Kadryn Kadasia, the Kenyan entrepreneur bridging biotechnology and women’s health in Africa

Kenyan scientist and entrepreneur, Kadryn Kadasia is committed to bridging the gap between biomedical research and practical healthcare solutions, with a particular focus on women’s health in Africa.

Kadryn Kadasia has built her career around translating complex biomedical discoveries into practical healthcare solutions. As the founder and CEO of Misala, she is working to bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and global health equity by developing innovative, locally relevant approaches to women’s healthcare in Africa. « At Misala, my focus is now on building a sustainable, science-led organisation that brings innovative approaches to women’s health in Africa, an area that has historically been overlooked in global research and development », she explains on her Linkedin page.

Her professional journey reflects a multidisciplinary understanding of how scientific breakthroughs move from the laboratory to clinical and community settings. Her work has covered infectious disease, vaccine development, formulation science, and platform technology translation.

One of her areas of focus is vaginal microbiome research. Through the development of artificial intelligence-powered diagnostic tools, she aims to support rapid assessments of vaginal health among African women. She is leading the project under the leadership of the Innovation and Excellence in Accelerating Research on women’s health fellowship (LEA-WH) programme.

With a PhD in molecular and translational medicine from Boston School of medicine and a Bachelor in bioengineering and biomedical engineering from Perdue School, she has gathered years of experience across diverse sectors, which have equipped her to navigate the scientific, technological and commercial challenges involved in bringing new healthcare products to the market.

At Misala, she has managed to raise pre-seed funding in a complex global market, a testament to the urgency and the viability of science. She has also rsponded to a persistent challenge in global healthcare, namely the limited attention and investment historically directed towards certain aspects of women’s health, particularly in African contexts.

In 2025, she also founded a femtech startup, further extending her commitment to women’s health.

Beyond entrepreneurship, she also advocates for equitable access to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, as well as for biotechnology’s contribution to sustainable development.

Through her work, the Kenyan champions a vision of healthcare innovation that connects scientific discovery with the needs of the communities it serves.