Prof George Karani

George Karani is a Professor of Environmental Health. He was born in Kenya and educated at the Universities of Nairobi (BSc. and MSc.) and Leeds (PhD).  

Research degree students-Recent completed

Research degree students-Recent completed

As Director of Study

1.    Dr. David Musoke: Integrated approach to malaria prevention in  rural communities in Uganda: experiences, perceptions and practices, PhD.

2.    Dr. Abdulaziz Al Sawai: Determination of heavy metal contamination in the surface sediments at Sohar Industrial Port ( SIP) and the surrounding coastal regions, PhD

3.    Major Dr. Abdulla Hammoudi:    Causes and strategies to reduce road traffic accidents in Abu Dhabi, PhD.

4.    Dr. Guma Mohammed: Physical and chemical composition of particulate pollutants in Cardiff urban atmosphere, PhD.

5.    Dr. Mustafa   Megrahi:  Case study to evaluate working environment at materials recycling facility in South Wales, UK, PhD.

6.    Dr. Elhadi   Abogrean: Physio-Chemical Parameters of wet deposition In Cardiff, PhD.

7.    Dr Chris Hazell: Air pollution and associated cardiovascular health effects, PhD.

8.    Mark Bradburn, MPhil: Does renovation of houses result in a significant change in the indoor environment?

9.    Guma Mohammed, MPhil: The evaluation of the working environment within Small – Medium chemical Enterprises, SMEs, in Wales.

As Supervisor

10. Dr Jo Atkinson: Evaluating retrofitted external wall insulation, PhD

11. Dr. Colin Powell: Risk Perception and Safety Practices: the implications for safety initiatives  and incident prevention in an outdoor adventure activity, PhD

Current PhD students

As Director of Study

• Brigadier Ali Naimi: Determination of the effects of land reclamation on Doha Coastal region, Qatar
• Ahmed Rahal Evaluation of environment & occupational health issues at a selection of  oil industries in  Libyan  Libya
• Brigadier Amans Sulaiti: Evaluation of fire fighters health and well-being in Doha,  Qatar
• Mr. Simon Kimani: Integrated sustainable waste management and their impact on public health and women in Kenya.
• Colonel Ali Saeed Al Meqbali: Determination of natural radioactivity in the United Arab Emirates. (writing up)

Supervisor

• Mr. Nick Bell: An investigation of methods used by construction clients to measure and influence Environmental Health and Safety Performance
• Aisha Dodo: Psychosocial barriers to health and healthcare seeking behaviour with reference to breast and cervical cancers in Northern Nigeria
• Mrs. Gayle Davies: Neighbourhood Noise Management in Wales – Developing Evidence Based Intervention Strategies to Safeguard Public Health and Quality of Life

• ​Ms Geraldine Seguela: Waste management at Cleveland Hospital Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirate
• Mr. Paul Marais: The suitability and practicality of rammed earth for housing in South Africa

George's research group  are working on a number of environment and community health topics including Poverty related diseases, Emergency preparedness and response, Traffic accidents, Environmental radiation, Waste management, Pollution in ports and harbours, PM10 & PM2.5 particulate matter and Climate change.  He is actively engaged in research, consultancy and knowledge transfer projects in the UK, Europe, East & West Africa, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar

George was the academic staff representative at University Research and Enterprise Board 1999-2014.

