• Home
  • Publications
  • Grants
  • Conferences
  • Accounts

  • Reseacher`s Profile

    About Prof. Eucharia Kenya

    Prof. Eucharia Kenya



    Name: Eucharia Unoma Kenya, Ph.D.

    Position: Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Planning Administration & Finance

    Department: Biological Sciences

    Area of Specialization: Biochemistry & Biotechnology

    Contact Address: University of Embu

    Telephone: +254 705 945 408

    E-Mail: dvc.paf@embuni.ac.ke

     

    BIOGRAPHY

    Prof. Eucharia Kenya is currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Planning, Administration and Finance, at University of Embu. She is a Professor of Biotechnology with expansive international experience and expertise on Biosafety and Biosecurity issues. Previously she taught at the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, for over 10 years. During this period, she supervised over 30 postgraduate students and published several peerreviewed papers. She has attracted substantial grants that have benefited many students in the greater East African Region and fostered collaborative projects and partnerships that have contributed in strengthening capacity in different aspects of biotechnology. She is a very active player in the agricultural biotechnology sector in Kenya and served as a member of the steering committee under the Ministry of Agriculture, that developed the ‘Agricultural Biotechnology Awareness Strategy for Kenya (2008)’. She was deeply involved in the discussions that culminated in the enactment of the Kenya Biosafety Act (2009) and has also participated on regional efforts at harmonizing these laws. As an educator, she has participated in many outreach activities to key biotech stakeholders including policy makers & technocrats, parliamentarians, scientists, teachers, farmers and the media. These activities have covered areas spanning General Biotechnology, Risk Communication (Safety of GM technology), Media Relations (for Scientists), the Art of reporting Science (for journalists), Policy formulations and Regulatory landscaping and Practice in Africa, with reference to adoption of GM Technology/Biosafety and Biosecurity. Prof. Kenya is a founding member of the Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa, a flagship project of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya. On the international scene, she has been very active in the activities of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and the Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and is a member of the Chemical Weapons Convention Coalition. Her thrust in these organizations is to articulate the need for increased capacity strengthening and enactment of laws that will enable African countries gain from international efforts by the global community in making everywhere safe for human existence.

     

    RESEARCH INTERESTS

    1. Agri-Biotechnology

    2. Biosafety & Biosecurity

  • Publications

    Latest Publications

    Prof. Eucharia Kenya Publications

    1. Kenya, E., Kinyanjui, G., Kipnyargis, A., Kinyua, F., Mwangi, M., Khamis, F., & Mwirichia, R. (2022). Amplicon-based assessment of bacterial diversity and community structure in three tropical forest soils in Kenya. Heliyon, e11577. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11577

    2. Nthiwa D., Bett B., Odongo D., Kenya, E., et al (2020). Seroprevalence of foot-and-mouth disease virus in cattle herds raised in Maasai Mara ecosystem in Kenya. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 176 (2020) 104929. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2020.104929

    3. Nthiwa, D. M., Alonso, S., Odongo, D., Kenya, E., Bett, B. (2019) Zoonotic Pathogen Seroprevalence in Cattle in a Wildlife–Livestock Interface, Kenya. EcoHealth ISSN 1612-9202. DOI 10.1007/s10393-019-01453-z

    4. Nthiwa, D. M., Alonso, S., Odongo, D., Kenya, E., Bett, B. (2019) A participatory epidemiological study of major cattle diseases amongst Maasai pastoralists living in wildlife-livestock interfaces in Maasai Mara, Kenya. Trop Anim Health Prod . https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-018-01790-1

    5. Kinyanjui, G., Khamis, F. M.; Ombura, F. L. O., Kenya, E.., Ekesi, S., Mohamed, S. A. (2018) Infestation Levels and Molecular Identifcation Based on Mitochondrial COI Barcode Region of Five Invasive Gelechiidae Pest Species in Kenya. Journal of Economic Entomology, XX(XX), 2018, 1–11

    6. Kipnyargis, A.C., Khamis, F.M. Kenya, E., Ekesi, S. & Fiaboe, K.K.M. (2018) Genetic diversity of aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) species attacking amaranth and nightshades in different agro-ecological zones of Kenya and Tanzania African Entomology 26(2): 407–421 (2018) DOI: https://doi.org/10.4001/003.026.0407 ISSN 1021-3589 [Print]; 2224-8854 [Online]

    7. Nthakanio N.P. and Kenya, E.. (2018). Role of Latent Local Technologies and Innovations to Catapult Development in Kenya. In Decolonial Pedagogy; Examining Sites of Resistance Resurgence and Renewal by Wane N.N and Todd K. L (Eds). ISBN 978-3-030-01538-1 ISBN 978-3-030-01539-8 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-01539-8. Palgrave Macmillan Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

    8. Okun D.O, F. M. Khamis, G. M Muluvi, J. J Ngeranwa, F. O Ombura, M. O Yongo and Kenya, E.. (Distribution of indigenous strains of atoxigenic and toxigenic Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus in maize and peanuts agro-ecological zones of Kenya Agriculture & Food Security 4:14

    9. Abubakar, L.U., Mutie, A.M., Kenya, E.. and Muhoho, A. (2012). Characterization of Algae oil (oilgae) and its potential as biofuel in Kenya. Appl. J. Phytotechnology in Environ. Sanitation. 1 (4):147-153.

