Public health specialist and an epidemiologist at MAC-Communicable Diseases Action Centre (former Malaria Alert Centre), a research unit at the University of Malawi College of Medicine (COM). She is very passionate about conducting research, capacity building in health and improving public health services in Malawi.

Following completion of her PhD, she has had her three children while working and striving to start building her academic and research portfolio. Her research focuses on Malaria, HIV and maternal and child health. She has been involved in large studies in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and reputable national and international institutions. This includes a large four years WHO funded PMTCT cluster-randomized clinical trial as a co-investigator evaluating several PMTCT care models aimed at improving uptake, retention and health outcomes for mothers and infants in PMTCT option B+ program in Malawi and a seven year US NIH funded project Malawi International Centers of Excellence for Malaria Research project as a co-investigator studying the Determinants of malaria disease in Malawi. She was awarded a CIPHER grant by International Aids Society to conduct a pharmaco-vigilance study to evaluate safety in infants exposed to antiretroviral drugs through breastmilk given to mothers during breastfeeding in the PMTCT Option B+ program in Malawi. Atupele has rich experience working in public health sector implementing health programs in Malawi, having previously worked as a District Health Officer. She continues working and collaborating with the public health sector to improve health services in Malawi. She co-pioneered establishment of “Women in Infectious Disease and Health Research Network in Malawi (WIDREM)”, a national network for advancement of research careers for women involved in health research with funding from World Health Organisation. She is an honorary faculty member in the Community Health Department at COM teaching and supervising postgraduate and undergraduate students. Currently, she is a research fellow under the Malawi HIV Implementation Research Scientist Training Program at COM.