Dr. Thomas Ogao Onchuru is a a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Symbiovector Project under the Human Health Theme.

Dr. Onchuru is a Kenyan national and holds a PhD in Natural Sciences (Biology) from Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany. Prior to joining icipe he worked as a Lecturer at Bomet University College and the Technical University of Kenya. He has also worked as a researcher at Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology (MPICE) in Jena, Germany.

Dr. Onchuru has previously won grants and worked as a researcher at MPICE, a project funded by the Jena School of Microbial Communication (JSMC), Max Planck Society and DAAD. He has authored or co-authored over 10 peer-reviewed publications and has been a recipient of several awards including the DAAD scholarship.

His research interests are in the areas of mutualistic interactions between important insects and their native microorganisms. His ambition is to investigate the role of microbial symbionts in shaping insect diversity, ecology, and evolution, and explore their potential in controlling medically, veterinary, and agriculturally important insects.