Dr Richard Mayanja
Postdoctoral Researcher
Institution
Gladstone Institutes, USA
Bio
Dr Richard Mayanja is a bioinformatics postdoctoral fellow passionate about understanding the genetic basis of vascular diseases and their complications, such as diabetes, across diverse populations. His research applies advanced computational and statistical genetics approaches, including structural equation modeling, mediation analysis, and clustering, to unravel how genetic and environmental factors interact in shaping vascular disease risk. He uses Mendelian Randomization to establish causal links between risk factors and vascular outcomes, with a focus on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Beyond identifying associations, he aims to uncover the biological processes through which genetic risk factors influence disease development, providing insights into potential therapeutic targets. Recognizing the limited performance of current polygenic risk scores (PRS) in diverse populations, he is dedicated to improving their accuracy and clinical relevance by incorporating diverse genomic data, rare variant analysis, and functional genomics.
Selected Publications
Mayanja R, Machipisa T, Soremekun O, Kamiza AB, Kintu C, Kalungi A, Kalyesubula R, Sande OJ, Jjingo D, Fabian J, Robinson-Cohen C. Genome-wide association analysis of cystatin-C kidney function in continental Africa. EBioMedicine. 2023 Sep 1;95.
Mayanja R, Kintu C, Diabate O, Soremekun O, Oluwagbemi OO, Wele M, Kalyesubula R, Jjingo D, Chikowore T, Fatumo S. Molecular dynamic simulation reveals structure differences in APOL1 variants and implication in pathogenesis of chronic kidney disease. Genes. 2022 Aug 16;13(8):1460.
Mayanja R, Muwonge A, Aruhomukama D, Katabazi FA, Bbuye M, Kigozi E, Nakimuli A, Sekikubo M, Najjuka CF, Kateete DP. Source-tracking ESBL-producing bacteria at the maternity ward of Mulago hospital, Uganda. Plos one. 2023 Jun 8;18(6):e0286955.
Kintu C, Soremekun O, Machipisa T, Mayanja R, Kalyesubula R, Bagaya BS, Jjingo D, Chikowore T, Fatumo S. Meta-analysis of African ancestry genome-wide association studies identified novel locus and validates multiple loci associated with kidney function. BMC genomics. 2023 Aug 29;24(1):496.
Soremekun O, Karhunen V, He Y, Rajasundaram S, Liu B, Gkatzionis A, Soremekun C, Udosen B, Musa H, Silva S, Kintu C, Mayanja R. Lipid traits and type 2 diabetes risk in African ancestry individuals: a Mendelian randomization study. EBioMedicine. 2022 Apr 1;78.