Senior Research Scientist at Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, Kenya
Dr. Bramwel Waswa Wanjala is an experienced research scientist at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), where he has worked since 2003. His research primarily focuses on plant disease diagnostics and molecular biology, particularly the epidemiology and management of critical diseases like Maize Lethal Necrosis (MLN), Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSV), and sweetpotato viruses. Dr. Wanjala has contributed to the development of laboratory protocols, training of personnel, and the establishment of standardized practices that ensure high-quality lab operations. His work includes using genetic markers such as AFLP, SSRs, SRAP, and ISSR to analyze crop diversity, helping enhance agricultural resilience in Kenya. Dr. Wanjala’s expertise has made him a key figure in plant pathology research, where he supports capacity-building efforts and advances diagnostic methodologies for sustainable agriculture.
Publication Profile
Academic Background:
- Ph.D. in Biotechnology (Expected Dec 2022) – Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
- M.Sc. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2013) – Egerton University
Expertise:
Dr. Wanjala is a skilled research scientist specializing in plant disease diagnostics, molecular biology, and crop germplasm management. His work has focused on critical plant diseases in Kenya, including Maize Lethal Necrosis (MLN) and various sweetpotato viruses, employing advanced techniques like ELISA, PCR, Q-PCR, and LAMP. At the International Potato Center (CIP), he led sweetpotato virus diagnostics and developed innovative technologies for rapid vine multiplication, like sandponics, significantly aiding the sweetpotato seed system in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Key Contributions and Achievements:
- Capacity Building: Trained numerous researchers and technical staff in virus diagnostics across East and Central Africa, including for KEPHIS.
- Diagnostic Innovations: Validated a ClonDiag Microarray for sweetpotato virus detection, reducing testing time from 6 months to 2 days.
- MLN Lab Establishment: Set up a diagnostic lab for MLN and trained stakeholders in disease identification and management.
- Prebasic Seed Production: Helped establish a sustainable sweetpotato seed production system with KEPHIS, distributing over 150,000 vines to farmers.
Professional Affiliations:
- International Society for Tropical Root Crops (African Branch)
- African Biotechnology Stakeholders Forum (ABSF)
- Trustee and Director of Economic Empowerment, JEDIMU Trust
- “Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification assays for on-site detection of the main sweetpotato infecting viruses”
- “Comparative analysis for producing sweetpotato pre-basic seed using sandponics and conventional systems”
- “Improving rapid multiplication of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L. (Lam) pre-basic seed using sandponics technology in East Africa”
- “Storage root yield of sweetpotato as influenced by sweetpotato leaf curl virus and its interaction with sweetpotato feathery mottle virus and Sweetpotato chlorotic stunt virus in Kenya”
- “Yield potential of sandponically produced sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) pre-basic seed for selected genotypes”