Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA) Hub

Hub Staff

Director
Segenet Kelemu, PhD Director Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Dr Segenet Kelemu is Director of the BecA Hub. A native of Ethiopia, she has experienced the challenges and successes associated with African agriculture first-hand, from field to high-tech laboratory. Under her leadership since 2007, BecA Hub research capacity, staff, facilities, funding, p ... more
Research Scientists
Appolinaire Djikeng, PhD Technology Manager Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Dr. Appolinaire Djikeng is the Technology Manager at the BecA Hub. He holds a PhD in Molecular Parasitology from Brunel University, UK and a BSc and MSc from the University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon. He carried out all his PhD work, ... more
Jagger Harvey, PhD Plant Biosciences Research Scientist Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Dr Jagger Harvey joined the BecA Hub as a Plant Biosciences Research Scientist in January, 2009. Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, he speaks English, French and Creole. He is a molecular biologist with particular interest in plant genetics and plant-microbe interactions. His life’s ambition is to s ... more
Rob Skilton, PhD Research Support Scientist Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Dr Rob Skilton is a Research Scientist, responsible for research-related services and capacity building at the BecA Hub. He is a molecular biologist with emphasis on molecular parasitology, and the development of diagnostic tests and vaccines for livestock diseases. Dr Skilton has a keen in ... more
Affiliated Scientists
Dan Kiambi, PhD Scientist Unit: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Dan Kiambi is a Senior Scientist at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT, Regional Office for East and Southern Africa). He is currently based at ILRI, (BecA-ILRI) Hub and has been conducting his laboratory related research activities us ... more
Kassa Semagn, PhD Scientist Unit: International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Kassa Semagn is a Maize Molecular Breeder at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), based at the Biosciences eastern and central Africa/International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI) Hub, Kenya. He has a wide range of experience in the application of molecular markers in genetic reso ... more
Morris Agaba, PhD Scientist Unit: Biotechnology Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Morris Agaba is a scientist at ILRI, where he is investigating the innate biological processes of mammals that affect survivability of infectious disease. He graduated from Makerere University (Uganda), received his PhD in molecular genetics from Brunel University (United Kingdom) and subsequent ... more
Rebecca Nelson, PhD Associate Professor Unit: Cornell University, USA Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Rebecca Nelson is an Associate Professor in two departments at Cornell University, USA, Plant Pathology & Plant-Microbe-Biology; and Plant Breeding & Genetics, and is a leading researcher in the field of International Agriculture and Rural Development. She also serves as Scientific Director and ... more
Santie deVilliers, PhD Scientist Unit: International Crops Research Instititute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Santie de Villiers is a scientist with ICRISAT, based in Nairobi. ICRISAT, in collaboration with national program partners in Africa, is building capacity in plant biotechnology, focusing specifically on genetic engineering and marker-assisted breeding applications in sorghum, millet, pigeonpea, chickpea and groundnut. Sant ... more
Steve Kemp, PhD Scientist Unit: Biotechnology Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Steve Kemp is a molecular geneticist particularly interested in the mechanisms of innate resistance to disease in livestock and mouse models. He is a visiting scientist at ILRI and Professor of molecular genetics at the University of Liverpool, UK. Steve's current research covers hos ... more
Bioinformatics
Etienne de Villiers, PhD Bioinformatics Group Leader Unit: Bioinformatics Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Dr Etienne de Villiers is a Scientist at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya; the ILRI-BecA Bioinformatics Group Leader and EMBNet Specialist Node Manager. He is a molecular biologist by training that developed an interest in computing and ventured into th ... more
James Magochi Unix/Linux Administrator Unit: Bioinformatics Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it James Magochi is the Unix/Linux administrator at the ILRI-BecA Bioinformatics group. He provides systems administration for the Unix and Linux systems installed at the ILRI Kenya campus and maintains the High performance computing cluster (HPC), providing technical support to scientists and students accessing ... more
Central Core
