Dr. Irene Njuguna is a physician-epidemiologist with over 15 years of experience in pediatric and adolescent HIV research. She is a Research Associate Professor at Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. Dr. Njuguna also holds affiliate appointments at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya and at the University of Washington, Department of Global Health. 

Dr. Njuguna’s work focuses on improving outcomes for children and youth living with across the HIV care continuum—including testing, treatment, viral suppression, mortality, and transition to adult care – and optimizing growth and neurodevelopment outcomes for children. She has led multiple NIH-funded clinical trials and observational studies and has published extensively in the field. Dr. Njuguna has received independent funding as Principal Investigator through awards from the International AIDS Society (CIPHER), the Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Her work aims to generate practical, evidence-based solutions to improve outcomes for children and adolescents.

Dr. Njuguna holds a PhD in Epidemiology and MPH in Epidemiology (Global Health track) from the University of Washington, a Master of Science in Tropical and Infectious Diseases and a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Nairobi.

• Njuguna IN, Cranmer LM, Otieno VO, Mugo C, Okinyi HM, Benki-Nugent S, Richardson B, Stern J, Maleche-Obimbo E, Wamalwa DC, John-Stewart GC. Urgent versus post-stabilisation antiretroviral treatment in hospitalised HIV-infected children in Kenya (PUSH): a randomised controlled trial.  Lancet HIV. 2018 Jan;5(1):e12-e22. doi: 10.1016/S2352-3018(17)30167-4. Epub 2017 Nov 14. PubMed PMID: 29150377; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5777310.
• Njuguna IN, Cranmer LM, Wagner AD, et al. Brief Report: Cofactors of Mortality Among Hospitalized HIV-Infected Children Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy in Kenya. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2019 Jun 1;81(2):138-144. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000002012. PubMed PMID: 31095004; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6609091.
• Njuguna IN*, Wagner AD*, Cranmer LM, Otieno VO, Onyango JA, Chebet DJ, Okinyi HM, Benki-Nugent S, Maleche-Obimbo E, Slyker JA, John-Stewart GC, Wamalwa DC. Hospitalized Children Reveal Health Systems Gaps in the Mother-Child HIV Care Cascade in Kenya. AIDS Patient Care STDS. 2016 Mar;30(3):119-24. doi: 10.1089/apc.2015.0239. PubMed PMID: 27308805; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4782032.*Co-first authors
• Njuguna, I. N., Beima-Sofie, K., Mburu, C. W., Mugo, C., Itindi, J., Onyango, A., Neary, J., Richardson, B. A., Oyiengo, L., Wamalwa, D., & John-Stewart, G. (2022). Transition to independent care for youth living with HIV: A cluster randomised clinical trial. The Lancet. HIV, 9(12), e828–e837. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-3018(22)00244-2
• Njuguna I, Beima-Sofie K, Mburu C, Mugo C, Black DA, Neary J, Itindi J, Onyango A, Slyker J, Oyiengo L, John-Stewart G, Wamalwa D. Managing the transition from paediatric to adult care for HIV, Kenya.  Bull World Health Organ. 2019 Dec 1;97(12):837-845. doi: 10.2471/BLT.19.232702. Epub 2019 Sep 13. PubMed PMID: 31819292; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6883269.
• Njuguna I, John-Stewart G. Multilevel interventions for young people with HIV. Lancet HIV. 2023 Aug;10(8):e489-e490. doi: 10.1016/S2352-3018(23)00138-8. PMID: 37541704
• Metje A, Shaw S, Mugo C, Awuor M, Dollah A, Moraa H, Kundu C, Wamalwa D, John-Stewart G, Beima-Sofie K, Njuguna I. Sustainability of an evidence-based intervention supporting transition to independent care for youth living with HIV in Kenya. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2025 Jan 13;5(1):e0004111. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0004111. PMID: 39804947; PMCID: PMC11981535.
• John-Stewart G, Njuguna I. Getting to zero: when can we guarantee vertical transmission of HIV will not occur? Lancet. 2025 Jul 26;406(10501):310-311. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(25)01282-6. Epub 2025 Jul 10. PMID: 40652948.
• Njuguna IN, King'e M, Moraa H, Kumar M, Benki-Nugent S, Wagner AD, McGrath CJ, Dorsey S, Ndegwa S, Onyango A, Wamalwa D, John-Stewart G. Cohort profile: longitudinal and population comparison of children who are HIV-exposed uninfected and children who are HIV unexposed in Kenya (HOPE study). BMJ Open. 2024 Jun 6;14(6):e081975. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081975. PMID: 38844397; PMCID: PMC11163661.
• Glass DJ, Kinge M, Njuguna I, McGrath CJ, Lawley K, Moraa H, Onyango A, Wamalwa D, Shattuck E, Enquobahrie DA, John-Stewart G. Poorer longitudinal growth among HIV exposed compared to unexposed infants in Kenya. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2024 Dec 27. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000003592. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39729644.

For a full list of publications, please view the following url: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Njuguna+I