Caroline Kithinji

Ms. Kithinji is the head of training at the Scientific and Ethics Review Unit (SERU) of the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). She has 19 years of experience in Research Ethics Committee (REC) administration and training. During this time, in addition to providing efficient and considered review of research protocols, she has trained and mentored young professionals in Biomedical ethics and research ethics committee administration. 

SERU, inaugurated in 2014, is a culmination of ten years of deliberate introduction of resources, both human and financial, into a secretariat that began with three individuals to a team of 14 well-trained professionals. As faculty of the CBEC-KEMRI Bioethics Training Initiative (CK-BTI), her singular honor has been her participation in the development of a curriculum for a practicum for research administration. 

Caroline is a member of two hospital Research Ethics Committees and a Hospital Ethics Committee. She also has experience of being a member of two Data Safety Monitoring Boards. 

Her educational background includes an MSc in Medical Parasitology from the London Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and an MA in Biomedical Ethics from the Sindh Institute of Health Sciences/Center of Biomedical Ethics and Culture (CBEC), Karachi, Pakistan. She has a BSc in Biochemistry and Zoology from the University of Nairobi, Kenya and a graduate certificate in International Research Ethics from the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, Baltimore. 

Outside of work, she is 1-part farmer, 1-part building contractor, 3-parts parent, 1-part wife, 1-part entrepreneur.