Maryam Nina Hardy

Maryam Nina Hardy is a Clarendon Scholar, AfOx-Kennedy Trust Prize Studentship recipient, Chevening alumna, John Kufuor Exeter College Scholar, and Academic Futures awardee. She is currently pursuing a DPhil in Molecular and Cellular Medicine at the University of Oxford, where she is a member of Exeter College. Nina is driven by a long-term goal to contribute directly to finding a cure for Hepatitis B—a disease that continues to disproportionately affect populations across Africa and Asia.

Originally from Ghana, Nina holds a first-class Bachelor's degree in Applied Biology from the University for Development Studies and a Master’s degree with Distinction in Biotechnology from the University of Glasgow. She is the 2024/2025 President of the Oxford University Africa Society, where she leads initiatives to foster community, visibility, and collaboration among African students at Oxford.

Her scientific work spans Ghana, Uganda, and the UK, and includes research on viral diseases such as Ebola, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), Parvoviruses, COVID-19, HPV, and Rotaviruses. At the University of Glasgow’s Centre for Virus Research, she characterised a novel parvovirus from a Ugandan patient, developed a serological diagnostic test for it, and annotated over 40 phylogenetic trees to advance understanding of viral diversity in East Africa.

Nina’s diagnostic innovation portfolio includes tools for sepsis and HPV detection. She represented the University of Glasgow at the SensUs Biosensor Competition in the Netherlands, contributing to the development of a biosensor for early sepsis detection. 

She is especially honoured to serve as Convener of the 2025 Oxford Africa Conference, the university’s largest student-led interdisciplinary event focused on Africa. This year’s theme, “Changing Narratives: Vision, Action and Transformation of Africa,” reflects her dedication to reshaping how the continent is perceived and engaged with. For Nina, leading this conference is not just a role, it is a meaningful step in her broader mission to amplify African research leadership and drive tangible change in health and development.