The Gambia

The MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM is one of two research units established in sub- Saharan Africa by the Medical Research Council UK and is the MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM’s single largest investment in medical research in a low and middle income country. MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM represents a unique concentration of scientific expertise and high quality research platforms in the West African region.

The Unit’s investigator-led research is underpinned by the combination of excellent laboratory facilities and easy access to the field with well-defined populations that are highly supportive of our research, excellent clinical services, rigorous ethical procedures and ability to deliver GCP-compliant clinical trials. Our large research portfolio spans basic research to the evaluation of interventions for the control of diseases of public health importance in sub-Saharan Africa.  Research into bone health across the lifecourse has been part of the Nutrition theme research portfolio for over 25 years in The Gambia.

 

The Gambia Principal Investigators

Dr Landing Jarjou

Co-Gambia Co-PI  Senior Research Associate, MRC Gambia, The Gambia. Dr Jarjou trained in Medical Lab Sciences and gained a PhD training in Nutrition. His research interests include long term effects of pregnancy calcium intervention on both maternal and offspring blood pressure and fragility fractures in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Professor Kate Ward

WP1 Lead & Gambia Co-PI  Professor of Global Musculoskeletal Health at the University of Southampton, UK and Honorary Senior Research Fellow at MRC Unit The Gambia. Prof Ward  also co-leads the Sub-Saharan Africa Musculoskeletal Network. Her research interests focus on how to achieve and maintain functional ability to ensure healthy musculoskeletal system throughout life.

Sainey Beyai

Study Co-ordinator MRC Unit.  Sainey is a nurse midwife with special interests in musculoskeletal health, imaging and global health.  He has 8 years experience as a research nurse coordinator working as an integral member of the Keneba clinic/Fajara team on various projects.

Momodou Jallow

Study Co-ordinator Momodou has different level of Continuous Professional Development Courses. Research Nurse & Internal Monitor for MRCG@LSHTM with the Vaccine and Immunity Theme study projects. I have worked with different projects both Clinical Trial and Epidemiology studies. 

 

Musa Jarjou

Data Manager MRC Unit He started working for MRC since 1983 in the following: Field worker, Lab Technician, Research Technician, Network and Server Administrator, Senior Data Supervisor, Asst. Data Manager and Data Manager. 

 

Amadou Jallow

PhD Candidate Amadou is based at MRCG@LSHTM as a full time PhD student studying the impact of poor musculoskeletal health on quality of life in older Gambian adults, embedded within Fractures-E3. He completed his MSc Epidemiology at LSHTM in 2021. Before his PhD, Amadou has worked as a lab technician with MRCG@LSHTM since 2009. 

Nyima Gomez

Assistant Nurse Co-ordinator Nyima is a BSC Nurse who is passionate about research. I have a keen interest in echocardiograph, musculoskeletal disorders, global and public health and nutrition.

 

Bintou Trawally

Senior Orthopaedic Technician She is the only trained orthopaedic technician in The Gambia , currently working at EFSTH in providing Trauma/ Orthopaedic care for patients.

 

Mustapha Ceesay

Field Co-ordinator/ Imaging

 

 

 

Lamin Jammeh

Field Supervisor

 

 

 Buba Ceesay

Senior Field Worker

 

 

 

 Kissima Sawo

Field Work Supervisor/Imaging

 

 

 

Musa Sanyang

Field Worker

 

 

 

Mariama Jammeh

Senior Field Worker

 

 

 Isatou Jammeh

Senior Field Worker/Imaging

 

 

 

Malang Jammeh

Field Worker

 

 

 

Ansumana Ceesay

Nurse Field Worker

 

 

 

Awa Touray

WP5 Ethnographer Awa is a Scientific Officer (Social Science) with an interest in research and advocacy on health issues. She is currently the ethnographer for the Fracture –E3 study in the Gambia. 

 

Sirimang Malang

Field Worker

 

 

 

 

Lamin Sowe

Field Supervisor

 

 

 

Fabakery Bajo

Field Worker

 

 

 

Yaya Sallah

Lab Technician