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Two African STARS MSc fellows at CERI reflect on their journeys in bioinformatics, pathogen genomics, and infectious disease research. Nick Mogoi and Thato Phenyo share how the fellowship has helped them develop advanced analytical skills, deepen their understanding of genomics and public health, and strengthen their commitment to using data-driven approaches to improve disease surveillance, epidemic preparedness, and health outcomes across Africa.

 

photos: CERI Media, Charlie Sperring

 

Nick Mogoi

Originally from Kenya, Nick previously completed a master’s degree in Molecular Biology and worked in antimicrobial resistance research and pathogen genomics.

“When I joined the African STARS Fellowship, I knew the future of epidemic preparedness in Africa lay in the genomic data we generate, but I also recognised how much of that data remains underutilised. I wanted to help change that. The fellowship has given me the opportunity to move from generating data to interrogating it, developing skills in bioinformatics, genomics workflows, high-performance computing and machine learning. Every day, I am reminded that behind each dataset lies a public health question waiting to be answered. Working alongside outstanding scientists at CERI has strengthened my belief that Africa can lead in genomics research and epidemic intelligence. I am deeply grateful to the Mastercard Foundation and African STARS for investing in the next generation of African scientists.”

 

Thato Phenyo

With experience spanning laboratory science and bioinformatics, Thato is passionate about using genomics to strengthen public health systems across Africa.

“A few months ago, coding meant little more than printing ‘Hello World’. Today, I spend my days analysing genomic data, debugging scripts, and working with tools and concepts I had never encountered before joining the African STARS Fellowship. The journey has been challenging, requiring persistence, patience, and confidence when things do not work the first time. Yet every breakthrough brings a sense of achievement and reminds me how much I have grown. What makes this programme meaningful is understanding that the skills we are developing have the potential to improve lives through better disease surveillance, research, and public health decision-making. Beyond the technical training, the fellowship has connected me with inspiring mentors and peers from across Africa. I am grateful to the Mastercard Foundation and African STARS for investing in our future.”

News date: 2026-06-03

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