcharo (UDSM-MCHAS/NIMR-MMRC)

2015, 2016: BURNET INSTITUTE- AUSTRALIA

The role of Natural Killer cells and Monocytes in immunity to and pathogenesis of HIV and malaria infections.  Grantholder: Prof. Anthony Jaworowski (Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia).            

2014: VACCINE RESEARCH CENTER/NIAID, NIH-USA

Pilot study into the characterization of systemic HPV-specific T cells in relation to HPV disease, HIV infection and cART. Grantholder/Group leaders: Dr. Christof Geldmacher, Dr. Arne Kroidl (LMU, Germany) and Dr. Richard A. Koup (VRC, NIH, United States of America)

2009-2013: NIMR-MBEYA MEDICAL RESEARCH CENTER- TANZANIA

Immunology of Helminth Infections in relation to HIV-1 susceptibility and disease progression in Mbeya Region, Tanzania (WHIS). Grantholder: Dr. Elmar Saathoff and Dr. Christof Geldmacher (LMU, Germany).

2008: UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN (UCT) - SOUTH AFRICA

Genetic characterization of methicilin resistant Staphylococcus aureus from Western Cape hospitals and their susceptibility to natural products. Grantholder/Group leaders: Prof. Gay Elisha and Dr. ELiya Madikane (UCT, Republic of South Africa)

Publications:

  1. F. Nicoli , E. Gallerani, F. Sforza, V. Finessi, M. Chachage, C. Geldmacher, A. Cafaro, B. Ensoli, A. Caputo, R. Gavioli. “The HIV-1 Tat protein affects human CD4+ T-cell programing and activation, and favors the differentiation of naïve CD4+ T cells.” AIDS. 2018;32(5):575-581. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29280760
  2. Ahmed MIM, Ntinginya NE, Kibiki G, Mtafya BA, Semvua H, Mpagama S, Mtabho C, Saathoff E, Held K, Loose R, Kroidl I, Chachage M, von Both U, Haule A, Mekota AM, Boeree MJ, Gillespie SH, Hoelscher M, Heinrich N, Geldmacher C. “Phenotypic Changes on Mycobacterium Tuberculosis-Specific CD4 T Cells as Surrogate Markers for Tuberculosis Treatment Efficacy.” Front Immunol. 2018; 28 (9):2247. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30323818
  3. Stephen OpatAnna HearpsKevin ThiaAgnes YuenBen RogersMkunde ChachageGregory MooreJake ShorttGeorgina RylandPiers BlomberyAnthony P. Schwarer, Tahereh Noori, Joseph A. TrapaniAnthony Jaworowski and Ilia Voskoboinik. Adaptive reprogramming of NK cells in X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome. Blood. 2017; 08:803668. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29233820
  4. Anna C Hearps, Paul A Agius, Jingling Zhou, Samantha Brunt, Mkunde Chachage, Thomas A Angelovich, Paul U Cameron, Michelle Giles, Patricia Price, Julian Elliott and Anthony Jaworowski. “Persistence of Activated and Adaptive-Like NK Cells in HIV+ Individuals despite 2 Years of Suppressive Combination Antiretroviral Therapy.” Frontiers in Immunology. 2017; 8:731. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2017.00731/full
  5. M. Chachage, G. Pollakis, E. O. Kuffour, K. Haase, A. Bauer, Y. Nadai, L. Podola, P. Clowes, M. Schiemann, L. Henkel, D. Hoffmann, S. Joseph, S. Bhuju, L. Maboko, F. S. Sarfo, K. Eberhardt, M. Hoelscher, T. Feldt, E. Saathoff and C. Geldmacher. CD25+FoxP3+ memory CD4 T cells are frequent targets of HIV infection in vivo. J. Virol. 2016; 90(20): 8954-67. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27384654
  6. F. Nicoli & M. Chachage*, P. Clowes, A. Bauer, D. Kowour, B. Ensoli, A. Cafaro, L. Maboko, M. Hoelscher, R. Gavioli, E. Saathoff, C. Geldmacher. Association between different anti-Tat antibody isotypes and HIV disease progression: data from an African cohort. BMC Infect. Dis. 2016; 16(1):344. https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-016-1647-3
  7. M. Chachage, L. Podola, P. Clowes, A. Nsojo, A. Bauer, O. Mgaya, D. Kowour, G. Froeschl, L. Maboko, M. Hoelscher, E. Saathoff and C. Geldmacher. Helminth-associated systemic immune activation and HIV co-receptor expression: Response to Albendazole/Praziquantel treatment. PLoS Negl. Trop. Dis. 2014;8(3):e2755. http://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0002755
  8. M. Chachage and C. Geldmacher. Chapter: Immune system modulation by Helminth infections: Potential impact on HIV transmission and disease progression. In: How Helminths Alter Immunity to Infection. Ed: William Horsnell. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 2014; 828: 131-149. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25253030
  9. D. Portevin, F. Moukambi, P. Clowes, A. Bauer, M. Chachage, N. E. Ntinginya, E. Mfinanga, K. Said, F. Haraka, A. Rachow, E. Saathoff, M. Mpina, L. Jugheli, F. Lwilla, B. J. Marais, M. Hoelscher, C. Daubenberger, K. Reither, and C. Geldmacher. Assessment of the novel T-cell activation marker-tuberculosis assay for diagnosis of active tuberculosis in children: a prospective proof-of-concept study. Lancet. Infect. Dis. 2014;3099(14): 1–8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25185458
  10. D. Portevin, F. Moukambi, M. Mpina, A. Bauer, F. Haraka, M. Chachage, P. Metzger, E. Saathoff, P. Clowes, N. E. Ntinginya, A. Rachow, M. Hoelscher, K. Reither, C. Daubenberger, C. Geldmacher. Maturation and Mip-1β Production of Cytomegalovirus-Specific T Cell Responses in Tanzanian Children, Adolescents and Adults: Impact by HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis Co-Infections. PloS one. 2015;10(5), p.e0126716. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0126716
  11. M. J. Jansen van Rensburg; V. E. Madikane; A. Whitelaw; M. Chachage; S. Haffejee; B. G. Elisha. The Dominant Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clone from Hospitals in Cape Town has an Unusual Genotype: ST612. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2011; 17: 785–792. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20854426




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