Email: gbandawe@must.ac.mw
Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8888-8048
Dr Gama Bandawe is a medical virologist and a senior lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences. He obtained his PhD from the University of Cape Town’s Health Sciences Faculty and began his career in research and academia at UCT’s Institute for Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM). There he was part of the HIV Diversity and Pathogenesis Research group which was involved in HIV vaccine development research. He joined MUST in 2015.
Dr Bandawe was the first Head of the Biological Sciences Department from 2016 to 2023. He is currently chairperson of the MUST Research and Ethics Committee. Dr Bandawe is a 2023/24 Fogarty-University of California Global Health Institute GloCal Global Health Fellow and a University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Institute for Global Health Sciences (IGHS) Affiliate. He is also an associate editor for the Malawi Medical Journal. Dr Bandawe is a member of the Malawi National Genomic Surveillance Committee under the Ministry of Health.
Dr Bandawe’s research interests include emerging and re-emerging viruses, pediatric febrile illness, virus discovery, bacteriophage technology and medical cannabis research.
Ongoing active projects include:
2023 - Use of next-generation metagenomic sequencing to determine the etiology of respiratory febrile illness in Malawian children (MPIRA Study)
Position: Principal Investigator
Funding Agencies: University of California Global Health Institute, Fogarty NIH
2023 - Predictors of disease severity in children with non-malarial, acute febrile illness in a rural hospital in Malawi (MTaMBO Study).
Position: Co-Principal Investigator (with Dr Anneka Hooft, UCSF)
Funding Agencies: University of California Global Health Institute (UCGHI), University of California San Francisco Research Allocation Program (UCSF-RAP)
2023 - Detection of emerging and re-emerging infections using a novel surveillance network in Malawi (MSuN Study)
Position: Co-Principal Investigator (with Dr Anneka Hooft, UCSF)
Funding Agency: Global Health Sciences-Center for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, UCSF
2023 – Characterization of the virome of commonly consumed rodent species in Malawi (Mbewa Study)
Position: Principal investigator (with Dr Joseph DeRisi of the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco)
Funding Agencies: UCSF and the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub
2023 – Metagenomic analysis of viruses from python species found in Malawi
Position: Principal investigator (with Dr Joseph DeRisi of UCSF and CZ Biohub)
Funding agency: UCSF, CZ Biohub and Gama Bandawe
2023 – Isolation of bacteriophages targeting WHO Antimicrobial Resistance priority pathogens from wastewater in Malawi
Position: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: MUST and Gama Bandawe
Mbewe, W., Mtonga, A., Pankomera, P., Mwamlima, L, Katondo, H., Nyirenda, A., Phukaphuka, F., Mataka, L., Mbalame, H., Thole, R., Kayira, V., Bandawe, G. (2023) Banana bunchy top virus (Babuvirus; Nanoviridae) detected in all banana growing districts of Malawi. Advances in Sciences and Arts. 1(1), S011-0006, https://doi.org/10.37872/S001-0006
Malamba-Banda, C., Kafamau, C., Nthandira, T., Kumwenda, A., Mzinza, D., Bandawe, G., Mandala. W. (2023). T Cell Subsets and COVID-19: Function and Dysregulation Effect. Advances in Sciences and Arts. 1(1), T011-0001, https://doi.org/10.37872/T011-0001
Bandawe G, Chitenje M, Bitiliyu-Bangoh J, Kampira E. Approaches to Deployment of Molecular Testing for SARS-CoV-2 in Resource-Limited Settings, Clinics in Laboratory Medicine, 2022, ISSN 0272-2712; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cll.2022.02.008.
Kawser, Z., Hossain, M., Suliman, S., Lockman, S., Gitaka, J., Bandawe, G., Rahmat, R., Hasan, I., Siddik, A. B., Afrad, M. H., Rahman, M. Z., Miller, G., Walt, D. R., Ivers, L. C., LaRocque, R. C., Harris, J. B., & Qadri, F. (2022). An Assessment of a Rapid SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Test in Bangladesh. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, tpmd220068. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.22-0068
Bandawe G: Medical cannabis and cannabidiol: A new harvest for Malawi, Malawi Medical Journal 34 (2); June 2022. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/mmj.v34i.
Bandawe G, Chigwechokha P, Kunyenje P, Kazembe Y, Mwale J, Kamaliza M, Mpakati M, Nyakanyaka Y, Makamo C, Kimu S, Madanitsa M, Bitilinyu Bangoh J, Nyirenda T, Luhanga R, Sambani M, Mvula B, Giandhari J, Pillay S, Naidoo Y, Ramphal U, San JE, Tegally H, Wilkinson E, de Oliveira T, Malata A. Management and containment of a SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant outbreak at the Malawi University of Science and Technology. medRxiv 2021.11.25.21266298; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.11.25.21266298
Mielke D, Bandawe G, Zheng J, Jones J, Abrahams M-R, Bekker V, et al. (2021) ADCC-mediating non-neutralizing antibodies can exert immune pressure in early HIV-1 infection. PLoS Pathog 17(11): e1010046. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1010046
Muthamia E, Mungai S, Mungai M, Bandawe G, Qadri F, Kawser Z, Lockman S, Ivers LC, Walt D, Suliman S, Mwau M, Gitaka J. Assessment of performance and implementation characteristics of rapid point of care sars-cov-2 antigen testing in Kenya. Preprint https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.06.03.21258290doi MedRxiv preprint June 2021
Mielke D*,
Bandawe G*, Pollara J, Abrahams MR, Nyanhete T, Moore PL, Thebus R, Yates NL, Kappes JC, Ochsenbauer C, Garrett N, Abdool Karim S, Tomaras GD, Montefiori D, Morris L, Ferrari G, Williamson C. Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity (ADCC)-Mediating Antibodies Constrain Neutralizing Antibody Escape Pathway. Frontiers in Immunology. 2019 Dec 11;10:2875.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2019.02875 (* Joint first author)
Baltzell, K. A., Kortz, T. B., Blair, A., Scarr, E., Mguntha, A. M., Bandawe, G., Schell, E., & Rankin, S. H. (2020). A 14-day follow-up of adult non-malarial fever patients seen by mobile clinics in rural Malawi. Malawi medical journal: the journal of Medical Association of Malawi, 32(1), 31–36. https://doi.org/10.4314/mmj.v32i1.7
Kortz, T.B., Nyirenda, J, Tembo, D., Elfving, K., Baltzell, K., Bandawe, G. Rosenthal, P.J., Macfarlane, S.B., Mandala, W., Nyirenda, T.S. (2019). Distinct Biomarker Profiles Distinguish Malawian Children with Malarial and Non-malarial Sepsis. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2019;101(6):1424-1433. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.18-0635.
