Current Position
Deputy Director General and Regional Director of the IVI Africa Regional Office, based in Kigali, Rwanda.
Background
Professor Nicaise Ndembi, Ph.D., is the Deputy Director General and Regional Director of the IVI Africa Regional Office, based in Kigali, Rwanda. Prof. Ndembi is also an Associate Professor at the Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine as well as a Research Professor at the Kanazawa University School of Medicine, Department of Viral Infection and International Public Health, where he completed his doctorate in molecular virology.
Experience
Prior to joining IVI in 2025, Prof. Ndembi was the Principal Advisor to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC)’s Director General, where he established the Partnerships for Africa Vaccine Manufacturing (PAVM), creating a framework for regional vaccine manufacturing and self-reliance. He additional held the position of Deputy Incident Manager mpox – Marburg Continental Prevention Preparedness and Response Plan for Africa.
Achievements
He has been named to the 2025 TIME100 Health list – recognizing the 100 most influential people in global health and also 100 Most Notable Peace Icons in Africa, 2025 list.
Publications & Research
Prof. Ndembi has authored and co-authored over 300 peer-reviewed papers and chapters in professional journals. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Public Health of Africa as well as AIDS Research and Therapy.
