While growing up near Nottingham in the UK, a natural curiosity, an interest in science, and a passion for problem-solving sparked Dr Datoo’s interest in medicine. Then, a personal encounter with an infectious disease — malaria — pushed her to study vaccines that can reduce mortality rates.
Dr Datoo’s maternal family background from Singida and Arusha, Tanzania, and paternal from Stonetown, Zanzibar helped to direct her focus on vulnerable countries. The end result: Mehreen has an MBBS from King’s College London, a diploma from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Oxford, designing and running malaria vaccine clinical trials in Oxford, England; Kilifi, Kenya; and Nanoro, Burkina Faso.
These days, Dr Datoo is working as a clinician on the Oxford Covid-19 vaccine programme, while also serving as an acute medical doctor in the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. At the same time, she is working remotely to ensure that her malaria vaccine trials in Burkina Faso are running smoothly.
In what can be trying times, Mehreen reminds herself of a quote from one of her favourite illustrators, Charlie Mackesy: “‘There are dark clouds,’ said the boy. ‘Yes, but they will move on,’ said the horse, ‘the blue sky above never leaves.’”
“Stay home. Stay safe. Let’s beat Covid-19 together: each in our own little way.”
