Nicholaus Mziray is a Research scientist at the Ifakara Health Institute working as a mathematical modeler and data scientist. In his role, he actively participates in providing mentorship to young scientists who aspire to become mathematical modelers and data scientists, particularly in malaria and other vector-born diseases. 

With a strong background in mathematical sciences, Mziray is interested in using his knowledge and skills to improve major public health problems. His career plans are to become a reliable and dynamic mathematical modeler, and helping the country (Tanzania) and Africa in addressing critical knowledge gap and challenges in the prediction, control and understanding of the dynamics of vector-borne diseases and other epidemic-prone infectious diseases. Furthermore, he aspires to join other mathematical modelers and stakeholders in strengthening the national and regional capacity in mathematical modeling and allied sciences.

His research interest is centered around, but not limited to data science, infectious diseases modeling using deterministic, system dynamics, individual-based, statistical, and machine learning predictive models. He has also skills on intervention research, complexity science mathematical modeling of the health systems as well as system thinking for health system research. He develops and uses models to optimize the design of various interventions in both disease and health systems incentive-based interventions.

Mziray joined Ifakara Health Institute in 2019 and worked with COSMIC project as a mathematical modeler with the role of developing two complementary models, a System Dynamics Model (SDM) and Agent-Based Model (ABM) of the Tanzanian health system and its response to financial incentive schemes, he mainly worked on Agent-Based Model. In October 2020 he joined Mathematical Modeling and Data Science team under Data Science Capacity (DSCap) project as an enabling platform for him to acquire more advances skills in data science and modeling of infectious diseases especially malaria modeling which he has been trained on before.

Mziray holds a Bachelor degree of Science with Education (Geography and Mathematics) from the Sokoine University of Agriculture and a Master’s degree in Mathematical Sciences from African Institute for Mathematical Sciences. Currently he is pursuing a Ph.D (Infectious diseases modeling) at the College of Natural and Applied Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture. His Ph.D focuses on Modeling the Impacts of Plasmodium falciparum Resistance to Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethanime on Malaria Transmission Dynamics in Mainland Tanzania. His research aims to formulate and analyze a mathematical model to assess the impact of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to SP on malaria transmission dynamics to inform the malaria control and elimination strategies in Mainland Tanzania. This work is carried out in collaboration with IHI, SwissTPH, and NMCP-Tanzania.