dr. Abena Amoah

Researcher

A.S.Amoah@lumc.nl orcid

orcid.org/0000-0003-2270-1871

Research

I lead the HypoVax Global Knowledge Hub based at Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases within Leiden University Medical Center. The hub focuses on understanding variations in vaccine responses across geographic areas and populations. My research interests revolve around how environmental factors, coinfections, and population-level differences shape immune function in relation to communicable and noncommunicable diseases in diverse populations. My research trajectory bridges laboratory immunology, epidemiology, and population-based studies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I was a co-investigator in a Wellcome Trust-funded longitudinal study that examined changes in SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and associated factors in urban and rural Malawi over a 12-month period.

Curriculum Vitae

I have a PhD in Immunoepidemiology from Leiden University, an MSc in Epidemiology from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Mount Holyoke College. I began my scientific career as a research assistant at Rockefeller University in a laboratory studying addiction disorders. I then spent ten years working in Ghana at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, where I was involved in field studies of immune responses to helminth infections. After completing my PhD, I held two postdoctoral positions at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC). Before taking over leadership of HypoVax Global, I worked for LSHTM again, overseeing all research activities at the Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Unit's national site in northern Malawi.

Publications

Connecting people to reverse vaccine hyporesponsiveness. Tackling vaccine hyporesponsiveness through global collaboration, diverse population studies, and data integration.
1. Amoah AS, Agnandji ST, Bengtson M, Downs JA, Esen M, Giddaluru J, Jochems SP, Kaisar MMM, Makinde J, Manurung MD, Mbow M, Moncunill G, Murugan R, Mutai J, Nakaya HI, Nkurunungi G, Palmblad M, Pyuza JJ, [...] Yazdanbakhsh M; Lorentz Center Workshop

Lancet Microbe. 2026 Jan;7(1):101263
Factors associated with self-reported diagnosed asthma in urban and rural Malawi: Observations from a population-based study of non-communicable diseases.
Amoah AS, McLean E, Price AJ, Amberbir A, Crampin AC.

PLOS Glob Public Health. 2024 Jul 11;4(7):e0002952.
Characterizing the evolving SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in urban and rural Malawi between February 2021 and April 2022: A population-based cohort study.
Banda L, Ho A, Kasenda S, Read JM, Jewell C, Price A, McLean E, Dube A, Chaima D, Samikwa L, Nyirenda TS, Hughes EC, Willett BJ, Mwale AC, Amoah AS, Crampin A.

International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2023. 137: p. 118-125.

More publications

Groups: Immune variation and vaccine hypo-responsiveness

dr. Abena Amoah

Publications

News

Annemieke Geluk awarded Eijkman medal 2026

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Groups

Functional immunology of infection and vaccine induced responses

The aim of our research group is to delineate host immune-responses towards mycobacteria to innovate diagnostic and vaccination strategies.

Systemic immunometabolism

Our research is centred on studying the immune regulation of metabolic homeostasis, especially the crosstalk between metabolic and immune cells within metabolic organs in cardiometabolic diseases and parasitic infections.

Immunodiagnostics of mycobacterial diseases

Our research focusses on prediction, diagnosis and improved treatment of leprosy and TB based on translation of immunological mechanisms to field applications using population studies worldwide.

Microbiome Systems Biology

We are a human microbiome research group aimed at gaining a better fundamental understanding of the human microbiome and exploring the clinical relevance of its complex interactions with the host using various systems biology approaches.

Experimental Bacteriology

Our research group is interested in fundamental and translational aspects of bacterial biology.

Virus-Host interactions and Antiviral Strategies

Our research group aims to develop antiviral strategies against (re)emerging viruses, including novel host-directed approaches.

Immune variation and vaccine hypo-responsiveness

Our research focuses on understanding the immune system of populations with varying degree of exposure to microorganisms and parasites, which can influence disease patterns and vaccine responsiveness across the globe.

Translational Parasitology

Our research tackles questions such as the development of a highly effective single-dose malaria vaccine and the increased understanding of natural and vaccine-induced immunity against helminth infections.

Transgenic parasites in malaria

Our research aims to develop innovative interventions against human malaria.

Cellular Immunometabolism

Our studies are aimed at understanding how cellular metabolism and the metabolic micro-environment controls the functional properties of immune cells in the context of infection, cancer and obesity.

Mucosal and systems immunology

Our aim is to understand how protective immunity is induced and maintained in the respiratory mucosa after infection and vaccination.

Coronaviruses and other nidoviruses

Understanding coronavirus molecular biology is central to antiviral drug discovery and pandemic preparedness.

Molecular Immunology

We aim to uncover the fundamental molecular principles that govern protective and long-lasting immunity to infectious diseases in humans.

Glycoscience and Helminth infections

The group focusses in particular on research and applications in helminth infections, with an emphasis on schistosomiasis.

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