Dr. Martin Bundi

Dr. Martin Bundi is a Medical Microbiology researcher with over 16 years of experience in infectious disease research, biosafety, and research capacity building. He is a Principal Research Scientist and serves as the Acting Director, Research Capacity Building at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). He is also a Visiting Scientist at the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Japan, and a Postdoctoral Fellow at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b).

His research focuses on enteric and food-borne pathogens, tuberculosis diagnostics, infection prevention and control, healthcare-associated infections, and biosafety and biosecurity capacity development. Molecular and phenotypic approaches have been applied to study pathogen ecology, virulence, and antimicrobial resistance, with particular emphasis on Vibrio cholerae, Escherichia coli, and rotavirus.

Dr. Bundi provides leadership in research training and mentorship at KEMRI and the KEMRI Graduate School and serves as the Lead for Curriculum Development for the Leadership Excellence and Accelerating Research on Women’s Health (LEA-WH) Program, which focuses on strengthening women’s health research leadership across sub-Saharan Africa. He also serves as an Advisory Board Member of the African Genetic Biocontrol Consortium, contributing to guidance on safe, ethical, and Africa-led genetic biocontrol research. He is a certified Biosafety Professional and a Global Biosafety Mentor under the International Federation of Biosafety Associations (IFBA). He has contributed to training of BSL-3 laboratory users, development of laboratory leadership curricula with Africa CDC, and strengthening of cyberbiosecurity capacity across Africa. He previously served as President and currently serves as a Council Member of the African Biological Safety Association (AfBSA).

