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MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTORThe year 2010/2011 has been very exciting at IBR. We have had an increase in the number of PhD students enrolment from 3 to 9 students. We have also had the highest number of M.Sc. students submitting their thesis for examination, hence we expect the highest number of graduands this coming July 2011. We have also had the highest number of scientific publications, with our research base being boosted with 4 new research grants: 2 NCST grants for 2 Ph.D. students, 1 RPE grant for one Ph.D. student and 1 NCST grant for an IBR research fellow. The University has also budgeted 10 million Kenya shillings to complete the new IBR lab. We have also continued to train our staff at both M.Sc. and Ph.D. capacities, since leadership and learning are indispensable to each other. In this coming year, IBR will concentrate on increasing the research grants, equipping the new IBR lab which should be completed by June 2011, and setting up a microbial culture collection depository in collaboration with Prof. Hamadi Boga of Botany department and the KWS. Finally, IBR in collaboration with ILRI and KARI is taking its first steps in genetically transformed plants research . What an exciting year. Dr. Aggrey Bernard Nyende
Biotechnology News
GRADUANDS OF 2011 FROM IBR
A Newsletter of Institute for Biotechnology Research (IBR), JKUAT, issue 02, May 2011
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We feature six IBR students who will graduate in July 2011 at JKUAT
Dennis Misiko MukhongoM.Sc. title: Genetic diversity and population structure of the indigenous sheep in Kenya based on microsatellite analysis.
Edward Nderitu KaranjaM.Sc. title: Growth characteristics, enzyme activity and production of
secondary metabolites from selected novel streptomyces
James Mbora WainainaM.Sc. title: Survey and distribution of ricketsia in domestic animals presented to major slaughter houses in Kenya.
Doris Wangare M.Sc. title. Characterization of aminoglycoside resistant bacterial strains implicated in invasive
infections in Kenya.
Ann Kelly KamburaM.Sc. title: Functional screening of actinobacteria communities from Lake magadi in Kenya
“in today's global economy, innovation is the engine of economic growth”
Inside this issue:
1. Grandaunds of 2011 from IBR ..........1
2. Message from the Director…….………..1
3. NCST funded research ......................2 4. Editorial………….….2
5. Student research ........3
6. DNA tracking of students at IBR …..... 4
7. NCST research grants .........................4
Johnstone Neondo M.Sc. title: Tissue culture of Allanblackia
stuhlmanii, an economic tree native of Tanzania.
EDITORIALWelcome to the second issue of the Biotechnology newsletter which we have specifically concentrated on students and NCST funded research.
Francis Addy, a Ghanian student currently studying masters in IBR had the following to say
Francis Addy
“IBR is the institute where the rhyme; ‘good better best, may I never rest until my good is better and my better best’ best applies. The competitive lecturers generously deliver the worth of the units and laboratory practical are handled by competent laboratory technicians. T h e s t u d y o f biotechnology at IBR is made comple te by exposing students to the state of the art, by taking students on academic trips to all relevant research institutes in K e n y a a s w e l l a s relevant companies to h a v e f i r s t h a n d i n f o r m a t i o n a n d experience. My correct understanding of what biotechnology is all about was properly crafted at IBR. The good is made better and the better, best.”
Regeneration and Agrobacterium t u m e f a c i e n s - m e d i a t e d transformation of Jatropha Curcas (physic nut). By Ms. Cecilia Mbithe (Assistant research fellow and PhD student at IBR)
among others. Identification of these farmer varieties both morphologically and genetically has already been initiated with selection of potential high yielding and high biofuel production.
Ms. Cecilia Mbithe funded by NCST, Invitro research on this crop showed
began her research on jatropha with that micropropagation of pathogen
the aim of acquiring knowledge on free and of high vigor plantlets is
available germplasm, elite varieties, possible. Further initiation of Genetic
management practices and possible transformation towards improvement
improvement of jatropha. A survey of selected elite varieties has also
done between March to May 2010 in begun. This will allow for the
major jatropha growing regions in breeding of pest and disease resistant
Kenya showed that only 9% of varieties. Introduction of Jatropha
farmers had planted jatropha crop on curcas L. (Jatropha) in Africa for
their farm. Most of the farmers don’t biofuel production is met with limited
have production history of varieties success due to unreliable information
they have planted and are faced with on planting material and low oil
many constraints including pests, yields.
diseases, low yield and drought
Molecular characterization of wild Pleurotus spp. in Kenya : Indigenous mushrooms re-invented. by Dr. Justus Onguso (Senior Research fellow, IBR)
clusters. These groups represent a broad genetic base for breeding programs, and good potential for commercial cultivation. This project on completion will boost
Dr. Justus Onguso and a team of mushroom production. Edible
researchers funded by the NCST m u s h r o o m s a r e i m p o r t a n t
have collected different wild horticultural crops with high
m u s h r o o m s p e c i e s f o r potential to alleviate food and
domestication, tissue culturing nutritional insecurity among the
and redistribution to stakeholders. rural and urban poor. They are
They examined the genetic diversity nutritious foods rich in proteins,
of wild Pleurotus spp. in Kenya dietary fibres, vitamins and minerals
where wild genotypes were surveyed that are necessary for good health.
from selected indigenous forests in Besides, mushroom production is an
Kenya i.e. Kakamega, Abardares, indoor activity and does not require
Mt. Kenya, and Arabuke Sokoke. A land. In the recent past, production of
total of 71 germplasm were collected mushroom has been increasing at a
and cultured for DNA isolation using rapid rate worldwide. The genus
modified CTAB method and Pleurotus is widely abundant in the
subjected to AFLP analysis. tropical forests of Kenya. It is highly
Among the Pleurotus germplasm, valued for its nutritional and
similarity coefficients ranged from medicinal properties by the
0.32 to 0.65 using AFLP. The inhabitants living around these
unweighted pair group method of forests. Nevertheless, little is known
arithmetic averages (UPGMA) about its genetic variability and
cluster analysis grouped these distribution pattern in Kenya.
genotypes into five distinct
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Student Research at IBRPage 3
Research in IBR mostly offers training opportunities to students of either M.Sc. or Ph.D. and always results into publications in scientific journals. The following is a list of new current student research projects under IBR.
