Protus Edson Changaya
Research Assistant
Protus is a Research Assistant at the BMI, where he supports the UZIMA Data Science project. His work focuses on participant recruitment and the collection of qualitative and quantitative data on mental disorders among university students, contributing to the development and validation of predictive models.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Medicine and Community Health from Mount Kenya University and a Diploma in Clinical Medicine and Surgery from Kenya Medical Training College. His academic background is further strengthened by certifications in Global Mental Health, Monitoring & Evaluation, Project Management, and Leadership & Management in Global Health from the University of Washington, alongside training in Social & Behavioral Research and Clinical Trial Management.
Protus has extensive experience in clinical research. He has worked as a Research Assistant for the Situational Analysis of Perinatal Network of Care (NOC) study at Kenyatta National Hospital, exploring maternal and neonatal care quality, referral systems, and healthcare resources. As a Study Clinician for the SEARCH Study under the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust program, he contributed to a clinical trial on injectable antibiotics and supportive care interventions for children with severe pneumonia. At Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital, he was involved in optimizing smoking cessation interventions for people living with HIV and opioid addiction at the Medically Assisted Therapy (MAT) clinic. Additionally, he has worked in various HIV/TB programs as an expert clinician and supervisor.
Passionate about pediatric and adolescent health, Protus is committed to advancing mental health research, integrating clinical expertise with technology to improve care accessibility.
Beyond his professional work, he enjoys charity initiatives, hiking, meeting new people, and exploring new experiences.
