Biography

Dr Simulundu is a Virologist with expertise in the molecular      epidemiology of emerging and re-emerging viral infectious diseases of veterinary and public health significance. From September 2011 to June 2020, he worked for the University of Zambia where he served as a Senior Lecturer and Assistant Dean (Postgraduate). Now he serves as Scientific Director at Macha Research Trust. Dr Simulundu advocates for the “One Health” concept in research because he strongly believes that the application of effective prevention and control strategies of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases is largely dependent on practical collaboration and bridging of gaps among environmental, veterinary and human health fields. He has conducted research on a wide range of zoonotic and transboundary infectious diseases in Africa including filoviruses (Marburg and Ebola), Influenza, West Nile fever, Rift Valley fever, Q-fever, African swine fever, Plague and COVID-19 among others.

Education

• BVM (University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia)
• PhD (Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan)

Research Interests

• Viral emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases
• Vector-borne and zoonotic diseases
• Molecular epidemiology of infectious diseases

Selected publications

• Munjita SM, Moonga G, Mukubesa AN, Ndebe J, Mubemba B, Vanaerschot M, Tato C, Tembo J, Kapata N, Chitanga S, Changula K, Kajihara M, Muleya W, Takada A, Fichet-Calvet E, Zumla A, Sawa H, Bates M, Munsaka S, Simulundu E. Luna Virus and Helminths in Wild Mastomys natalensis in Two Contrasting Habitats in Zambia: Risk Factors and Evidence of Virus Dissemination in Semen. Pathogens 2022, 11, 1345.

        https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11111345

• Katowa B, Kalonda A, Mubemba B, Matoba J, Shempela DM, Sikalima J, Kabungo B,          Changula K, Chitanga S, Kasonde M, Kapona O, Kapata N, Musonda K, Monze M,         Tembo J, Bates M, Zumla A, Sutcliffe CG, Kajihara M, Yamagishi J, Takada A, Sawa H,       Chilengi R, Mukonka V, Muleya W, Simulundu E. Genomic Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in the Southern Province of Zambia: Detection and Characterization of Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron Variants of Concern. Viruses. 2022 Aug 24;14(9). doi: 10.3390/v14091865. PubMed PMID: 36146671; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9504048.
• Ippolito MM, Gebhardt ME, Ferriss E, Schue JL, Kobayashi T, Chaponda M, Kabuya JB, Muleba M, Mburu M, Matoba J, Musonda M, Katowa B, Lubinda M, Hamapumbu H, Simubali L, Mudenda T, Wesolowski A, Shields TM, Hackman A, Shiff C, Coetzee M, Koekemoer LL, Munyati S, Gwanzura L, Mutambu S, Stevenson JC, Thuma PE, Norris DE, Bailey JA, Juliano JJ, Chongwe G, Mulenga M, Simulundu E, Mharakurwa S, Agre PC, Moss WJ. Scientific Findings of the Southern and Central Africa International Center of Excellence for Malaria Research: Ten Years of Malaria Control Impact Assessments in Hypo-, Meso-, and Holoendemic Transmission Zones in Zambia and Zimbabwe. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2022 Oct 11;107(4_Suppl):55-67. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-1287. Print 2022 Oct 11. PubMed PMID: 36228903; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC9662223.
• Loevinsohn G, Hamahuwa M, Hardick J, Sinywimaanzi P, Fenstermacher KZJ, Munachoonga P, Weynand A, Monze M, Manabe YC, Gaydos CA, Rothman RE, Pekosz A, Thuma PE, Simulundu E, Sutcliffe CG. Respiratory viruses in rural Zambia before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trop Med Int Health. 2022 May 25. doi: 10.1111/tmi.13781. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35611546.
• Mubemba B, Mburu MM, Changula K, Muleya W, Moonga LC, Chambaro HM, Kajihara M, Qiu Y, Orba Y, Hayashida K, Sutcliffe CG, Norris DE, Thuma PE, Ndubani P, Chitanga S, Sawa H, Takada A, Simulundu E. Current knowledge of vector-borne zoonotic pathogens in Zambia: A clarion call to scaling-up "One Health" research in the wake of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2022 Feb 4;16(2):e0010193. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010193. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35120135.
• Harima H, Okuya K, Kajihara M, Ogawa H, Simulundu E, Bwalya E, Qiu Y, Mori-Kajihara A, Munyeme M, Sakoda Y, Saito T, Hang'ombe BM, Sawa H, Mweene AS, Takada A. Serological and molecular epidemiological study on swine influenza in Zambia. Transbound Emerg Dis. 2021 Nov 1. doi: 10.1111/tbed.14373. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34724353.
• Simulundu E, Mupeta F, Chanda-Kapata P, Saasa N, Changula K, Muleya W, Chitanga S, Mwanza M, Simusika P, Chambaro H, Mubemba B, Kajihara M, Chanda D, Mulenga L, Fwoloshi S, Shibemba AL, Kapaya F, Zulu P, Musonda K, Monze M, Sinyange N, Liwewe MM, Kapin'a M, Chipimo PJ, Hamoonga R, Simwaba D, Ngosa W, Morales AN, Kayeyi N, Tembo J, Bates M, Orba Y, Sawa H, Takada A, Nalubamba KS, Malama K, Mukonka V, Zumla A, Kapata N. First COVID-19 Case in Zambia - Comparative phylogenomic analyses of SARS-CoV-2 detected in African countries. Int J Infect Dis. 2020 Oct 6:S1201-9712(20)32196-2. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2020.09.1480. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33035675; PMCID: PMC7537667.
• Kalonda A, Saasa N, Nkhoma P, Kajihara M, Sawa H, Takada A, Simulundu E. Avian Influenza Viruses Detected in Birds in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review. Viruses. 2020 Sep 7;12(9):E993. doi: 10.3390/v12090993. PMID: 32906666.
• Simulundu E, Ndashe K, Chambaro HM, Squarre D, Reilly PM, Chitanga S, Changula K, Mukubesa AN, Ndebe J, Tembo J, Kapata N, Bates M, Sinkala Y, Hang'ombe BM, Nalubamba KS, Kajihara M, Sasaki M, Orba Y, Takada A, Sawa H. West Nile Virus in Farmed Crocodiles, Zambia, 2019. Emerg Infect Dis. 2020 Apr;26(4):811-814. doi: 10.3201/eid2604.190954. PMID: 32187004; PMCID: PMC7101096.
• Kajihara M, Hang'ombe BM, Changula K, Harima H, Isono M, Okuya K, Yoshida R, Mori-Kajihara A, Eto Y, Orba Y, Ogawa H, Qiu Y, Sawa H, Simulundu E, Mwizabi D, Munyeme M, Squarre D, Mukonka V, Mweene A, Takada A. Marburgvirus in Egyptian Fruit Bats, Zambia. Emerg Infect Dis. 2019 Aug;25(8):1577-1580. doi: 10.3201/eid2508.190268. Epub 2019 Aug 17. PMID: 31146800; PMCID: PMC6649326.