Ruth Nanjala is a scientist, founder, and changemaker. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. (DPhil) in Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Oxford, funded by the AfOx Kennedy Trust Prize Studentship and Clarendon Scholarship. With a background in bioinformatics (M.Sc.) and microbiology (B.Sc.), her work combines computational and molecular approaches to investigate the mechanisms by which disease-associated HLA variants affect gene regulation and autoimmune disease risk.

Beyond her current research, Ruth is deeply committed to strengthening scientific capacity and fostering inclusive scientific communities across Africa and beyond. She has contributed to several capacity-building initiatives, including the Pan African Bioinformatics Network, The Carpentries, the Bioinformatics Incubation and Mentorship Programme, Eastern Africa Bioinformatics Network residential training at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Wellcome Connecting Science, CoRE Genomics for Health in Africa, Software Sustainability Institute, Open Life Science, and training for Mexico City Prospective Study researchers.

Ruth is also the founder of My Science Journey (mysciencejourney.com), a digital platform dedicated to amplifying African voices in science through storytelling, mentorship, and community engagement. Through her combined work in research, mentorship, science communication, and outreach, Ruth is passionate about ensuring that scientific knowledge, opportunities, and careers are accessible and relatable to emerging African scientists while contributing to improved health outcomes through genomics research.

Beyond academia, Ruth is a changemaker. Her leadership is rooted in service, visibility, and community. Through youth representation, facilitating mentorship schemes, planning and hosting conferences, symposiums, and workshops, she creates spaces where people can connect, learn, collaborate, belong, and reimagine new possibilities.