Current Position
Integrated Manager, Public Health Laboratories
Background
Doris E.F. Harding, is a distinguished laboratory scientist and academic, specializes in public health, diagnostics, and laboratory management. She is pursuing a PhD in Medical Laboratory Medicine and Diagnostics (Molecular Biology) at COMAHS, University of Sierra Leone. She also holds an MPH from Njala University and a BSc (Hons) in Zoology from Fourah Bay College, strengthening her expertise in biological sciences, disease surveillance, and public health. She has also completed a postgraduate Diploma in Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, Research Methods, and Epidemiology at the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS) in collaboration with Broad Institute and Harvard.
Experience
Doris has held key leadership roles, including Acting National Laboratory Manager, National Program Manager for the Public Health Laboratory Network, Head of the Molecular Unit at CPHRL (2013–2018). Now the Integrated Manager, Public Health Laboratories, she drives diagnostic system improvements. She has also led Haematology and Microbiology at the Connaught Hospital and mentors future professionals as a lecturer at COMAHS, contributing to curriculum development. She is a Fellow of the African Institute of Public Health Professionals. She is also a fellow West Africa Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science (WAPCMLS). As the first laboratory scientist in Sierra Leone trained in EID and HIV Viral Load molecular testing in the US and South Africa, Doris has played a pivotal role in strengthening the country’s diagnostic capacity. She has earned multiple certifications from international training programs, including international organization for Standardization, Biorisk Management, and Good Clinical Practice and Research Ethics, ensuring high laboratory standards, quality assurance, and biosafety compliance. With over two decades of experience, she continues to strengthen laboratory systems and advance medical laboratory science in Sierra Leone and beyond.
Publications & Research
Her related research on AMR and invasive Salmonella infections, in collaboration with China CDC, has earned international recognition. Doris has also contributed to multiple other research areas.
