This user has not added any information to their profile yet.
Dr Mutagonda obtained her Bachelor of Pharmacy, Master of Science in Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and PhD in Clinical Pharmacology from the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS). Her postgraduate training established a strong foundation in pharmacology, clinical research, pharmacokinetics and the evaluation of medicine effectiveness and safety.
Her doctoral research investigated factors influencing malaria treatment outcomes among pregnant women treated with artemether-lumefantrine, with particular emphasis on pharmacogenetic variation and lumefantrine pharmacokinetics. This work contributed to understanding how pregnancy and genetic variability may influence antimalarial drug exposure and therapeutic response.
Dr Mutagonda joined the academic staff at MUHAS and progressed through academic and leadership roles within the Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology. She has subsequently expanded her research portfolio across malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, pharmacovigilance and other areas of clinical pharmacology. She is also undertaking postdoctoral fellowship examining the relationship between malnutrition, tuberculosis drug pharmacokinetics and treatment outcomes.
Dr Mutagonda’s research interests are centred on clinical pharmacology and the optimization of medicine use, particularly in populations where physiological, genetic, nutritional or health-system factors may influence treatment response. Her work encompasses pharmacokinetics, pharmacogenetics, pharmacovigilance, pharmacoepidemiology, infectious diseases, antimicrobial stewardship and implementation research.
A major focus of her research is understanding variability in drug exposure, safety and treatment outcomes in malaria, tuberculosis and HIV. Her current postdoctoral research examines the influence of malnutrition on the pharmacokinetics of first-line tuberculosis medicines and associated treatment outcomes. She is also actively involved in sickle cell disease research, including multicountry work examining malaria incidence, asymptomatic parasitaemia and malaria prevention among children living with sickle cell disease in Africa.
Her broader research activities include HIV treatment outcomes and adverse drug reactions, antimicrobial use and resistance, clinical pharmacy services, medicines safety and rational use of medicines. Through multidisciplinary collaborations, postgraduate supervision and implementation-oriented research, she seeks to generate evidence that can improve therapeutic decision-making, pharmaceutical care and health outcomes in resource-limited settings.
1. Malnutrition, Pharmacokinetics and Tuberculosis Treatment Outcome: Postdoctoral research investigating how malnutrition influences the pharmacokinetics of first-line tuberculosis medicines and subsequent treatment outcomes.
2. SickleInAfrica/SPARCo – Malaria and Sickle Cell Disease: Multicountry research examining clinical malaria, asymptomatic parasitaemia and malaria prevention among children living with sickle cell disease in Africa. Dr Mutagonda leads the malaria study within SPARCo Tanzania.
3. Pharmacovigilance and Antiretroviral Therapy Safety in Tanzania: Research assessing adverse drug reactions, treatment safety and factors influencing outcomes among people receiving antiretroviral therapy, including individuals with advanced HIV disease.
4. Strengthening Clinical Pharmacy Services in Tanzania: Collaborative research and capacity-building programme examining barriers and facilitators to clinical pharmacy services, stakeholder perspectives, pharmacist practice and strategies for integrating pharmacists into multidisciplinary patient care.
Mutagonda RF, Sarro YDS, Ruhl AP, et al. Incidence of clinical malaria and asymptomatic parasitaemia among African children living with sickle cell disease: a multicentre prospective longitudinal cohort study protocol. BMJ Public Health. 2026;4(3):e005751. doi:10.1136/bmjph-2026-005751.
Mutagonda RF, Kilonzi M, Mwakawanga DL, et al. Pharmacists’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices and Healthcare Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Clinical Pharmacy Services in Referral Hospitals in Mainland Tanzania: A Mixed-Methods Study. Cureus. 2026;18(7):e113587. doi:10.7759/cureus.113587.
Kaaya J, Manguzu MA, Buma D, et al. Urinary tract infections, risk factors and antimicrobial resistance patterns in heart failure patients on sodium-glucose transporter 2 inhibitors: Evidence from Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute in Tanzania. PLoS One. 2026;21(3):e0344986. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0344986.
Igogo HJ, Yonazi M, Mutagonda RF, et al. Factors Affecting Pain Control in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease at Mwananyamala and Muhimbili Hospitals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2026;15(6):2339. doi:10.3390/jcm15062339.
Mbwambo DP, Mikomangwa W, Mkugwe RH, et al. Skin-related adverse events and their associated factors among diabetic patients on insulin therapy. PLoS One. 2026;21(2):e0320556. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0320556.
Ilomo HB, Mnkugwe RH, Kambona RC, et al. Prevalence of acute kidney injury and nephrotoxic drug exposure in premature and low birth weight neonates admitted to intensive care units at Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar es Salaam. BMC Pediatrics. 2026;26:130. doi:10.1186/s12887-025-05988-9.
Shemula RS, Kilonzi M, Bukundi E, Mlugu ME, Mutagonda RF. Active Surveillance of Iodinated Contrast Media-Induced Reactions and Associated Risk Factors Among Patients Undergoing Radiologic Procedures in Tertiary Hospitals in Tanzania: A Prospective Cohort Study. Cureus. 2026;18(1):e100654. doi:10.7759/cureus.100654.
Haji HM, Urio F, Nkya S, et al. Utilization of Fetal Hemoglobin Parameters in Predicting Clinical Severity of Sickle Cell Disease: Retrospective Study From a Tanzanian Cohort. Journal of Blood Medicine. 2025;16:321–330. doi:10.2147/JBM.S493425.
