Research Scientist
Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Tanzania
Collin Nzunda, BSc, MSc(c), is a Molecular Biologist and Research Scientist at the Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Tanzania. His expertise lies in molecular diagnostics, translational research, and bioinformatics, with a focus on haematological malignancies and cancer genomics.
He has contributed to the molecular characterisation of prognostic markers in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL), Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML), Acute Leukaemias, Multiple Myeloma, and the pharmacogenomics of hydroxyurea treatment in sickle cell disease. Collin has extensive experience in next-generation sequencing technologies, including Illumina and Oxford Nanopore platforms, and in building bioinformatics workflows for clinical and translational applications.
Through the MUHAS–Oxford collaboration, he has worked on implementing long-read sequencing for precision oncology in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in developing diagnostic assays for CLL prognostic markers such as TP53 mutations, IgHV mutational status, and copy-number alterations. He has also designed a nanopore-based assay for detecting sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia mutations in Tanzanian newborns, aiming to improve early diagnosis and clinical management.
Driven by curiosity and commitment to impact, Collin continues to advance genomics research with the goal of improving patient outcomes and healthcare capacity in Africa.