He is Chair of Ethics committee Applied Community Sciences

Recent Grant applications

• Littlewood, J., Karani, G., Atkinson J. and Bolton, D.   (2016). An evaluation of retrofit measures on residential typologies in Wales, and assessing impacts upon energy performance, and occupant fuel poverty, health and wellbeing and thermal comfort, KESSII, PhD Scholarship
• Thomas, D., Karani, G and Evans, M. (2016) Assessing the incidence of infectious disease in Black and Minority Ethnic groups living in Wales using 'Onomap', a name-based ethnicity classification software package, Public Health Wales R&D Pump-Priming & Strategic Initiatives Fund.
• Hoyne, S., Littlewood, J., …Karani, G. et al. (2015) Up-scaling deep energy retrofit in the European residential sector with hardware and software platform for process optimisation and business integration, EU Horizon20, 6.9 million Euros/
• Karani, G., Musoke, D., Morris, K, Ssempebwa, J.C., Musoke.M.B. (2014). Feasibility study for the randomised controlled trial for the integrated approach to malaria prevention in Uganda, MRC.
• Thomas, D., Karani, G. Saltus, R., Mbakaya, C., Lyons, M., Jones, R., Ssempebwa,D/ (2013) Increasing uptake of HIV testing in black Africans living in Wales: Normalising testing, reducing stigmatisation and learning from African partners. National Institute Health Research Health Technology Assessment Programme
• Musoke, D., Karani, G., Mulumba, P. and Lewis, T. (2011 ) Strengthening capacity of environmental health training in Uganda, Medium PIP applications, DFID.
• Karani, G., Brown, R., Cawood, G., Bigirimana, Z., Musoke, D., Kimani, F. et al. (2011) Building capacity of healthcare managers for service and product innovation, HPS Multi-Country partnership, DFID and THET.
• Karani, G. Musoke, D. et al. (2011) Cardiff- Makerere malaria project, Wales for Africa health link grants, £13,356.
• Karani, G.,  Alifui, F., Roberts, W., Ampofo, P.C., et al. (2011) Dental public health in Kadjebi    district, Ghana, IHLFS. Start-up grant.
• Saltus, R.  Williams, C.  Karani, G., Merrell, J. et al. (2007) Wales Equality and Diversity in Health and Social Care (WEDHS) Research Development Portfolio Fellow, £120,000 WORD
• Saltus, R., Williams, C.  Karani, G., Merrell, J. et al. (2005) Wales Equality and Diversity in Health and Social Care (WEDHS), £240,000, WORD
• Malik, N,  Davies, R., Karani, G.  Mohamed, E., Arnold, C. et al. (2005) European Grant £3.5 million led by the All Wales Ethnic Minority Association and eight other partners on a project to improve the economic situation of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities throughout Wales.
• Saltus, R.  Williams, C.  Karani, G., Merrell, J. et al. (2005) Scoping Grant on Health and Social Care related to BME £19,000 (WORD). 

Other projects completed while working as part of a team

1) Design and development of next thermal desorption products, DTI, £150,000.

2) The Riverside housing project: This was a study on how housing renovation would affect resident's health and indoor air quality that was funded by WORD and City and County of Cardiff, £150,000.

3) An evaluation of recent environmental monitoring reports relating to Nant Gwyddon Waste Disposal Site, £2000

4) Effects of relieving traffic congestion on pollutant exposure and respiratory morbidity, DoH/MRC/DETR 1995 Air pollution health initiative, £98,000.

5) Provision of a National Focus for chemical Incidents, DoH, £990,000. The National Focus' prime role is to extend and strengthen the ability of the NHS to respond effectively to chemical health hazards.

6) A study of activity on public health effects of environmental chemicals, Department of Health funded the project, £10,000.

7) Feasibility study to determine the need for a specific epidemiological appraisal of the impact of the Kronospan factory on the health of the resident population of Chirk, Clwyd.

8) Torfaen Children Health Study. This was a study on the effect of particulate air pollution on the health of children living near to an area of derelict land that was to undergo reclamation involving open cast coal extraction, £50,000. 

Recent publications and presentations:​

Seguira, G., Littlewood, J. and Karani, G. (2018). Eco-engineering strategies for soil restoration and water conservation: Investigating the application of soil improvements in a semi-arid climate in a medical facility case study, Abu Dhabi, Ecological Engineering,121, 53-64.

Mburu, C., Kinyua, R., Karani., G., and  Kiiyukia, C. (2018).  Occupational Safety and Health Hazards Exposure among Farm Workers at Ahero Irrigation Scheme, Kenya, International Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Research, vol 4, issues 9, 1-13

Al- Naimi, A, Karani, G and Littlewood, J. (2018). Stakeholder views on land reclamation and marine environment in Doha Qatar, Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, 7(1), pp. 32-39.

• Mwai, J, Mutai, J, Mwandawiro, C and Karani, G (2018). Factors associated with practices towards water sanitation and hygiene with occurrence of diarrhoea among pupils in schools with a feeding programme in Ganze- sub county, Kenya. America Research Journal of Public Health, 1-15.

