Nicaise Ndembi, Ph.D., is the Deputy Director General, Regional Director of the IVI Africa Regional Office, overseeing IVI’s operational, scientific, and partnership activities in the Africa region, including the Africa Regional Office in Kigali, Rwanda and a Country Office in Nairobi, Kenya. He is based in Kigali.
Dr. Ndembi is also an Associate Professor at the Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine as well as a Research Professor at the Kanazawa University School of Medicine, Department of Viral Infection and International Public Health, where he completed his doctorate in molecular virology.
Prior to joining IVI in 2025, Dr. Ndembi was the Principal Advisor to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Director General, where he established the Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing, creating a framework for regional vaccine manufacturing and self-reliance. He additional held the position of Deputy Incident Manager Mpox – Marburg Continental Preparedness and Response Plan for Africa.
Dr. Ndembi has authored and co-authored over 300 peer-reviewed papers and chapters in professional journals.