Baltzell K, Kortz TB, Scarr E, Blair A, Mguntha A, Bandawe G, Schell E, Rankin S. 'Not all fevers are malaria': a mixed methods study of non-malarial fever management in rural southern Malawi. Rural Remote Health. 2019 Jun;19(2):4818. doi: 10.22605/RRH4818. Epub 2019 Jun 15. PMID: 31200600.
Kortz TB, Blair A, Scarr E, Mguntha AM, Bandawe G, Schell E, Rankin S, Baltzell K. Characterizing Pediatric Non-Malarial Fever and Identifying the At-Risk Child in Rural Malawi. Glob Pediatric Health. 2018 Jan 16;5:2333794X17750415. doi: 10.1177/2333794X17750415. eCollection 2018. PMID:29372177
Rademeyer C, Korber B, Seaman MS, Giorgi EE, Thebus R, Robles A, Sheward DJ, Wagh K, Garrity J, Carey BR, Gao H, Greene KM, Tang H, Bandawe GP, Marais JC, Diphoko TE, Hraber P, Tumba N, Moore PL, Gray GE, Kublin J, McElrath MJ, Vermeulen M, Middelkoop K, Bekker LG, Hoelscher M, Maboko L, Makhema J, Robb ML, Abdool Karim S, Abdool Karim Q, Kim JH, Hahn BH, Gao F, Swanstrom R, Morris L, Montefiori DC, Williamson C. Features of Recently Transmitted HIV-1 Clade C Viruses that Impact Antibody Recognition: Implications for Active and Passive Immunization. PLoS Pathog. 2016 Jul 19;12(7):e1005742. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005742. eCollection 2016 Jul.
Gordon K, Omar S, Nofemela A, Bandawe G, Williamson C, Woodman Z. Short Communication: A Recombinant Variant with Increased Envelope Entry Efficiency Emerged During Early Infection of an HIV-1 Subtype C Dual Infected Rapid Progressor. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2016 Mar;32(3):303-10. doi: 10.1089/AID.2014.0100. Epub 2015 May 20.
Bandawe G, Moore P L, Werner L, Gray E S, Sheward D S, Madiga M, Nofemela A, Thebus R, Marais J C, Maboko L, Abdool Karim S S, Hoelscher M, Morris L, Williamson C. Differences in HIV-1 neutralization breadth in two geographically distinct cohorts in Africa. Journal of Infectious Diseases. J Infect Dis. 2014 Nov 14. pii: jiu633. [Epub ahead of print]
Middelkoop K, Rademeyer C, Brown B, Cashmore T, Marais J, Scheibe A, Bandawe G, Myer L, Williamson C, Bekker L. Epidemiology of HIV-1 subtypes among men who have sex with men in Cape Town, South Africa. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2014 Apr 1;65(4):473-80
Valley-Omar Z, Sibeko S, Anderson J, Goodier S, Werner L, Arney L, Naranbhai V, Treurnicht F, Abrahams MR, Bandawe G, Swanstrom R, Karim QA, Karim SS, Williamson C. CAPRISA 004 tenofovir microbicide trial: no impact of tenofovir gel on the HIV transmission bottleneck. J Infect Dis. 2012 Jul 1;206(1):35-40. Epub 2012 May 2;
Nofemela, A., Bandawe, G. P., Thebus, R., Marais, J., Wood, N., Maboko, L., Hoelscher, M., Woodman, Z., Williamson, C. Defining the Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 transmission genetic bottleneck in a region with multiple circulating subtypes and recombinant forms Virology 415 (2011) 107–113;
Bandawe, G. P., Martin, D. P., Treurnicht, F., Mlisana, K., Abdool Karim, S. S., Williamson, C and The CAPRISA Acute Infection Study Team. Conserved positive selection signals in HIV-1 gp41 across multiple subtypes and difference in selection signals detectable in gp41 sequences sampled during acute and chronic HIV-1 subtype C infection. Virology Journal 2008, 5:141;
Moore, P.L., Ranchobe, N., Lambson, B., Gray, E.S., Cave, E., Abrahams, M., Bandawe, G., Mlisana, K., Abdool Karim, S.S., Williamson, C. and Morris, L., the CAPRISA 002 study and the and the NIAID Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology. Limited Neutralizing Antibody Specificities Drive Neutralization Escape in Early HIV-1 Subtype C Infection. PLoS Pathog 5(9): e1000598.
