David Mhango is a clinician-scientist currently based at the Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Programme (MLW), with expertise in Immunology and Molecular biology. He completed his MBBS at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences and pursued an MSc in Molecular Medicine at the International Medical University in Malaysia. He recently completed a clinical PhD at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.


His research focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind the increased risk of developing TB in individuals co-infected with HIV, aiming to bridge the gap in knowledge regarding protective immunity in the lung.


His PhD investigated the heterogeneity of alveolar macrophages and their role in controlling Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) while assessing the impact of HIV co-infection. This work used advanced flow cytometry, ex vivo Mtb infections and single-nuclei RNA sequencing techniques to characterise cellular populations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from HIV-infected and uninfected individuals. His research provides insights that could inform the development of novel host-directed therapies to improve outcomes in TB and HIV.


In addition to his research, David provides clinical services in the Adult Medicine department at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital and has been involved in the COVID-19 task force, the Cholera response and Mpox preparedness teams at MLW.