Sonia Barasa is an emerging computational biologist dedicated to transforming malaria vector control through advanced genomic approaches in Africa. She currently serves as a Bioinformatician 'Train the Trainers' Fellow for the Anopheles Genomics Phase II Project through the Pan-African Mosquito Control Association, where she plays a pivotal role in developing sustainable bioinformatics capacity across the continent. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology from Masinde Muliro University in Kenya, followed by a Master of Science in Bioinformatics from the University of Nairobi, where her research focused on genetic variations in the phaseolin gene and seed protein content among common bean accessions. Prior to her current fellowship, she contributed to innovative public health initiatives as an innovation fellow with C4Dlab in collaboration with UNICEF, developing digital tools to enhance youth skills through design thinking methodologies.
Her research critically examines the molecular mechanisms underlying insecticide resistance in malaria vectors, with particular focus on genetic factors driving the spread of malaria transmission and vectorial capacity. During her placement at the KEMRI Center for Global Health Research in Kisumu, she conducted field collections and molecular analyses of mosquito species to identify mutations linked to insecticide resistance, laying the foundation for her current genomic work. Her fellowship with PAMCA-MalariaGEN integrates bioinformatics training with malaria vector genomics, encompassing rotations in data analysis, scientific computing, and data curation at the Wellcome Sanger Institute's Genomic Surveillance Unit. This work directly addresses critical challenges in malaria control by applying computational approaches to understand the evolutionary dynamics of vector resistance and microbe-mosquito interactions.
Through her role with PAMCA, she actively participates in designing and delivering training programs to expand vector genomics capacity throughout Africa, reviewing and developing curriculum for bioinformatics courses that empower African scientists. She is advancing PAMCA-Sanger Institute's mission to build sustainable genomic surveillance infrastructure across the continent, with particular focus on variant calling pipelines and data management systems for vector control programs. Her research interests span the application of bioinformatics tools to unravel microbe-mosquito interactions, molecular marker identification, and database management systems tailored for vector control challenges. Sonia is committed to bridging computational biology with practical vector control solutions, positioning herself at the forefront of a new generation of African scientists addressing malaria through innovative genomic approaches.
