Students feted for outstanding performance in biotechnology

Four students have been recognised for exceptional academic performance in biotechnology by the Kenya University Biotech Consortium (Kubico).

The awardees include two students from the University of Nairobi (UoN) and two from Kenyatta University (KU).

Representing UoN were Ondieki Kerubo Precious and Mwihaki Lucy Waititu, while Amos Ndoli Phares and Sarah Rombo Awuor represented KU. All the winners received trophies, certificates and monetary awards in recognition of their achievements.

Lucy, expressed joy for the award. “Today, l am deeply grateful and honoured to receive this award as a biotechnology student. This recognition motivates me to work even harder and contribute meaningfully to this field,” she says.

She urges the government to invest in more biotechnology laboratories, emphasizing their importance in training, especially conducting experiments and inspiring the next generation of scientists.

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Lucy is encouraging more students to pursue careers in biotechnology, to help many African countries, including Kenya facing challenges in producing enough food to feed their population.

Ndoli says news of the award caught him off guard.

“For the first time since joining the university, l feel truly motivated and appreciate the course l’m pursuing. This recognition is an incentive that will open more opportunities for me,” he says.

He often spends long hours in the biotech lab, where the work can be isolating.

Ndoli emphasizes the importance of learning how to communicate and share research directly, rather than relying on others to do so.

Prof Richard Oduor, the registrar in charge of Research at Kenyatta University says the future of biotechnology is rapidly advancing, with growing interest and innovation across all the disciplines.

“We are seeing new innovations emerging in the 21st century. We want to encourage young people in this field to start appreciating and adopting these emerging trends. For a long time, the discussions around biotechnology have primarily been advanced by older scientists,” he says. 

The Prof of Molecular and Cell Biology notes that biotechnology has become one of the premier courses in Kenyan universities. Currently, there is a noticeable increase in student interest, with many applying for admission.

“We are seeing a growing trend of students applying for biotechnology related courses, including biomedical engineering, informatics in food security and food financing and sustainability,” Prof Oduor says.

Emphasizing the need for more structured and informed discussions around biotechnology, he raises concern about the impact of GMO ban in Kenya on future job opportunities for students pursuing biotech related courses.

“It is not making sense that we are recruiting top students into universities, pursue biotechnology, only for them to graduate and find they can’t practice because of the limitations now defined by judicial rulings and political disputes. It means, the courts have become the supreme regulator of biotechnology,” he explains.

Despite the challenges, he’s happy that no university has decommissioned any of its biotechnology programmes during the ban.

Prof Oduor calls for sensitisation of the judicial system, parliamentarians and relevant stakeholders to ensure informed and balanced discussions about biotechnology in Kenya. 

Dr Joel Ochieng, who leads Biotechnology Programmes at the UoN says although the awards honoured students from two universities, there are plans to include more universities, starting 2026.

“This year, we inaugurated this process by awarding the best performing students at UoN and KU. Next year, we plan to extend to Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and Egerton University, followed by, Masinde Muliro and Maseno, and eventually all universities through single national award,” he says.

Dr Ochieng who also serves as Kubico Secretary General says the award aims to motivate students pursuing biotechnology and related courses in Kenyan universities.

“We hope the awards will inspire current students and encourage those coming after them to work harder and view biotechnology as a lucrative area of research and training. Biotechnology plays a critical role in ensuring food security,” he says.

“Young biotechnologists don’t necessarily have to seek employed, but they can create innovative, income-generating opportunities that contribute to food and nutrition security in Kenya,” he adds..

Prof Charles Muleke, a specialist in Molecular Plastology and Immunology from Egerton University emphasizes that the world cannot thrive without biotechnology.

He highlights the importance of training young people in biotechnology. “Youths are the future of this country and the world at large. If we don’t equip them with knowledge of modern biotechnology, there will be no one to carry it forward,” he explains.

Prof Muleke explains that biotechnology impacts many aspects of everyday life, from the light we use to the medicines we depend on. Among the many products we derive from biotechnology include lighting systems, drugs and medicines, all developed for the benefit of humanity.

Discussing the role of biotechnology in agriculture, Prof Muleke argues that traditional farming methods alone cannot meet the world’s growing food demands. He explains, “We cannot produce enough food using outdated techniques. We must adopt improved methods, many of which are rooted in biotechnology,” he says.

He says biotechnology plays a crucial role in developing modern fertiliser and techniques like Artificial Insemination, which boost milk and meat production.