Agness Nhidza
Postdoctoral Fellow University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Email: nhidzaagness@gmail.com
VALIDATE Role: Network Associate
Research Keywords: TB, COVID 19, Immunogenetics, Immunology, Vaccine
Biography: Agness Farai Nhidza is a Postdoctoral fellow with interest in infectious disease immunogenomics, vaccinology and the interaction of infectious diseases with nutrition. She is also interested in parasitic infections and traditional medicine immunogenomics. She has great passion in quality management having worked as a Quality Manager and Laboratory Scientist since 2007. Having worked in a research setting, she acquired skills in multi-disciplinary research using one-health approach including grant writing, implementation, coordination and publication of research. As a trained teacher and a part-time lecturer, she has developed a passion for mentorship and manuscript review for peer reviewed journals. Currently she is working on TB and COVID-19 immunogenomics, with the aim of identifying predictive biomarkers for the progression of these diseases that will inform development of diagnostic tools and vaccine development. She is currently developing a proposal for the development of TB candidate vaccine, building on the existing TB whole genome sequencing data. Her ultimate goal is to become an effective independent researcher.
Related Websites:
Key Publications: 1. M. Chipinduro, C. Timire, J. Chirenda, R. Matambo, E. Munemo, B. Makamure, A. F. Nhidza, W. Tinago, V. Chikwasha, M. Ngwenya, J. Mutsvangwa, J. Z. Metcalfe, C. Sandy. TB prevalence in Zimbabwe: a national cross-sectional survey, International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases. 2022. 26(1):57–642014. Doi: 10.5588/ijtld.21.0341. 2. Nhidza Agness Farai, Thajasvarie Naicker, Babill Stray-Pedersen, Tawanda Chisango, Edson Sibanda, Aziah Ismail, Tsitsi Bandason, Curtis Makaza, Kerina Duri, Takafira Mduluza. Influence of maternal characteristics during pregnancy on the infant early life immune responses in a high HIV burdened setting in Harare, Zimbabwe. African Journal of Reproductive Health. September 2018 Edition. Doi: 10.29063/ajrh2018/v22i3.5. 3. Agness Farai Nhidza, Thajasvarie Naicker, Babill Stray-Pedersen, Tawanda Jonathan Chisango, Edson Panganayi Sibanda, Aziah Ismail, Tsitsi Bandason, Curtis Makaza, Kerina Duri, Takafira Mduluza. Immune response to asymptomatic infections by Entamoeba histolytica and other enteric pathogens in pregnant women and their infants in a high HIV burdened setting in Zimbabwe. Journal of Microbiology, Infection and Immunology, Nov 2018. Doi: 10.1016/j.jmii.2018.11.005. 4. Tawanda Chisango, Arthur Vengesai, Agness Farai Nhidza, Bongiwe Ndlovu, Danai Zhou, Edson Sibanda and Takafira Mduluza. S. haematobium Infection and Chemotherapy-Induced Changes in Interleukin-6 and Acute Phase Proteins Associated with Inflammation in School Children in a Schistosomiasis-Endemic Area. Journal of Tropical Diseases. Mar 2019. Doi: 10.4172/2329-891X.1000266. 5. Edson P. Sibanda, Musa Mabandla, Tawanda Chisango, Agness F. Nhidza, Takafira Mduluza. Endophytic fungi from Vitex payos: identifcation and bioactivity. Current Biotechnology. December 2018. Doi: 10.5586/am.1111. 6. Edson P. Sibanda, Musa Mabandla, Tawanda Chisango, Agness F. Nhidza, Takafira Mduluza. Endophytic Fungi Isolated from the Medicinal Plants Kigelia africana and Warburgia salutaris. Current Biotechnology. March 2018. Doi: 10.2174/2211550107666180308154448. 7. Tawanda J. Chisango, Bongiwe Ndlovu, Arthur Vengesai, Agness Farai Nhidza, Danai Zhou, Edson P. Sibanda, Francisca Mutapi, Takafira Mduluza. Benefits of Annual Chemotherapeutic Control of Schistosomiasis on the Development of Protective Immunity. BioMed Central. 2019. Doi: 10.1186/s12879-019-3811-z. 8. Takafira Mduluza, Tawanda. J. Chisango, Agness. F. Nhidza and Amos Marume. Global Control Efforts of Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis. INTECH, 2017, Human Helminthiasis, Chapter 6, page 121-148. Doi: 10.5772/65282 9. Agness Farai Nhidza, Bamusi Saidi, Pious Vengesai Makaya and Pride Kanyoka. Distribution of spv genes, plasmid profiles and pulsotypes of Salmonella enteritidis isolates of animal and human origins in selected locations of Zimbabwe. Journal of Clinical Medicine Research-JCMR. May 2012. Doi: 10.5897/JCMR11.028.
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