Principal Research Officer at the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR)-Mbeya Medical Research Center (MMRC) with a background in Medicine. He holds Medical Degree (MD) from the University of Dar es Salaam, Master
of Science (MSc) in Tropical and Infectious Diseases from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom and a PhD in Medical Research-International Health from the Centre for International Health at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (CIHLMU), Munich; Germany. With over 16 years of experience, he has been a seasoned expert in medical research that has served in diverse roles as a Sponsor representative, Principal Investigator, Research Leader and Coordinator at institutional, national and international levels. His expertise extends across cross-functional, multicultural and international environments. His abiding interest lies in leveraging the potential of research to tackle the pressing global health challenges, ultimately adding value to humanity. He has experience in clinical trials (drugs and vaccines), implementation, operational and diagnostic studies especially on TB, HIV and comorbidities as well as research of emerging diseases and NCDs (selected) with over 80 publications on related areas in peer reviewed journals. His commitment and interests extend to improving the research landscape and strengthening health systems produce evidence that guides policy and practice. He is passionate about mentoring and building the capacities of early and mid-career researchers aiming to cultivate future generation of researchers. He is a member and/or co-leader of numerous national and international research networks, technical working groups and committees including at the Tanzanian Ministry of Health. He was a member in the Presidential Special Advisory Technical Committee on COVID-19 in Tanzania.
Dr. Ntinginya brings in strategic research leadership experience having served as the Head of TB and Emerging Diseases Research department from 2012 to 2016, Acting Centre Director from 2016 to 2018, Centre Director from October 2018 to 2022, and Centre Manager from 2022 to February 2024 at the NIMR Mbeya Medical Research Centre. During his tenure, the Centre has continued to grow to become one of Tanzania’s most active research centres, engaging in a wide spectrum of medical research endeavours. This growth has been accompanied by successful grant acquisition efforts, fostering notable capacity building and evidence generation with local and international collaboration.