Moses Obimbo Madadi had set out to answer what he thought was a straightforward question for his master's degree in human anatomy: How do the blood vessels that supply the uterus adapt when a woman becomes pregnant?

It was not so simple. That question led to more and more questions and fewer and fewer answers. Moses quickly realized how little was known about how pregnancy affects a woman's body (not to mention women's health in general). Filling those knowledge gaps became his calling.

"I truly believe that when you have healthy women, you are taking care of future generations. This is my passion and my drive," said Moses, a practicing obstetric gynecologist and an associate professor at the University of Nairobi in Kenya.

Moses's research focuses on understanding the vaginal microbiome and vaginal infections, many of which go undetected and lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes. He is collecting clinical data and vaginal samples from over 1,200 pregnant women to understand the chemical changes that occur in pregnant women with vaginal infections. He will then develop a diagnostic test that can detect the presence of infections, with the aim that the test will become a routine part of antenatal care. The data will also inform artificial intelligence-powered algorithms to identify at-risk pregnancies.

"The bottom line of all the research I've done - from the very basic science level to now translating the clinical science into impact - is to ensure we can achieve the best health for women," said Moses.

Moses has continued to treat patients while pursuing his research work, finding that maintaining both sharpens his overall focus. His current research was in part inspired by seeing patients come in for a routine checkup, unaware they had a vaginal infection.

"It shapes the kind of questions I ask. What's happening? What's causing this?" said Moses. "It's difficult but having a dual track has helped me. When I'm in the lab I'm thinking about how to come up with a solution that is effective and practical for my patients."