Wanjiru Waruiru

Wanjiru Waruiru serves as Director of Global Portfolio, Pandemic Preparedness & Response at the University of California, San Francisco. She maintains an active research profile with numerous publications focused on HIV/AIDS epidemiology and public health in Kenya and other developing countries.

Her research interests span HIV/AIDS research, epidemiology, public health, global health, and mortality surveillance, with particular emphasis on health systems in resource-limited settings. Waruiru has conducted extensive work on HIV mortality surveillance, particularly through mortuary-based studies in Kenya, examining causes of death and evaluating testing algorithms in both living and deceased populations.

Analysis of her recent publications (2018-2022) reveals a strong focus on HIV epidemiology in Kenya, with significant work on mortality surveillance systems, particularly through mortuary-based studies. Her research often employs mixed methods, combining epidemiological analysis with implementation science to evaluate public health interventions. A notable trend is her work on recent HIV infection testing algorithms and their integration into routine service delivery in Kenya and Zimbabwe.

• Extensive publication record focused on HIV/AIDS epidemiology in Kenya
• Specialized expertise in mortuary-based HIV surveillance systems
• Research on hepatitis C virus among people who inject drugs in Kenya
• Work on developing countries' health systems and epidemiological methods

Dr. Waruiru has collaborated extensively with UCSF colleagues including George Rutherford, Susie Welty, Sandy Schwarcz, and Joy Mirjahangir. Her research has been cited in policy documents and referenced by numerous social media accounts, indicating real-world impact of her work on public health practice in Kenya and other developing countries.