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Dr. Mwaka Kakolwa is a seasoned professional in the field of epidemiology and malaria research, currently serving as the Deputy Chief of Party for the PMI/USAID-funded Shinda Malaria program, a collaborative initiative implemented by Ifakara Health Institute and partners. 

With a Master of Science in Epidemiology and Applied Biostatistics from the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Tanzania, and a Degree of Doctor of Medicine from Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Tanzania, Dr. Kakolwa possesses a solid academic foundation.

Her career highlights include a distinguished tenure as the Clinical Research and Development Fellow at GSK, London, UK, from June 2017 to June 2018, where she also served as a First Line Leader. In 2017, she attended a Training on Causal Inference in Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London United Kingdom.

Dr. Kakolwa has more than 10 years of experience in conducting malaria-focused clinical trials and epidemiological studies, with expertise in designing studies and protocols, developing study manuals, writing reports, and interacting with research ethics committees to ensure human subjects' protection. Her work as a study coordinator and Co-Principal Investigator (PI) has equipped her with strong leadership skills and the ability to collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary teams to achieve project objectives.