StoryCatcher - Rhoda Wanjiru
Rhoda Kabuti: Masters student at KEMRI | Wellcome Trust Research Programme
Her Research: There is not yet a vaccine for HIV but there are a variety of ways of stopping its spread from person to person. The medicine known as PrEP or pre-exposure prophylaxis, is a way of protecting yourself from HIV. PrEP is made of two different different drugs that block the reverses transcriptase protein made by the virus. HIV is an RNA virus and to trick the cell into incorporating itself into a cells DNA, HIV has to turn the RNA into DNA. Block reverse transcriptase and the virus is out of luck.
Rhoda’s research is focused on understanding what people think about PrEP. PrEP is quite new and with most new drugs or vaccines, scientists study not just how well they work but what people think of them and whether they think they will use it or not. Rhoda talks to people in communities in Kenya about their medical needs. She wants to hear about their lives, understand how PrEP could help them, and develop public health programmes that respond to them.
Her Hero: “My mom is my hero because she is the definition of resilience.”
Her Top tip: “If you have an idea, run with it. Who knows? It might change the world. If it doesn't work, it’s a lesson learnt.”
We asked every scientist to rank what they think are the most important characteristics to succeed in science: Curiosity, communication, creativity and hard work.
What else do you nee? Determination and resilience
Her Superpowers: Rhoda’s superpowers are listening and observing. This is the the starting point for an epidemiologist's work of identifying health problems and needs. Listen first, make solutions based on what people say and need.
Her Scientific Strengths: Data collection and analysis. It’s all about the data! She’s also strives for meaningful community engagement in research - see listening to what people need and want above!
Connect: Twitter @kabuti_rhoda
In isiZulu
U-Rhoda Kabuti: Ungumfundi we-Masters e-KEMRI | Uhlelo lwe-Wellcome Trust Research
Ucwaningo Lwakhe: Awukho okwamanje umgomo we-HIV kodwa kunezindlela ezihlukahlukene zokunqanda ukusabalala kwawo kusuka kumuntu kuya komunye. Umuthi owaziwa nge-PrEP noma i-pre-exposure prophylaxis, uyindlela yokuzivikela ku-HIV. I-PrEP yenziwe ngemithi emibili ehlukene evimba i-reverse transcriptase protein eyenziwe yigciwane. I-HIV iyigciwane le-RNA futhi ukuze akhohlise iseli ukuthi lizihlanganise namaseli e-DNA, i-HIV kufanele iguqule i-RNA ibe i-DNA. Vimba i-reverse transcriptase futhi igciwane seliphelelwe yinhlanhla.
Ucwaningo lukaRhoda lugxile ekuqondeni ukuthi abantu bacabangani nge-PrEP. I-PrEP yintsha impela futhi inemithi eminingi emisha noma imigomo, ososayensi abahloli nje ukuthi basebenza kahle kangakanani kodwa ukuthi abantu bacabangani ngayo nokuthi bacabanga ukuthi bazoyisebenzisa noma cha. URhoda uxoxa nabantu emiphakathini yaseKenya ngezidingo zabo zezempilo. Ufuna ukuzwa ngezimpilo zabo, aqonde ukuthi i-PrEP ingabasiza kanjani, futhi enze izinhlelo zezempilo zomphakathi ezisabelayo kubo.
Iqhawe Lakhe: "Umama wami uyiqhawe lami ngoba uyincazelo yokuqina."
Ithiphu yakhe ephezulu: “Uma unombono, gijima nawo. Kwazi bani? Kungase kushintshe umhlaba. Uma kungasebenzi, kuyisifundo.”
Sicele wonke usosayensi ukuthi aklelise lokho abacabanga ukuthi kuyizici ezibalulekile ukuze baphumelele kusayensi: Ilukuluku, ukuxhumana, ukusungula kanye nokusebenza kanzima.
Yini enye oyidingayo? Ukuzimisela nokuqina
Amandla Akhe Amakhulu: Amandla kaRhoda alalele futhi ayabhekisisa. Lesi isiqalo somsebenzi we-epidemiologist wokuhlonza izinkinga zempilo nezidingo. Lalela kuqala, wenze izixazululo ngokusekelwe kulokho abantu abakushoyo nabakudingayo.
Amandla Akhe Esayensi: Ukuqoqwa nokuhlaziywa kwedatha. Konke kumayelana nedatha! Ulwela futhi ukuzibandakanya komphakathi okuphusile ocwaningweni - bona ukulalela lokho abantu abakudingayo nabakufunayo ngenhla!
Xhuma: Twitter @kabuti_rhoda