    10. Kaduka L., Y.Kombe, Kenya, E.., E. Kuria, J.K. Bore, Z. N. Bukania and M. Mwangi (2012). Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrom among an Urban Population in Kenya. J. Diabetes Care, 35(4):887 – 893.

    Discover More

  • Grants

    Grants & Awards

    Grants & Awards

    1. World Health Organization, GAR Grant No.200370707: An Assessment of Research & Diagnostic Laboratories in Nairobi and Surrounding Areas, Kenya. Eucharia Kenya (PI) and Margaret Muturi. 2011 – 2012. USD 31,731.

    2. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Global Development Grant No. OPP1026630. Member of African Agricultural Technology Foundation team. 2010 – 2011. USD 200,000.

    3. European Union – African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (EU-ACP Group): Developing Capacity for Participatory and Marker Assisted Plant Breding to mitigate low Crop productivity and poor Food Security (CAPACITATE East Africa). 2009 – 1013. Charles Ssekyewa (PI, Uganda Martyrs University, Uganda),

    4. Katherine Steele (Bangor University, UK), Eucharia Kenya (Kenyatta University, Kenya), Valerie Palapala (Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya), Segenet Kelemu (BECA-ILRI, Kenya), Dan Kiambi (ICRISAT, Kenya). € 785,074)

    5. National Council for Science and Technology: Microalgae species diversity, abundance, and their potential for biofuel in Kenya. 2009. Laila Abubakar (PI), Eucharia Kenya and Alfred Muhoho 2009. Ksh 1,909,000.

    6. Monsanto (Kenya), Biotechnology Training Workshop for High School teachers: A Mentorship Programme for Strengthening the Teaching of Biotechnology by Science Teachers. Margaret Karembu (PI), Danette Ward and Eucharia Kenya. 2008. USD 50,000

    7. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) – Postgraduate support grant on “Geographical distribution and Molecular Characterization of Aflatoxin Producing and Non-producing Isolates of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus in Kenya“ 2008 – 2010. Daniel Okun (PhD student), Eucharia Kenya and Geoffery Muluvi. USD 4,200.

    8. British Council/DfID - Developing Partners in Higher Education (DelPHE-KENYA Project No. -290) – Inter University Collaboration to Strengthen Human and Institutional Capacity in Eastern and Central African Countries Emerging from Conflicts. 2008-2012. Eucharia Kenya (PI), Essa Ali (Sudan), Bendantunguka Tiisekwa (Tanzania), Goeffrey Tusiime (Uganda) and Daniel Rukazambuka (Rwanda). POUNDS STRERLING 105,000.

    9. TDR/WHO - Establishment of a Reference Training Centre in Effective Project Planning and Evaluation in Biomedical Research for Eastern and Central Africa. 2008-2009. Grace Murilla (PI), Johnson Ouma and Eucharia Kenya. USD 30,000.

    10. Regional Universities FORUM for Capacity Building in Agriculture – Nurturing grant to support M. Sc students. 2007-2009. Eucharia Kenya (PI), Ethel Monda and Samuel Otor. USD 66,250.

    11. Association of African Universities Leadership - Senior Executive Attachment Programme for Senior University Managers 2007. Eucharia Kenya. USD 5,000.

  • Conferences and Workshops

    Conferences and Workshops

    Courses, Conferences and Workshops Attended:

    The 4th International Conference for Women in Science Without Borders. Organized by The Global Forum for Women in Science, Rio de Janiero, Brazil. 12 – 14th February 2020.

    The 24th Session of the Conference of State Parties (CSP-24) to the Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The Hague, Netherlands. 25th – 29th November 2019.

    OPCW 2018 The 23rd Session of the Conference of State Parties (CSP-23) to the Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The Hague, Netherlands. 19th – 30th November 2018.

    The 22nd Session of the Conference of State Parties (CSP-22) to the Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The Hague, Netherlands. 27th November – 1st December 2017.

    17th International Conference of Women engineers and Scientists (ICWES17),5th – 7th October 2017, New Delhi, India. Participated as a panelist. CASE Africa Conference, Nairobi. 8th – 10th November 2016

    Symposium on Capacity Building in Sustainable Resource Development in Africa. Organised by the Japan Information and Culture Centre, Japanese Embassy, Nairobi Kenya. 24th March 2016.

    The 20th Session of the Conference of State Parties (CSP-16) to the Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The Hague, Netherlands. 30th November – 4th December 2015.

    Regional Conference of the International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists. Co-organized by the African Women in Science and Engineering. Uganda, 21 – 23rd October 2015. Participated in a Panel on “Biotechnology in Africa: The Opportunities and Envisaged Challenges”

    MWONGOZO Training for State Corporations, Organized by the State Corporations Advisory Committee, Mombasa 28 – 30th September 2015.

    The 9th Annual Decolonization of the Spirit Conference – Indigenous Pedagogies and Cultural Resistance in Education. Organised by the University of Toronto, Toronto, 24 – 25th April 2015.

    Read More

  • Accounts

    Accounts

    1. ORCiD Account

    2. Google Scholar profile

Copyright © 2022 University of Embu