Francis Kazungu Kombe, CBPPM, PGDPH, MPH
Project Manager, RHinnO Ethics Africa
Kenya
Francis is an experienced community facilitator with a keen interest in biomedical research ethics, capacity building and community engagement. He has over 20 years experience applying these skills in the field of international collaborative health research. Francis holds a MSc in Public Health and a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Health both from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; did Community Based Project Planning and Management (CBPPM) studies at the Kenya Institute of Social Work and Community Development, received training in health research ethics (SARETI, South Africa; PRIM&R, USA; UNESCO, France), and in communication skills and Training of Trainers. He started his career as a field officer. In his current position, he coordinates training on communication skills and research ethics for nearly 300 research frontline staff at KWTRP. He is a member of the International Teachers of ethics Forum (ITF) and of the KWTRP Research Ethics Committee. Francis’ current work involves understanding the impact of different pedagogies in strengthening the capacity of research frontline staff to address the moral and ethical dilemmas they face in their day to day activities. He plans to register for his PhD to understand more about this area.
Kirsty Klipp B of Soc Sci (Honours)
Intern
South Africa
Kirsty joined COHRED in January 2017 as a Masters Intern after completing her M1 year of the Masters in Psychology (Research) programme at UKZN. She will be working part-time with COHRED on the Research Fairness Initiative as a part of her 1 year internship in order to register as a research psychologist with the Health Professions Council of South Africa. In addition to her work with COHRED, she will be working as an intern at UKZN, being involved in various research projects and in some teaching, as well as completing her mini-dissertation in order to attain her Master’s degree.
Kirsty completed her BA in Psychology at the University of South Africa, and then completed her BA Hons in Psychology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Her interests lie in research ethics and fair research practice, and in social psychology.
Associates
Hassen Ghannen MD, MSc
Associate
Tunisia
Dr Hassen Ghannem is currently Professor of Community Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine of Sousse and Head of the Department of Epidemiology at the University Hospital Farhat Hached. Graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, he holds a Master degree of Community Health from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Canada.
His research interests include the study of epidemiologic transition and prevention of chronic diseases and the evaluation of health research and capacity building in developing countries. Dr Hassen Ghannem is leading the “Chronic Disease Prevention Research Centre of Sousse, Tunisia” for the UnitedHealth Group & NHLBI (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute/NIH) chronic disease initiative.
He was senior consultant to the Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED) and to the WHO/EMRO where he was member of the Advisory Committee on Health Research (ACHR). He was Chairman in 2008 and 2016 of the scientific review committee for selection of research consortium in sub-Saharan Africa for The European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership EDCTP and Organizer of a Bellagio Meeting in 2013 on “Boosting Research for Health in the New Arab World”.