Mghase, A., Brighton, M., Cheyo, H., Mrema, E., Mkoma, I., Were, V., Bundi, M., et al. (2025). Health system factors influencing availability and access to comprehensive care for cleft lip, palate, and craniofacial anomalies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery – Global Open, 13(11), e7280https://doi.org/10.1097/GOX.0000000000007280
Rahman, S. I. A., Firoj, M. G., Park, S. E., Khanam, F., Agampodi, S., Haile, K., Bundi, M., et al. (2025). Comparative epidemiology of Salmonella enterica serovars Paratyphi A and Typhi causing enteric fever, Bangladesh, 2018–2020. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 31(10), 1922–1934https://doi.org/10.3201/eid3110.241601
Mwebia, M. B., Chowdhury, F., Islam, M. T., Ahmmed, F., Akter, A., Im, J., Rickett, N. Y., et al. (2025). Epidemiological and clinical features of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli diarrhea in an urban slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Open Forum Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofaf375
Ongadi, B. A., Aziz, A. B., Mbae, C. K., Mwangi, M., Kering, K., Khan, A. I., Bundi, M., et al. (2025). Shigellosis in an urban slum in Kenya: Risk factors and antimicrobial resistance. Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 12(2), ofaf026.https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofaf026
Khanam, F., Rickett, N. Y., Ahmmed, F., Islam, M. T., Mbae, C. K., Im, J., Aziz, A. B., Bundi, M., et al. (2025). Evaluation of naturally occurring IgG anti-Vi antibody titers as predictors and correlates of typhoid fever in Dhaka, Bangladesh. BMC Infectious Diseases, 25, 149. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-025-10548-8
Aziz, A. B., Ahmmed, F., Haile, K., Kering, K., Dudman, S., Halle-Julin, C., Bundi, M., et al. (2025). Risk factors for spontaneous abortion following hepatitis E vaccination during and shortly before pregnancy. BMC Infectious Diseaseshttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-025-10548-8
Muriithi, B., Bundi, M. M., Moriyasu, T., Ahmed, A., Mwamzuka, M., Karama, M., & Kaneko, S. (2025). Applicability of TB-LAMP test for diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis among HIV-positive individuals. IJTLD Open, 2(1), 26–32. https://doi.org/10.5588/ijtldopen.24.0410
Shah, M. M., Bundi, M., Kathiiko, C., Guyo, S., Galata, A., Miring’u, G., Ichinose, Y., et al. (2023). Antibiotic-resistant Vibrio cholerae O1 and its SXT elements associated with cholera outbreaks in Kenya, 2007–2016. Microbiology Spectrum, 11(3), e04140-22. https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.04140-22
Bundi, M., Shah, M. M., Odoyo, E., Kathiiko, C., Wandera, E., Miring’u, G., Guyo, S., et al. (2019). Characterization of Vibrio cholerae O1 isolates responsible for cholera outbreaks in Kenya between 1975 and 2017. Microbiology and Immunology, 63(9), 350–358. https://doi.org/10.1111/1348-0421.12731
Wandera, E. A., Komoto, S., Mohammad, S., Ide, T., Bundi, M., Nyangao, J., ... & Fukuda, S. (2019). Genomic characterization of uncommon human G3P [6] rotavirus strains that have emerged in Kenya after rotavirus vaccine introduction, and pre-vaccine human G8P [4] rotavirus strains. Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 68, 231-248 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2018.12.004
Muriithi, B., Bundi, M., Galata, A., Miring’u, G., Wandera, E., Kathiiko, C., Odoyo, E., et al. (2018). Biosafety and biosecurity capacity building: Insights from implementation of the NUITM-KEMRI biosafety training model. Tropical Medicine and Health, 46, 30https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-018-0108-7
Wandera, E. A., Mohammad, S., Bundi, M., Nyangao, J., Galata, A., Kathiiko, C., ... & Ichinose, Y. (2018). Impact of rotavirus vaccination on rotavirus hospitalisation rates among a resource‐ limited rural population in Mbita, Western Kenya. Tropical Medicine & International Health https://doi.org/10.1111/tmi.13040
Wandera, E. A., Mohammad, S., Bundi, M., Komoto, S., Nyangao, J., Kathiiko, C., ... & Ichinose, Y. (2017). Impact of rotavirus vaccination on rotavirus and all-cause gastroenteritis in peri-urban Kenyan children. Vaccine. 35(38):5217-5223 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2017.07.096
Shah, M., Odoyo, E., Wandera, E., Kathiiko, C., Bundi, M., Miringu, G., ... & Tsuji, T. (2017). Burden of Rotavirus and Enteric Bacterial Pathogens among Children under 5 Years of Age Hospitalized with Diarrhea in Suburban and Rural Areas in Kenya. Japanese journal of infectious diseases, 70(4), 442-447https://doi.org/10.7883/yoken.JJID.2016.398
Miring’u, G., Bundi, M., Muriithi, B. K., Apondi, E. W., Galata, A. A., Kathiiko, C. N., et al. (2017). Knowledge and practices regarding usage of biological safety cabinets. Applied Biosafety, 22(1), 38–43. https://doi.org/10.1177/1535676016685790
Ochi, S., Shah, M., Odoyo, E., Bundi, M., Miringu, G., Guyo, S., Wandera, E., Kathiiko, C., Kariuki, S., Karama, M. and Tsuji, T. (2016). An Outbreak of Diarrhea in Mandera, Kenya, Due to Escherichia coli Serogroup O-Nontypable Strain That Had a Coding Gene for Enteroaggregative E. coli Heat-Stable Enterotoxin 1. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 96(2):457-464. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.16-0310
Shah, M., Kathiiko, C., Wada, A., Odoyo, E., Bundi, M., Miringu, G., Guyo, S., Karama, M. and Ichinose, Y., (2016). Prevalence, seasonal variation, and antibiotic resistance pattern of enteric bacterial pathogens among hospitalized diarrheic children in suburban regions of central Kenya. Tropical Medicine and Health, 44(1), 39.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-016-0038-1
Inoue, S., Bundi, M., Miring’u, G., Muriithi, B., Ashur, S., Wandera, E., et al. (2015). Evaluation of a BSL-3 laboratory biosafety training program in Kenya. Journal of Biotechnology and Biosafety, 3(4), 288–296 http://jobb.co.in/docs/vol3_issue4/paper4.pdf
Bundi, M., Miring’u, G., Inoue, S., Muriithi, B., Ashur, S., Wandera, E., Kathiiko, C., Odoyo, E., Narita, C., Kwalla, A. Galata, A., and Yoshio, I. (2014). BSL-3 Laboratory User Training Program at NUITM-KEMRI. Tropical medicine and health, 42(4), 171.https://doi.org/10.2149/tmh.2014- 08
Ichinose Y, Inoue S, Shimada M, Miring’u G, Muriithi B, Makumi A, Wandera E, Bundi M, Narita C, Ashur S, Kwalla A. (2013). Operations at Biosafety Level III: The P3 Laboratory. Epidemiology II - Theory, Research and Practice. iConcept Press. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/6ea5/5893a6fbd688b8bbe8814a6113d3d57415aa.pdf
Inoue, S., Wandera, E., Miringu, G., Bundi, M., Narita, C., Ashur, S., Kwallah, A., Galata, A., Abubakar, Suka, S., Mohamed, S., and Yoshio, I. (2013). The Nuitm-Kemri P3 laboratory in Kenya: Establishment, features, operation and maintenance. Tropical Medicine and Health, 41(1), 27-37. https://doi.org/10.2149/tmh.2013-01
Mwebia, M. Bundi. (2013). Characterization of Toxigenic Vibrio cholerae Isolates from Kenya, 2007-2010. MSc Dissertation. Kenyatta University. http://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/6975
Taniguchi, K., Apondi, E. W., Ogino, M., Nyangao, J., Suka, S., Bundi, M., Komoto, S., Wakuda, M., Maeno, Y., Shimizu, T., Tsuji, T., and Yoshio, I. (2012). Study on the distribution of G Type and P type of human rotavirus associated with acute gastroenteritis in Kenya. Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 27, 68-68.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/296925303
Ichinose, Y., Bundi, M., Makumi, A., Miringu, G., Karama, M., Suka, S., Abubakar, M., Ager, V., Kariuki, S., Ochi, S. and Tsuji, T. (2011). Etiological investigation of diarrheal diseases in the suburbs of Nairobi, Kenya. Tropical Medicine & International Health, 16, 258-258. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1365-3156.2011.02861.x

Dr. Martin Bundi

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