Professor Rudovick R. Kazwala
Professor Rudovick R. Kazwala is a graduate of BVSc at Sokoine University of Agriculture, MVM (University College Dublin, Ireland) and PhD (University of Edinburgh, UK). He is the Professor of Ecosystems and Public Health in the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Public Health, College of Veterinary and Medical Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania. To date Professor Kazwala has supervised over 45 Postgraduate students and published a total of 150 articles https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=KazwalaR in the peer reviewed journals
Prof. Kazwala was the Chairman of Veterinary Council of Tanzania from 2013 to 2021, is a member of the International Health Regulations, Roster of Experts in Veterinary Issues, Zoonoses, and coordinates research on Bacterial zoonoses (Brucellosis, Leptospirosis and Bovine tuberculosis), Viral zoonoses (Rift Valley fever and Rabies) and Food borne pathogens (Salmonella and Campylobacter) in various networks in Africa (AfriqueOne, OHEART, ICONZ)
For the past one and half decade, Professor Kazwala is the Tanzanian Director of Health for Animals and Livelihood Improvement (HALI) Project, a collaborative research between College of Veterinary Medicine at University of California, Davis and Sokoine University of Agriculture.
Since 2009, Prof. Kazwala has led the USAID Emerging Pandemic Threats Program PREDICT Project in Tanzania, supporting the development of a wildlife disease surveillance and early warning system for high-risk viral pathogens, and heads a new molecular laboratory for emerging infectious diseases and pathogen discovery. As from 2014 to 2018, this work was carried out in tandem with the DTRA funded projects namely; (i) “Zoonotic Select Agents in Tanzania – A One Health Approach to Rift Valley Fever and Brucellosis Surveillance and (ii) “Evaluating Zoonotic Viral Sharing in South Tanzania
Recently, Prof. Kazwala is also involved in the implementation of SEEDZ, HAZEL and Brucella Projects supported by BBSRC- ZELS initiative. Also leads AfriqueOne ASPIRE Thematic Training Programme on Brucellosis in East and West Africa.
Prof. Kazwala has recently been recognized and awarded by The Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) and Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) for his excellence in research in wildlife diseases in Tanzania. His own University, SUA has also awarded him The Edward Moringe Sokoine Researcher of the Year for Excellence in Research for two consecutive years (2020 /2021). Professor has been ranked by the AD Scientific Index 2021-as Tanzania Number 1 Research Scientist.