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Dr. William Nelson Mwakalasya is an environmental health scientist, researcher and academic with expertise in environmental and occupational health, toxicology and public health. He is a Lecturer in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at MUHAS, where he is engaged in teaching, research and consultancy.
Dr. Mwakalasya holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Environmental Health from MUHAS. His doctoral research investigated the effects of early-life pesticide exposure on child behavior and neurodevelopment among preschool children born to women engaged in horticultural farming in Tanzania. His work employed multidisciplinary approaches, integrating epidemiology, environmental toxicology, behavioral sciences and qualitative research to address complex environmental health challenges. He has extensive experience in environmental and occupational health research, teaching, scientific writing, project coordination and technical consultancy.
Dr. Mwakalasya's research focuses on understanding the interaction between environmental exposures and human health, particularly among vulnerable populations. His research interests include: Environmental and occupational health;
Environmental toxicology; Pesticide exposure assessment and risk evaluation; Child environmental health and neurodevelopment; Occupational exposure and worker health; Environmental epidemiology; Food safety and food hygiene; Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); Environmental risk assessment; Implementation research and health systems strengthening; One Health approaches to environmental health challenges.
His research activities encompass quantitative and qualitative epidemiological studies, exposure assessment, environmental monitoring, program evaluation, systematic reviews, implementation science, and multidisciplinary public health research. He has collaborated with researchers and institutions within Tanzania and internationally to generate evidence that informs policy, improves workplace safety, strengthens environmental health systems and promotes healthier communities.
In addition to research, Dr. Mwakalasya actively contributes to scientific peer review, postgraduate supervision, curriculum development, professional training and knowledge translation for policy and practice.
1. Mwakalasya WN, Mamuya SH, Manji K, Moen BE, Ngowi AV. Neurodevelopment in children born to women exposed to pesticides during pregnancy. PLoS One [Internet]. 2025;20(12 December):1–15. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0326007
2. Mwakalasya WN, Ruano AL, Mamuya SH, Moen BE, Ngowi AV. Pregnancy, Childcare, and Pesticides : Understanding the Health Risks of Women and Children in Small-Scale Horticulture in Tanzania. Qual Health Res. 2025;0(0):1–11.
3. Mwakalasya WN, Mamuya SH, Moen BE, Ngowi AV. Self-Reported Pesticide Exposure During Pregnancy and Pesticide-Handling Knowledge Among Small-Scale Horticulture Women Workers in Tanzania , a Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025;22(1).
4. Nelson W, Wang YX, Sakwari G, Ding YB. Review of the Effects of Perinatal Exposure to Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in Animals and Humans. Rev Environ Contam Toxicol. 2020;251:131–84.
5. Nelson W, Adu-Gyamfi EA, Czika A, Wang YX, Ding YB. Bisphenol A-induced mechanistic impairment of decidualization. Mol Reprod Dev. 2020 Aug;87(8):837–42.
6. Nelson W, Liu DY, Yang Y, Zhong ZH, Wang YX, Ding Y Bin. In utero exposure to persistent and nonpersistent endocrine-disrupting chemicals and anogenital distance. A systematic review of epidemiological studies. Biol Reprod. 2020;102(2):276–91.
