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**Biography & Qualification**
Dr Clara Chamba is a specialist haematologist and Lecturer at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), where she has served as Head of the Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion since 2021. She holds a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree and a Master of Medicine (MMed) in Haematology and Blood Transfusion. She is currently completing her PhD, focusing on blood cancer genomics and liquid biopsy in lymphoma.
Her professional work integrates clinical care, teaching, research and postgraduate supervision. She contributes to curriculum development and the coordination of postgraduate training, with a commitment to strengthening haematology expertise and diagnostic capacity in Tanzania.
Dr Chamba is a co-founder and director of SerenOx Africa, a MUHAS spin-out advancing access to molecular diagnostic services. She is a recipient of the American Society of Hematology Global Research Award and awards from the International Myeloma Society and the British Society for Haematology. She also serves on the Lymphoma Coalition Board and Tanzania’s National Human DNA Technical Committee.
Dr Chamba’s research focuses on improving the diagnosis, treatment monitoring and outcomes of haematological malignancies in resource-limited settings. Her main interests include blood cancer genomics, molecular diagnostics and the use of circulating tumour DNA as a minimally invasive tool for cancer diagnosis, prognostication and monitoring of treatment response.
Her work in Burkitt lymphoma investigates liquid biopsy biomarkers for diagnosis, survival prediction and detection of measurable residual disease. This research includes evaluating the clinical utility, cost-effectiveness and implementation of liquid biopsy in East Africa, with diagnostic findings published in Nature Medicine.
Her wider research activities include molecular predictors of treatment response in chronic myeloid leukaemia, local validation of TP53 testing in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, characterisation of NPM1 mutations in acute myeloid leukaemia, and development of molecular testing approaches for multiple myeloma. Across these activities, she works with local and international collaborators to strengthen laboratory capacity, train researchers and translate research findings into clinical services.
1. Aggressive Infection-Related East Africa Lymphoma (NIHR) — Principal Investigator: Evaluation of liquid biopsy approaches for the diagnosis of Burkitt lymphoma in East Africa.
2. American Society of Hematology Global Research Award (ASH-GRA) — Principal Investigator : Investigation of circulating tumour DNA for measurable residual disease assessment and treatment-response monitoring in Burkitt lymphoma.
3. Multiple Myeloma Translational Research (International Myeloma Society) — Principal Investigator: Molecular characterisation of multiple myeloma and translation of genomic findings into targeted diagnostic and monitoring approaches in Tanzania.
4. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) — Co-investigator: Local validation of TP53 mutation testing using Nanopore sequencing in comparison with MiSeq 100.
5. Molecular Profile of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) — Co-investigator: Investigation of the frequency and molecular characteristics of NPM1 mutations among Tanzanian patients with acute myeloid leukaemia.
Collin Nzunda, Doreen Kamori, Ahlam Nasser, Clara Chamba, Eliud Buchard, Jeffer Bhuko, Heavenlight Christopher, Emmanuel Saukiwa, Caroline Mollel, Antony Cutts, Anna Schuh, Adam Burns, William Mawalla; Bridging the diagnostic gap in CLL through TP53 molecular diagnostics in sub-Saharan Africa. Blood Global Hematology 2026; 2 (4): 100130. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bglo.2026.100130
Saida Saleh, Ahlam Nasser, Mwashungi Ally, Clara Chamba, Flora Ndobho, Magdalena Lyimo, Anna Schuh, William Mawalla. Epidemiology, Presenting Features and Treatment Outcomes of Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) in Tanzania. Hematological Oncology. 2026 Sep;44(5):e70245.
Chamba C, Christopher H, Josephat E, Sseruyange J, Ayitewala A, Howard K, Dreau H, Burns A, Legason I, Otim I, Mapendo P. Liquid biopsy for the diagnosis of EBV-positive Burkitt’s lymphoma in endemic areas. Nature Medicine. 2026 May;32(5):1754-62.
Nyamataga JJ, Iddy H, Yonazi M, Kilungu A, Gasper L, Chamba CC. LBA-05 Five Year Survival Outcomes Among Patients With Multiple Myeloma in Tanzania, A Multicenter Retrospective Study. Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia. 2026 Sep 1;26:S374-.
Jiang J, Morrell L, Tungu M, Mawalla WF, Chamba C, Chirande L, Kashaigili HJ, Mkwizu E, Ntemi PS, Sandi G, Schroeder K. Is liquid biopsy a cost-effective method to diagnose Burkitt Lymphoma in children and young adults? A health economic evaluation in Tanzania. BMC medicine. 2026 Feb 21;24(1):180.