•Al- Naimi, A, Karani, G and Littlewood, J. (2018). Stakeholder views on land reclamation and marine environment in Doha Qatar, Accepted by Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.

•Mwai, J., Karanja, S, Mutai, J and Karani, G. (2018). Household Level Factors Associated with Practices towards Water, Sanitation and Hygiene with Occurrence of Diarrhoea and Tungiasis among Pupils in Schools with a Feeding Programme in Ganze Sub County, Kenya: American Research Journal of Public Health Volume 1, Issue 1, pp: 16-29

•Jahic, D., Littlewood, J., Karani, G., Atkinson, J. and Bolton, D. (2018). Evaluating occupant wellbeing in retrofitted dwellings with the short form 36 questionnaire, Proc. International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings SEB-18, Gold Coast, Australia, 24th -26th June 2018

•Lawal, A., Karani, G. and Thomas, D (2018). Pilot case study on identification and evaluation of risk factors on selected subjects in vicinity of petrol stations in Ilorin. Kwara State, Nigeria. Poster, 2018  Occupational Health Annual Scientific Conference hosted jointly by the Society of Occupational Medicine and Faculty of Occupational Health,26th -27th June 2018,  London.

•Mwai, J., Karanja, S, Mutai, J and Karani, G. (2018). Factors Associated with Practices towards Water, Sanitation and Hygiene with Occurrence of Tungiasis among Pupils in Schools with a Feeding Programme in Ganze Sub County, Kenya, Global Journal of Health Sciences, vol 3, pps 1-23.

•Karani, G. (2018) Environmental public health and sustainable development research case studies, First Workshop on Collaboration Partnership in Sustainable Development jointly organised by Cardiff Metropolitan and Qatar Universities, 20th February 2018, Doha, Qatar.

•Musoke, D., Miiro, G., Karani, G., Morris, K., Nakiyingi-Miiro, J. Guwatudde, D. and Musoke, M.B. (2018). Integrated approach to malaria prevention at household level in rural communities in Wakiso district, Uganda: impact evaluation of a pilot study, Accepted by Africa Health Sciences.

•Seguela, G., Littlewood, J. and Karani, G. (2017). Eco-engineering strategies for soil restoration and water conservation: Investigating the application of soil improvements in a semi-arid climate in a medical facility case study, Abu Dhabi, Ecological Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2017.07.020.

•Littlewood, J. R., Karani, G., Atkinson, J., Bolton, D., Geens, A. J., and Jahic, D. (2017). Introduction to a Wales project for evaluating residential retrofit measures and impacts on energy performance, occupant fuel poverty, health and thermal comfort. Energy Procedia, 134, 835–844..

•Seguela, G., Littlewood, J. and Karani, G. (2017). A study to assess alternative water sources for reducing energy consumption in a medical facility case study, Abu Dhabi, Energy Procedia 134, 797–80.

•Sulaiti, A., Amuna, P. Farooq, A.Z. and Karani, G. (2017). Age associated changes in Non- Communicable disease risk factors in young male firefighters in Qatar, Proc International Primary Health Care Conference,   Healthier Communities Brighter Future Doha, Qatar 17-19 November 2017.

•Seguela, G., Littlewood, J. R., and Karani, G. (2017). Alternative water reuse assessment for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in a medical facility case study, Abu Dhabi .Journal of Sustainable Cities and Society, Special issue on Synergies and Trade-offs of Food, Energy and Water Nexus, submitted

•Sulaiti, A., Amuna, P. and Karani, G. (2017). Health history and physical activity behaviour and fitness of male firefighters in Doha, Qatar. Proc. International Primary Health Care Conference, Healthier Communities Brighter Future, Doha, Qatar 17-19 November 2017.

•Lawal, A.  and   Karani, G. (2017) .A review on application of African Indigenous Knowledge in Health, Proc. International Conference on Science, Health and Medicine, June 1-2 2017, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, pps 7-12.

•Sulaiti, A., Amuna, P. and Karani, G. (2017). Knowledge, Opinions and Perceptions of Senior firefighters in Doha, Qatar: A Focus group study. Proc. International Primary Health Care Conference, Healthier Communities Brighter Future, Doha, Qatar 17-19 November 2017.

