Member Profile
Membership type: full
Early Career Fellowship
Juliah Akhwale
Country of origin: Kenya Currently in: Kenya, Nairobi General field of specialization: Biological Systems and OrganismsEarly Career Fellowship
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Degrees
2015 Doctorate Biological Systems and Organisms2011 Master Biological Systems and Organisms2006 Undergraduate Biological Systems and Organisms -
Current Research Activities
Biological Systems and Organisms
Use of bacteriophages as biocontrol agents against nuisance and pathogenic bacteria (phage therapy)
Publications resulting from Research:
i) Ngetha E, Akhwale JK, Mwirichia R (2019). Phylogenetic and morphological diversity of culturable cyanobacteria from Lake Magadi in Kenya. African Journal of Biological Sciences. 01: 24. doi.org/10.33472/AFJBS.1.4.2019.24-31
ii) Akhwale JK, Rohde M, Rohde C, Boyke B, Spröer C, Klenk H-P, Boga HI, Wittmann J (2019). Isolation, Characterization and analysis of Bacteriophages from the Haloalkaline Lake Elmenteita, Kenya. PLoS One. 2019;14(4):1–19. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215734
iii) Akhwale JK, Rohde M, Rohde C, Boyke B, Spröer C, Klenk H-P, Boga HI, Wittmann J. (2019). Comparative genomic analysis of eight novel haloalkaliphilic bacteriophages from Lake Elmenteita, Kenya. PLoS One 14(2): doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212102
iv) Akhwale JK, Göker M, Rohde M, Spröer C, Schumann P, Boga HI, Klenk H-P (2016) Nocardiopsis mwathae sp. Nov., isolated from the haloalkaline lake Elmenteita, in the African Rift Valley. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek Journal,09(3):421-430.doi:10.1007/s10482-016-0647-z.
v) Akhwale JK, Göker M, Rohde M, Spröer C, Schumann P, Klenk H-P, Boga HI (2015). Streptomyces alkaliphilus sp. nov., isolated from sediments of lake Elmenteita in the Kenyan Rift Valley. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek Journal, 107(5):1249-1259. doi:10.1007/s10482-015-0418-2.
vi) Akhwale JK, Göker M, Rohde M, Schumann P, Klenk H-P, Boga HI (2015). Belliella kenyensis sp. nov., isolated from the haloalkaline lake Elmenteita in the African Rift Valley. International Journal of Systematics and Evolutionary Microbiology, 65(2): 457-462. doi: 10.1099/ijs.0.066951-0.
Current profession
Current professional activities type:ResearchTeachingDesignation: Lecturer/Researcher Units teaching: Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Applied Biology, Genomic Science Research areas: Microbiology, Phage biocontrol, phage therapy
Workshop and Conference Attended
24 June – 7th July, 2018 Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya. Phages for Global Health, 2nd East Africa Phage Laboratory Training Workshop7-11 March, 2016 . March-May, 2016 Intermediate E-learning Section 3-7 October, 2016 Karatina University, Kenya and Ruiru Resort, Kenya. DAAD DIES ProGRANT Training on writing research proposals for grants7-18 September, 2015 BeCa-ILRI Hub, Nairobi Kenya Advanced genomics and bioinformatics trainingApril-September 2012 Goethe Institute-Nairobi, Kenya (3 months) and InterDaf-Leipzig, Germany (3 months) German Language CourseAffiliations
International Society of Viruses of MicrobesAmerican Society of MicrobiologyOrganization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) -
Other Awards
Aug 2020Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), 2020 OWSD Early Career FellowshipBiocontrol of soft rot causing pectinolytic strains of Erwinia and Pseudomonas bacteria on fruits and vegetables using bacteriophages, to mitigate post-harvest losses for food security.Mar 2020International Foundation for Science (IFS), Individual Research GrantEvaluation of bacteriophages for biocontrol of tomato bacterial wilt diseaseDec 2017The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) TWAS Research Grant in Basic Sciences (Individuals)Evaluation of bacteriophages for biocontrol of tomato bacterial wilt diseaseJul 2017National Research Fund (NRF) Kenya Multidisciplinary (collaboration) Research GrantBioprospecting for bioactive metabolites and biological control agents from soil and aquatic habitats in Kenya.Dec 2013The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)Doctoral (PhD) research in Germany -
Fellowship with OWSD
Fellowship with OWSD
Fellowship awarded
Early Career Fellowship awarded 2020