David Oyoo Ezra Unit Coordinator, Central Core Unit: Central Core Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it David Oyoo Ezra is the Central Core Unit Coordinator where he provides essential services like tissue culture media, microbiological plates, buffers, media broths, antibiotics and ultra pure grade water for all the laboratories in the BecA Hub. He manages the budgets ... more
Segolip
Ben Kiawa Research Technician Unit: SegoliP Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Ben Kiawa is a research technician with training in the following areas: Clinical Medical Lab Technology Diploma Certificate, College of Health Professions, Nairobi and Kijabe Medical Centre University Certificate – Biopsy to Sequencing Technology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark University Certificate &ndas ... more
Inosters Nzuki Research Technician Unit: SegoliP Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Inosters Nzuki is a research technician at the BecA Hub providing technical support in genotyping and sequencing, including the 454 sequencing technology. He joined the Hub from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), where he was a senior research technician and was instrumental in ... more
Lucy Muthui Research Technician Unit: SegoliP Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Lucy Muthui is a Research Technician attached to the Sequencing, Genotyping, OligoSynthesis and Proteomics (SegoliP) Unit, formally Sequencing Unit. The unit offers support services to core research projects at the International Livestock Institute (ILRI). It also extends these services to other research i ... more
Cytometry
Jan Naessens, PhD Molecular Immunologist Unit: Imaging and Cytometry Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Jan Naessens got his training in immunology at the Free University of Brussels where he also obtained his Ph.D. At ILRI, he has used flow cytometry since the early ‘80’s when he used the Becton Dickinson FACS II for identification of leukoc ... more
John Wasilwa Kimunguyi Flow Cytometry Operator Unit: Imaging and Cytometry Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it John Wasilwa holds a Higher Diploma in Electronic Engineering. Areas of expertise are: Factory trained and certified on operation, service and maintenance of BD FACScan, BDFACsort, and BDFACScount – at Cape Town Becton Dickinson Engineers Training School. Factory tr ... more
Research Technicians
Mercy Kitavi Research Support Technician (Crops) Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Mercy Kitavi is a Research Support Technician in crop sciences attached to the BecA Hub research laboratories. She is responsible for DNA extractions and quantification, preparation of PCRs and samples for sequencing and fragment analysis, genotyping of accessions using molecular markers, data generation and an ... more
Moses Ndotono Njahira Research Technician (Livestock) Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it National Diploma in Applied Biology, Kenya Polytechnic, Nairobi Moses is a Research Technician the BecA Hub. He is responsible for providing technical support to scientists and students within the Hub, and managing the training of new staff, visiting scientists and students atta ... more
Technical Assistants
Everlyne Atieno Onyango Technical Assistant Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Certificate in Science Laboratory Technology, Kenya Polytechnic, Nairobi Evelyn Atieno took up the position of Technical Assistant in 2007, where she is responsible for tracking preventive maintenance and relocation of laboratory equipment, laboratory chemical usage, equipment and laboratory consumable purchase orders and mon ... more
Environmental Health and Safety Unit
Ephy Khaemba EHOS/Community Liaison Officer Unit: Environment Occupational Health & Safety (EHOS) Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Ephy Khaemba is an Environment, Occupational Health & Safety (EOHS)/Community Liaison Officer responsible for the environmental management program, occupational health service, safety management program (including radiation, chemical, biological, engineering, construction, fire, office, etc), hygiene programs (kitchen, staff, visitors, etc), regulatory compliance on research ... more
Research Support
Cyrus Too Greenhouse Supervisor Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Mr. Cyrus Too serves as Greenhouse Manager at the Biosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI) Hub. He is in charge of our screenhouse, headerhouse, containment and non-containment greenhouses, and assists with related laboratory matters. Cyrus holds a BSc in ... more
Timothy Kingori Njoroge Assistant Technology Manager Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Timothy holds a Masters of Science degree in Laboratory Techniques and Management in Livestock Development from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. While at the UK, he trained on the Modern Methods in Molecular Biology at the University of Bristol, Lang ... more
Administration
Charity Mureithi Programme Management Officer Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Charity Mureithi, a Kenyan national, is the Programme Management O ... more