•Mohammed, G., Karani, G. and   Mitchell, D. (2017). Trace metal composition in PM10 and PM2.5 collected in Cardiff. Proc. 8th International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, SEB-16, Turin, Sept 11-13 2016. pps 540-547.

•Thomas, D. R., Phillips, A., Karani, G., Evans, M.R., Jones, R., Gaur, S. and Wan, W.Y. (2017). Assessing the incidence of viral hepatitis in Black and Minority Ethnic groups living in Wales using 'Onomap', a name-based ethnicity classification software package. Poster Cwm Taf University Health Board Annual Research & Development Conference 2017

•Sulaiti, A., Karani, G. and   Amuna, P. (2017). Study on Health, Fitness and Well Being of fire fighters in Doha, Qatar,   Proc. International Conference on Physical Education and Sport Science, June 1-2 2017, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, pps 15-21.

•Seguela, G., Littlewood, J. and Karani, G. (2017).  Onsite food waste processing as an opportunity to conserve water in a medical facility case study, Abu Dhabi. Proc. 8th International Conference on Sustainability in Energy and Buildings, SEB-16, Turin, Sept 11-13 2016, pps 548-557.

•Naimi, A., Karani, G. and Littlewood, J. (2017). Effects of land reclamation on marine life on Doha Coastal region, State of Qatar.  Proc. International Conference on Science, Health and Medicine, June 1-2 2017, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, pps 54-60.

•Musoke, D., Karani, G., Ndejjo, R., Okul, P. and Musoke, M.B. (2016) Experiences of households using integrated malaria prevention in two rural communities in Wakiso district, Uganda: a qualitative study, Malaria Journal.2016, 15:313 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1369-4

•Atkinson, J., Littlewood, J., Geens, A. and   Karani, G. (2016).  Wales' deprived dwellings energy and carbon cuts from Arbed I, Journal of Engineering Sustainability http://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/pdf/10.1680/jensu.15.00064.

•Karani, G. (2016), Invited Speaker, Particulate air pollution and health- Review   of measurement methods.  Proc. Pan African Thoracic Society Congress- The first Biennial Conference on respiratory diseases in Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, 9-12 April. .

•Karani (2016), Invited Speaker, Climate Change and lung health- an African Perspective. Proc. Pan African Thoracic Society Congress-The first Biennial Conference on respiratory diseases in Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, 9-12 April. .

•Musoke, D.,  Miiro,G.,  Karani,G.,  Morris,K.,  Kasasa,S.,   Ndejjo,R.,  Nakiyingi-Miiro, J., Guwatudde,D., Musoke.M.B. (2015)  Promising perceptions, divergent practices and barriers to integrated malaria prevention in Wakiso District, Uganda: A mixed methods study. Plos One, DOI:10.1371, April 2, 2015.

•Musoke, D.,   Karani, G.,   Ssempebwa, J.C., Etajak, S., Guwatudde, D.  Musoke. M.B. (2015), Knowledge and practices on malaria prevention in two rural communities in Wakiso District, African Health Sciences, Vol15, issue3, 401-412

•Atkinson, J., Littlewood, J., Geens, A. and Karani, G. (2015) Did ARBED I save energy in Wales' deprived dwellings, Energy Procedia, December 2015, pp444-453

•Marais, P., Littlewood, J. and Karani, G. (2015) The use of polymer stabilised earth foundation for rammed earth construction, Energy Procedia, December 2015, vol. 83 464-473

•Hammoudi, A., Karani, G. and Littlewood, J. (2014) Road traffic accidents among drivers in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Journal of Traffic Logistics Engineering, 2, 11-24.

•Musoke, D., Karani, G., Musoke, M.B. and Ssempebwa, J.C. (2013) Integrated approach of malaria prevention at household level in rural communities in Uganda: experiences from a pilot project, Malaria Journal, 12:327 (17 September 2013).

•Hopper, J.; Littlewoods, J.; Geens, A.; Karani, G., Counsell, J. and Thomas, A. (2012) Assessing retrofitted external wall insulation using infrared thermography Structural Survey. 30 (3), pp.245 – 266.

•Hammoudi, A. Karani, G. and Littlewood, J. (2013). Causes of traffic accidents among pedestrians in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Proc. 2nd International Conference on Computational Techniques and Artificial Intelligence (ICCTAI'2013), Eds. March 17-18, 2013 Dubai (UAE), pp 207-211.

