Horace Gumba

I am the Quality Manager for the Therapy Acceleration Laboratory (TAL) at the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford.

With over 14 years’ experience in biomedical research and clinical trials, I specializes in designing, implementing and leading Quality Management Systems (QMS) that meet the highest international standards, including ISO 15189, GCLP, GCP, HTA and GDPR. I am an expert user of electronic QMS platforms (iPassport and Q-Pulse), leads internal and external audits, manages regulatory inspections, drives validation and verification programmes, and cultivates a culture of continuous improvement across multidisciplinary laboratory teams.

Since joining Oxford in December 2023, I have played a central role in strengthening quality governance. As Quality Assurance Manager I have developed and implemented GCLP- and ISO 15189-compliant systems for the Oxford Cancer Translational Laboratories and Oxford Molecular Diagnostic Center, securing GCLP accreditation in August 2025. In my current role at the TAL, I oversee all quality operations for the TAL, provides specialist reporting to senior management and external regulators, and ensures full traceability, risk management and staff competency across the laboratory.

Previously, as Head of the Quality Assurance Unit at the KEMRI–Wellcome Trust Research Programme in Kenya, I maintained ISO 15189 and GCLP accreditation for seven consecutive years and led numerous quality-improvement initiatives. My work has been published in peer-reviewed journals including the American Journal of Clinical Pathology and Wellcome Open Research.

I hold an MSc in Quality Management in Biomedical Science (Distinction) from the University of Greenwich and a BSc in Biomedical Science (Upper Second-Class Honors) from Maseno University, Kenya. He is a member of the American Society for Quality, Research Quality Association, and other professional bodies, and serves as a laboratory assessor for the Kenya National Accreditation Service.

My leadership ensures Oxford’s research laboratories meet the highest regulatory and scientific standards.