Behavioral and Chemical Ecology

Dr Burkinabe Souleymane Diallo

Dr. Souleymane Diallo is a Postdoctoral fellow in Vector Chemical ecology under the Animal Health Theme and is based at Duduville.

He holds a PhD in Bioinformatics/Chemical ecology from the University of the Western Cape, South Africa. He conducted is PhD project at icipe, under the ARPPIS-DAAD PhD scholarship.

Prior to joining icipe, Dr. Diallo worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Czech University of Life Sciences and at Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry (IOCB) both in Prague, Czech Republic. He also worked as a consultant at CIRDES, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. He is a member of International Society of Chemical Ecology (ISCE) and an alumnus of IBRO international School of Neurosciences.

Dr. Diallo has authored/co-authored several peer-reviewed publications and mentored students from Burkina Faso, Kenya, and Czech Republic.

His previous research focused on insect neuroethology. He aimed to decipher the sense of smell of insect using multidisciplinary approach including bioinformatics, genetic manipulation and electrophysiology coupled to behavioural assays.

His current research focus is to understand how arthropods of medical and veterinary importance navigate their environment and how to ultimately use this knowledge to efficiently manage arthropod-borne disease. He is also interested on the understanding of the major drivers of chemosensory evolution in insect vectors.

Dr Agha Sheila Biloh

Dr. Sheila Biloh Agha is a Postdoctoral Fellow on a Wellcome Early-Career Award project under the Behavioural and Chemical Ecology Unit (BCEU).

She holds a Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Pretoria, South Africa; a Master of Philosophy in Entomology from the University of Ghana; and a Bachelor of Science in Zoology from the University of Buea, Cameroon.

Prior to joining icipe, Sheila worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Research Consultant at the University of Bonn, Germany. Her other previous engagements include working as a Visiting Scientist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya, and as a Ph.D. Fellow at icipe.

Some of her professional work has been in the areas of arbovirus risk assessment, vector surveillance, vector competence, vectorial capacity, land-use change, and arbovirus emergence. Her research focus or interest areas are identifying drivers of arbovirus transmission and identifying suitable and sustainable arbovirus control measures for use in resource-poor settings in Africa.

Mr Wanyama Onesmus Kaye

Mr. Wanyama is a Senior Research Assistant responsible for instrumentation within the icipe's Behavioral and Chemical Ecology Unit.

He graduated from the University of Nairobi in 1988 and The Kenya Polytechnic University College (Technical University of Kenya) in 1991 with a BSc. Degree in Physics and Chemistry and a Postgraduate Diploma in Electrical and Electronics Engineering respectively.

In 1989 he joined the Renewable Energy Division, Ministry of Energy, Kenya, where he worked as an Exploratory Geophysicist under the Geothermal Power Development division from where he joined icipe's then Chemistry and Biochemistry Research Unit (CBRU) in 1990 which has since transformed into the current Behavioral and Chemical Ecology Unit (BCEU).

Since joining icipe he has been responsible for repair, maintenance and optimization of the analytical equipment ensuring sustainability in analytical capacity within the BCEU.

Dr Tchouassi David P.

Dr. David Tchouassi is a Senior Scientist in icipe’s Human Health Theme and is based at Duduville.

David holds a PhD in Entomology (2013) from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, MSc in Medical Entomology from the University of Ghana (2006), Legon, Ghana, and BSc (First Class Honours) in Zoology (2001) from the University of Buea, Cameroon. He has been a research scientist in the Human Health Theme at icipe since 2015, having previously served as a Postdoctoral Fellow (2013 – 2015).

He is a Wellcome Intermediate Research Fellow, and an Honorary Research Fellow within Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK. David is among the team of Assessors, World Health Organisation Prequalification Unit/ Vector Control Products (WHO PQT/VCP). He serves as Assistant-Chief Editor, Specialty section on Vector Biology, Frontiers in Tropical Diseases, a Managing Editor, International Journal of Tropical Insect Science. He is a member, The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) Young Affiliate Network (TYAN), Pan-African Mosquito Control Association (PAMCA), The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH); American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) and African Association of Insect Scientists (AAIS).

His research focuses on transmission ecology and epidemiology of malaria and arboviral diseases, with a keen interest in the chemical ecology of their associated vectors. Integral to this is extensive surveillance involving laboratory and field experiments for improved understanding of the ecology of malaria and arboviruses of public health significance, identification of weak links in vector-pathogen-host interactions for control, and the development of biocontrol methods (semiochemical-based) for vector surveillance and epidemiological investigations.