From her findings, she identified four new proteins/antigens from T.parva and used them to vaccinate cattle, successfully triggering an immune response. She then collected blood from the cattle, extracted the serum containing antibodies, and tested how well these antibodies could block the infection-causing parasite (T. parva sporozoites). This work identified six promising vaccine candidates-a "cocktail" of four newly discovered antigens and two previously known ones-that could potentially protect cattle from ECF.
She explained that getting her results would take long incubation period of about 12 days; if one failed, it would have to be repeated, which would take another long time. "Also, working with the sporozoites was not easy because they died very easily because I was using the frozen material," she adds.
Improve nutrition
This was coupled with the great support she received from her mentorsat the University of Nairobi, for which she is very grateful.
Hannah is one of the 10 fully supported PhD fellows under the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Animal Health (AHIL) program.
This program, implemented in 600 households in Narok County, aims to improve human nutrition, economic welfare, and resilience by removing cattle health and production constraints. It provides support and resources for researchers to conduct their studies and make a significant impact.
Building hope
Washington State University leads the AHIL consortium through Prof Thumbi Mwangi, which includes Kenya-based partners, including the University of Nairobi, the International Livestock Research Institute, scientists from the Kenya Medical Research Institute, and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KARLO).
The five-year program combines laboratory and field intervention studies to improve the uptake of animal health interventions and measure the impact on household well-being and the nutritional status of women and children.
When Hannah isn't meticulously analyzing samples in the laboratory, she finds solace in travelling and discovering her rural home's open landscapes. With her scientific expertise and deep connection to farmers' struggles, Hannah envisions a future in which ECF is no longer a death sentence for cattle or a financial catastrophe for families.
"The look on my father's face every time one of our cows fell ill and died from ECF gets me going. I have seen how this disease can lead to substantial loss, and my commitment to continue this work-not just in the lab, but alongside farmers in the fields where I grew up," she says with determination. With resilience, science, and compassion, Hannah isn't just fighting a disease-she's building hope, one cattle farm at a time.