{"id":17045,"date":"2026-04-03T00:16:57","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T21:16:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/?p=17045"},"modified":"2026-04-03T00:28:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T21:28:13","slug":"inside-africa-fingers-driving-evidence-for-brain-health-in-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/inside-africa-fingers-driving-evidence-for-brain-health-in-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside Africa-FINGERS: Driving evidence for brain health in Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Clinical trials rely on careful coordination and rigorous attention to detail. At the Brain and Mind Institute, Clinical Trial Manager Francis Angira plays a key role in ensuring that the Africa-FINGERS trial runs smoothly across its multiple sites.<\/p>

With more than 20 years of experience managing complex clinical studies across Kenya and the wider region, Francis brings valuable expertise to the growing field of brain health research. In a Q&A, he reflects on his career journey, the day-to-day work behind running a multinational trial and what excites him most about the potential impact of Africa-FINGERS.\u00a0<\/div>
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Could you tell us a bit about yourself, and something people might be surprised to learn about you?<\/strong><\/div>
I am a Clinical Trial Manager and investigator with over 20 years of experience supporting clinical and implementation trials across Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa. My work has spanned studies in HIV prevention and treatment, vaccine efficacy, infectious diseases, diagnostics, mortality and noncommunicable diseases.\u00a0<\/div>
Before joining the Brain and Mind Institute, I worked with the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)\u2013U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collaboration and the East Africa Consortium for Clinical Research (EACCR), helping coordinate multinational clinical trials from setup through to completion.<\/div>
Something people might find surprising is that I am also a licensed Clinical Officer. I hold a master\u2019s degree in public health from the University of Liverpool, and I am currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Amsterdam\u2019s Institute of Global Health and Development. Along the way, I have contributed to more than a dozen peer-reviewed publications and remain committed to strengthening research systems and mentoring the next generation of clinical trials professionals.<\/div>
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What inspired you to pursue a career in clinical trial management?<\/strong><\/div>
For me, the biggest inspiration has always been the opportunity to contribute to advancing medicine. Clinical trials are where scientific discoveries become real solutions that improve people\u2019s lives. Being part of that process means playing a role in bringing important innovations to patients and communities.<\/div>
The responsibility is significant including safeguarding patient safety, maintaining data integrity and ensuring regulatory compliance. But knowing that this work ultimately contributes to better health outcomes is incredibly motivating.\u00a0<\/div>
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As the Clinical Trial Manager for Africa-FINGERS, what does a typical day look like for you?<\/strong><\/div>
Most days begin with reviewing updates from our trial sites and checking in on progress across the study. I go through emails, review the day\u2019s schedule and prepare for meetings with the research team and collaborators.<\/div>
A large part of my role involves coordinating the day-to-day operations of the trial, making sure everything is running smoothly and according to plan. This can include troubleshooting operational challenges, responding to questions from leadership or partners and ensuring the study stays aligned with timelines and regulatory standards.<\/div>
Once a trial is underway, much of the focus shifts to monitoring recruitment, supporting site teams and ensuring that all documentation is complete and audit-ready. It is a dynamic role that requires both careful planning and the flexibility to respond quickly when unexpected challenges arise.<\/div>
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What part of your work do you find most rewarding, and what part is the most challenging?<\/strong><\/div>
One of the most rewarding aspects of this work is knowing that it contributes to research that can have a meaningful impact on people\u2019s health. It is fulfilling to be part of studies that advance scientific knowledge while also building strong collaborations across institutions and countries.<\/div>
At the same time, coordinating complex trials across multiple sites can be challenging. Each study involves many moving parts. Maintaining that coordination requires close attention to detail and a strong spirit of collaboration.<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
For readers who may not be familiar, how would you describe the Africa-FINGERS study in a sentence?<\/strong><\/div>
Africa-FINGERS is a multinational study exploring how culturally adapted, lifestyle-based interventions can help promote healthy brain ageing and reduce dementia risk across sub-Saharan Africa.<\/div>
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What excites you most about the potential impact of this trial on dementia in sub-Saharan Africa?<\/strong><\/div>
What excites me most is the opportunity to generate evidence that is truly rooted in our region. Dementia is a growing public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, yet much of the existing research comes from other parts of the world.<\/div>
Through Africa-FINGERS, we have the chance to produce home-grown insights on dementia prevention with evidence that reflects our communities, cultures and health systems. That kind of knowledge can shape policies and prevention strategies not only for Africa but potentially for global dementia research as well.<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
If you could give one piece of advice to young professionals who want to work in health research, what would it be?<\/strong><\/div>
Health research is a highly competitive but rapidly expanding field. My advice would be to invest in building both technical skills and practical experience. Understanding Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP) guidelines is essential, as they form the backbone of ethical and high-quality clinical research.<\/div>
Equally important is being open to learning by doing. Early opportunities, whether through internships or entry-level roles can provide invaluable experience. Those first steps often lay the foundation for a rewarding career in research.<\/div>
\u00a0<\/div>
Outside of work, what activities do you most enjoy?<\/strong><\/div>
Outside of work, I enjoy activities that help me stay active and grounded. I particularly like recreational running and hiking, which give me the chance to recharge and spend time outdoors. I also enjoy singing, which has always been a wonderful creative outlet.<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Brain and Mind Institute (BMI), through the Africa-FINGERS project team, brought together community members, researchers, and health officials for validation workshops in Nairobi on October 27 and in Kilifi on October 29, 2025. The sessions were held to review community designed ideas for reducing dementia risk and supporting healthy aging.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17051,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[28,25,30,24,27,26],"class_list":["post-17045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-development","tag-global-health","tag-impact","tag-mental-health","tag-milestones","tag-neurological-disorder"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17045","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17045"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17045\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17054,"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17045\/revisions\/17054"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17051"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17045"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17045"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onionlabs.link\/africafingers\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17045"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}