Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) is a State Corporation established through the Science and Technology (Amendment) Act of 1979, which has since been amended to Science, Technology and Innovation Act 2013. The 1979 Act established KEMRI as a National body responsible for carrying out health research in Kenya.

The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) is ranked the top health research institution in Africa in terms of health research output, according to the authoritative global information analytics giant, Scimago Lab.

KEMRI’s research regulation is comprised of the following research committees:-

• Scientific Programme Committee (SPC)
• Scientific Steering Committee (SSC)
• Ethical Review Committee (ERC)
• Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC)
• Publications Committee (PC)

Research Centres

The following are the Research and Training Centres in the Institute:

• Centre for Biotechnology Research and Development (CBRD) Nairobi.
• Centre for Clinical Research (CCR) Nairobi.
• Centre for Public Health Research (CPHR) Nairobi.
• Centre for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases Control Research (CIPDCR) Busia.
• Centre for Microbiology Research (CMR) Nairobi.
• Centre for Respiratory Diseases Research (CRDR) Nairobi.
• Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR) Nairobi.
• Centre for Global Health Research (CGHR) Kisumu.
• Centre for Virus Research (CVR) Nairobi.
• Centre for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast (CGMRC) Kilifi.
• Eastern and Southern Africa Centre of International Parasite Control (ESACIPAC) Nairobi.
• KEMRI Graduate School of Health Sciences (KGSHS), Nairobi.

The Director, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)

The Director of the Institute is appointed under the provisions of the Science and Technology (Amendment Act 1979), by the Minister for the time being responsible for Health, on recommendation by the Board. He is the Chief Executive of the Institute. In this capacity, he is the accounting officer as well as the administrative and scientific head of the Institute.

The KEMRI senior management comprises of two Deputy Directors, namely Deputy Director (Research & Training) and Deputy Director (Administration & Finance); Assistant Directors, Directors of Centres, and heads of various Administrative divisions. This team meets quarterly under the "Chief officers Meeting" to transact business on on-ongoing and proposed Institute activities, and seek solutions to any challenges being experienced in pursuit of the Institute's core mandate of research.