DRIP MSc scholar

Joshua Magu Gichuhi

Research Project: Defense Mechanism Associated with Wild Tomato Varieties at the Transcriptome Level under Tuta Absoluta Infestation Joshua Magu is a CAP-AFRICA MSc Scholar in Plant Health theme under Dr. Khamis Fathiya (icipe) and Prof Steven Runo (KU). His MSc research work is on defense mechanisms associated with wild tomato varieties at the transcriptome level under Tuta absoluta infestation. The study aims at establishing a comparative analysis of resistant and susceptible tomato varieties in bid to unravel the plant tolerance mechanism at both the phenotypic and transcriptome level. Upon completion of the project, it will highlight key mechanisms associated with resistance and help breeders in developing plant material capable of defending itself without the use of excess pesticides. To the farmer, the study aims at reducing the cost of production through the overuse of pesticides. In future, he hopes to apply the knowledge and skills gained to offer tangible solutions to other invasive pests.

Felix Mathias Lisso

Felix Lisso is a Masters’ Research Fellow in Bioinformatics-EANBiT (ICIPE) at Pwani University, Kilifi. He holds a BSc in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. His interests lie in understanding the immunogenetics of autoimmune disorders, HIV/AIDS and cancer as well as using computational/mathematical modeling to design biological systems explaining the interactions of such diseases with the immune system. He looks forward to making the most of this program in learning Computational Biology and Bioinformatics tools that will equip him to work on the mentioned fields of study.

Augustine Ndunga Musembi

Research Project:  Infection profile of tick-borne bacterial pathogens in selected semi-arid ecologies of Kenya Augustine is a DRIP MSc Scholar in Human Health theme under Dr. David P. Tchouassi and Prof Rosemary Sang (icipe). His MSc thesis is entitled ‘Infection profile of tick-borne bacterial pathogens in Turkana and Isiolo counties, Kenya’ which is a subtitle of a larger project aimed at Understanding tick-borne zoonotic disease epidemiology within the nomadic pastoral systems in Isiolo, Tanariver, Turkana, West Pokot and Garissa counties of Kenya; a project funded by THRiVE-2. His research focuses on assessing the tick distribution among different livestock hosts, determining the type and prevalence of detected bacterial pathogens in collected ticks and inferring phylogenetic relationship among the detected tick-borne bacterial pathogens in Turkana and Isiolo counties. He holds a degree in BSc. (Microbiology and Biotechnology) from the University of Nairobi and is registered for MSc in Applied Parasitology in the same institution.

Lydia Chepkemoi

Research project: Investigating the effects of endosymbiont Microsporidia MB infection on Anopheles arabiensis behavior in Kenya. Lydia is a DRIP MSc. Scholar in Human health theme under Drs. David Tchouassi, Jeremy Herren (icipe) and Steve Nyanjom Ger (JKUAT). Her research goal is to assess the effect of Microsporidia MB infection on mating, blood feeding, and host seeking behaviors of anopheles mosquitoes. She holds a degree in BSc. Biochemistry from University of Eldoret (UOE) and currently pursuing Msc. Biochemistry in Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).

Eric Ali Ibrahim

Research Project: Modelling of pest population dynamics in a large avocado farm in Kenya Eric Ali Ibrahim is a DRIP MSc Scholar in Plant Health theme supervised by Drs. Daisy Salifu, Henri E.Z Tonnang, Thomas Dubois (icipe) and Prof. Samuel Mwalili (JKUAT). His Project is funded through Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Fund for International Agricultural Research (FIA) and Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad). His project aims at modelling time series aggregated insect pest counts in avocado plantations using Machine Learning approaches and Generalised Linear Models with sinusoidal component. Eric holds BSc in Applied Statistics with Computing from Karatina university and currently pursuing MSc in Applied Statistics at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).

Samuel Jeff Otieno

Research Project:  Economic impact of integrating convention IPM with the auto-dissemination technique for suppression of invasive fruit flies among mango growers in Embu, Kenya Samuel Jeff Otieno is a DRIP MSc Scholar in Plant Health Theme supervised by Dr. Beatrice W. Muriithi(icipe). His MSc thesis title is Economic impact of integrating convention IPM with the auto-dissemination technique for suppression of invasive fruit flies among mango growers in Embu, Kenya. The project's title is pest-free fruit project funded under the Europe-Africa Agricultural Research and Innovation Program and the National Research Fund, Kenya. His research focusses on assessing constraints and opportunities for investing in fruit fly IPM, modelling the determinants of adoption of fruit fly IPM among mango growers, and evaluating the impact of integrating the convention IPM with the auto-dissemination technique on expenditure on pesticide, mango production, yield losses, mango income and on fruit fly infestation.  He holds a degree in BSc. Agribusiness Management from the University of Nairobi

Evariste Manirumva

Research Project:  Assessment of Socioeconomic Effect of  Age and Amount of Push-Pull Technology Adoption Among Cereal Growers in Rwanda: A Case of Gatsibo District. Research interest: Push Pull Technology (PPT) Research goals: To determine the factors influencing adoption and dis-adoption of push-pull technology across cereal scales in Gatsibo District in Rwanda; To evaluate the socio-economic effects of the duration and amount of PPT adoption among smallholder cereal growers in Gatsibo District in Rwanda;To assess cereal grower’s knowledge and attitude of push-pull technology in Gatsibo District in Rwanda   Host project and funding: UPSCALE Supervisors: Dr. Beatrice Muriithi

Diana Wairimu Kinyua

Research Project: Sustainable Control of Ticks using Metarhizium anisopliae and extracts of Calpurnia aurea Research interest: Biocontrol of arthropod pests and vectors of diseases using botanicals and entomopathogens Research goals: Identify tick attractants and dtermine their compatibility with entomopathogenic fungi. Host project and funding: Improving food and nutritional security through integrated control of tsetse and tick-borne livestock diseases (BMZ - ICTLD) funded by GIZ Supervisors: Dr. Daniel Masiga, Dr. Xavier Cheseto, Dr. Joel Bargul, Dr. Komivi Akutse (icipe) and Dr. Meshack Obonyo (Egerton University) Bio: Obtained a Bsc. in Biomedical Science and Technology from Egerton University. Currently registered at Egerton University for MSc. in Biochemistry

Ken Murithi Mugambi

Research Project: Comparative elucidation of transcriptional regulation of key genes in Glossina Ken is currently pursuing a Masters in Bioinformatics and he is under the supervision of Dr. Daniel Masiga and Dr. Caleb Kibet. His research interests is on Transcription factors of the chemosensory genes. His present focus is to find the Transcription Factors associated with the chemosensory genes in the six Glossina species and model their sequence binding site using machine learning models.   Ken Murithi has an academic background in Bachelor of Science (Microbiology) and a Post Graduate Diploma in Research Methodology from Pwani University. Currently, he is currently registered as a Masters in Bioinformatics funded by EANBiT.

Benjamin Mwamburi Mwasambo

Research Project: Potential Risk of Establishment and Spatial distribution of Bactrocera zonata(Saunders) in Eastern Africa. Benjamin Mwasambo is a DRIP MSc. Scholar supervised by Dr. Samira Mohamed (icipe), Daniel Flø (Norway), and Dr. Thomas Ngigi (Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology). His research aims to model the risk of geographic invasion and distribution of Bactrocera zonata in Eastern Africa based on current distribution of the pest in prelevance areas and assessment of availability of plant hosts, pest population availability and climatology suitability. He completed his undergraduate in Forestry sciences at University of Eldoret. He is currently pursuing his MSc in Geospatial Information Science and Remote Sensing at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

Subscribe to DRIP MSc scholar