Collen Masimirembwa

Collen Masimirembwa (born 1967) is a biomedical pharmacologist from Zimbabwe who holds the position of distinguished professor of clinical pharmacology at the University of Cape Town, and president and chief scientific officer at the African Institute of Biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST). His research in Africa has contributed to the field of pharmacogenetics, particularly in understanding the genetic diversity and drug response of African populations. He is associated with the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and the Zimbabwe Academy of Sciences (ZAS), and was honoured with the HUGO Africa Award in 2018.

Early life and education
Masimirembwa was born in 1967 in Zimbabwe and received his BSc (Hons) and DPhil degrees in biochemistry from the University of Zimbabwe in 1993. He continued his studies at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, where he earned his PhD in medical biochemistry and biophysics. His doctoral research was centered on the molecular mechanisms of drug metabolism and toxicity.

Career and research
After obtaining his PhD, Masimirembwa returned to the University of Zimbabwe and served as a senior lecturer and head of the Department of Biochemistry from 1992 to 1997. He later joined AstraZeneca R&D in Sweden as a principal scientist and project leader, focusing on drug discovery and development in various areas such as cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and infectious diseases. He played a key role in establishing the AstraZeneca Africa Pharmacogenetics Research Network, which aimed to study the genetic diversity and drug response of African populations.

In 2007, Masimirembwa founded the AiBST, a non-profit research institute in Zimbabwe that focuses on biomedical science and technology, with an emphasis on pharmacogenetics and clinical pharmacology. He is a distinguished professor of clinical pharmacology at the University of Cape Town. As the president and chief scientific officer of the institute, he manages collaborations with various academic, industry, and government partners. He also leads the African Pharmacogenomics Consortium (APC), a network that aims to advance pharmacogenomics research and applications in Africa. He has authored over 100 papers in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters, and has guided numerous postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

Awards and honours
Collen Masimirembwa was named a Fellow of the Zimbabwe Academy of Sciences in 2017 and the African Academy of Sciences in 2018. In 2018, he was awarded the HUGO Africa Award. The Grand Challenges Africa Award was presented to him in 2016. He was the recipient of the EDCTP Senior Fellowship Award in 2014 and the Wellcome Trust Senior Fellowship Award in 2012. AstraZeneca R&D acknowledged his work with the Global Scientific Award in 2006 and the Global Innovation Award in 2005.