•Karani, G., Hammoudi, A. and Littlewood, J. (2012). Road traffic accidents- a pilot case study in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Proc. Environmental Public Health –Collaboration for Sustainable Development, Eds. Karani, G. and Nganga, J.K., May 10-11, 2012, Nairobi, Kenya, pp 31-32.

•Hopper, J.; Littlewood, J.; Geens, A.; Karani, G. ; Counsell, J. and Thomas, A. (2011)   Developing a methodology for monitoring and evaluating improvements to existing dwellings in deprived areas of Wales,SB11, World Sustainable Building Conference, Helsinki,18-21 October 2011, Abs 1/184; pps12.

•Al-Sawai, A., Karani, G., Al-Rawahy, S., Chiffing, T. and Al-Joudi, A.T. (2011) Analysis of heavy metal concentrations in sediments in Sohar Port , Sultanate of Oman, ICCE 2011, SOILSEDP2, Zurich,  11-15th September .

•Hopper,  J.; Littlewood, J.; Geens, A.; Karani, G,; Counsell, J. and Thomas, A. (2011)  Improving existing deprived dwellings in Wales: Monitoring and evaluating thermal performance, IPGRC, Salford, 14-15th September 2011, pps 10

•Karani, G., Bradburn, M. and Evans, M. (2010), SF-26 health survey, environment and housing renovation, Transactions on Environment and Development, issue 10, vol. 6, pp 709-720

Grants additions

•Merlin Homes, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Littlewood, G., Karani, G. et al (2018) Warm Homes Fund-Energy Efficiency & Health Related Solutions. Academic Lead Partner

•Littlewood, J., Karani, G and consortium (2018). Appointed a Lead Delivery and Coordination Partner for Powys County Council's, Home Grown Homes Project

•Littlewood, J., Karani G. (2018-2020).  Research Innovation Award2 (Cardiff Metropolitan University/Linc-Cymru and Wales and West Housing Associations). To investigate and test connections between thermal, acoustic and fire (TAF) performance in new dwellings during detailed design and during the construction and commissioning processes.

•Littlewood, J., Karani, G., Atkinson J. and Bolton, D.  2017-2020, Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarhsip2 (European Social Fund/Being Greener Melin Homes Housing association) implementing an assessment strategy to monitor thermal comfort, indoor air quality versus occupant interviews with the SF36 questionnaire and physical health tests, to determine the impact of Arbed2 retrofit works on occupant wellbeing

George is a

• Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
• Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society.
• Member of Wales for Africa Health Link group and Wales Ethnicity Research Collaboration, (WERC).
• External grant reviewer including MRC.
• PhD external examiner.
• Journal Editor
• Subject specialist during course validation
• PhD co-supervisor with partners from Africa
  
  George is the Chair of the Africa Partnership Initiative (API) which is a  collaboration between CSHS and Design Wales. The aim of API is to provide opportunity, through collaboration, to further develop the use of appropriate and relevant technology and community resources as a basis to promote and develop projects with Africa.

​He has been appointed to a number of Government and Public bodies Committees including

• the Secretary of Wales' Advisory Committee Wales (1997-2001),
• Environmental Protection Advisory Committee Wales (2002-2008),
• Vale Health Board (2003- 2009) and
• the All Wales Review Panel on Continuing Care (2004- 2009).

He was involved,  as part of a multi-discipline group,  in the setting up of the Air quality monitoring database for Wales and the National Focus for chemical incidents in the UK.

He has acted as a consultant to the World Health Organisation and the World Bank.  The World Meteorological Organisation funded his tenure as an external examiner for undergraduate and postgraduate students of Meteorology at Nairobi University (2003-2006).

He is actively involved in community volunteering work and he was instrumental in setting up a home work club for pupils in Cardiff. He is  Patron of Africa Student Society at the university.​

In 2018 George nominated Professor Mabel Opanda Imbuga, Vice Chancellor of Kenya's Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, JKUAT, for an Honorary Doctorate award. The JKUAT VC awarded the degree on 12/7/2018. To find out more please follow this link Professor Mabel Imbuga - 2018 Honorary Doctorate