Researcher Research title (Ph.D.) Status
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Huxley Makonde Isolation and screening of termite microbiome for novel biocatalysts using culture-based and functional metagenomic techniques
John K. Mwangi Diversity of rice blast pathogen population their interaction of rice blast pathogen and strategies for resistance management in Kenya
Titus KathurimaMolecular resolution of genetic variability of CBSV and development of diagnostic kit for cassava and sweet potato virus
Julius Kinuthia DNA markers for application of wildlife forensics in Kenya
Jacklene Ongachi Metagenome studies of archea diversity in lake elementaita
George AsudiDiversity, yield and quality characterization of slender leaf (crotalaria spp) and mechanism involved in suppression of stiga weed
Cecila MbitheCharacterization, regeneration and agro-bacterium tumefasciens-mediated transformation of jatropha
Research title (M.Sc)
Njunguna S. Nyamu Genetic&epidermiological characterization of CSBV virus in Kenya
Virginia Kimani Isolation & characterization of yeast strains capable of converting whey to bio-ethanol
Paul kipkemboi Analysis of Molecular and Morphological characterization of Cassava transformed with B- carotene Genes (Dxs and Psy)
Jason M. Mwatu Use of Bacillus thuringiensis isolates and cultural Methods in An Integrated pest management of sweet potato weevils
Daniel Ojwang Molecular characterization of wild Pleurotus spp in Kenya
Okemo P. Asami Agrobacterium mediated transformation of pegionpea with cry 1 gene for pod borer
Kibet Tom Characterization of soil nematodes from small scale tea growing areas in Kenya
Maureen wangangi Elimination of CBSV from infecting Cassava
Samuel Mathu Genetic diversity of indigenous rhizobial strains and commercial inoculants and their potential to improve yields and nitrogen fixation in four legume species in Kenya
Simon Ngare Genetic diversity and symbiotic efficiency of legume nodulating bacteria from Taita
Kimani S. Ngata In vitro propagation and molecular characterization of the east African sandal wood Osyris lanceolata
Kamau Ngugi Characyerization of the Crt Y gene in paracoccus sp. Ibog 37 for the potential commercial application in the production of caratenoids
Wesonga ChristopherNatural products from extremophiles isolation, characterization and cloning of phytone destaurase gene -Crt from paracoccus sp. Ibog 37
DNA FORENSIC TRACKING OF PIONEER IBR STUDENTSThe following is the current information of where and what the pioneer postgraduate IBR students are doing: Names Where are they?/What are they doing?1. Dr. Romano Mwirichia (Ph.D.) Research fellow in IBR (JKUAT). Post doctoral fellow in DZMS-
Germany2. Ms. Hannah Wangare (M.Sc.) PhD student at the University of Nairobi (Chiromo campus) 3. Mr. George Mwenda (M.Sc.) Research scientist, TSBF-ICRAF. Has enrolled for Ph.D. at Murdoch
University-Australia4. Mr. Julius Kinuthia (M.Sc.) Assistant research fellow IBR (JKUAT). Ph.D. student at IBR-JKUAT5. Mr. Huxley Makonde (M.Sc.) Assistant Lecturer, MPUC. PhD. Student at IBR-JKUAT6. Mr. Dennis Mukhongo (M.Sc.) Research fellow at ILRI. Enrolled Ph.D. student at Harvard University7. Mr. James Munyao (M.Sc.) Research scientist at KEMRI-Kericho8. Ms. Lily Simasi (M.Sc.) Lecturer, Sangalo college of technology.9. Mr. George Asudi (M.Sc.) P/T lecturer-Catholic university. Enrolled Ph.D. student at IBR JKUAT10. Mr. Simon Ngare (M.Sc.) Submitted thesis. Awaiting defense.
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RESEARCH GRANTS FROM NCST TO IBRIBR has received a total of 6 research grants from the National Council of Science and Technology (NCST). These include a grant to Ms. Cecilia Mbithe for “Characterization, regeneration and agro-bacter ium tumefasciens-mediated transformation of jatropha” , to Dr. Jutus Onguso for “Molecular characterization of wild Pleurotus spp in Kenya “ to Dr. Romano Mwirichia/Prof. Hamadi Boga “Metagenome studies of archea diversity in lake Magadi”, to James Mwangi (a Phd student) “Diversity of rice blast pathogen population their interaction of rice blast pathogen and strategies for resistance management in Kenya , to Titus Kathurima (a PhD student) “ Molecular resolution of genetic variability of CBSV and development of diagnostic kit for cassava and sweet potato virus and to Julius Kinuthia “ DNA markers for application in wildlife forensics in Kenya.
Mr. Kinuthia has also received further funding from the RPE research grant towards the DNA forensics in wildlife research. These research grants allow IBR to capacity build both its staff members and postgraduate students. The researches will also have an impact on food security and resource utilization in Kenya. The research grants total to 12 million Kenya shillings.
Institute for Biotechnology Research
JKUAT IS 9001:2008 ISO CERTIFIEDSetting trends in Higher Education, Research and Innovation
CONTACTS
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
P.O. Box 62000, 00200 Nairobi KenyaTel: 254-67-52711/52181-4ext 2125
Fax: 254-67-52161Email:
