Dr
Winnie
Okeyo
I have a doctoral degree in Biotechnology from Maseno University. The research work was done at Yale University, U.S.A in collaboration with Biotechnology Research Institute of KALRO. I worked on the genetic population structure of G. pallidipes tsetse flies in time and space in Kenya. Previously, I attained a Master's degree in Medical Biotechnology also from Maseno University. Here I worked on specific single nucleotide polymorphisms in paediatric hosts of Malaria, and how these SNP's increases susceptibility of malaria advancing into severe anaemia malaria. My undergraduate degree was in NBiomedical Sciences and Technology, also from Maseno University.
I have a passion for Neglected Tropical Diseases, with a focus on insect-vectored tropical diseases. I focus on single or multiple nucleotide changes such as SNPs, Microsatellites and Mitochondrial DNA to understand the differences in populations, and how these changes affect certain traits such as susceptibility to the disease, drug resistance, or simply the spatial population structure. I have been working on the genetic population structure of tsetse flies in Kenya. Tsetse flies are the insect vector of the trypanosome parasite, that causes human and animal African trypanosomiasis. In addition to population genetics, I also look at natural endosymbionts occurring in the insect gut and reproductive organs that could be explored as a control tool for the disease. Some confer protection to the tsetse fly against the parasite, and thus avoiding its transmission to hosts. I also have been working on preliminary lab-based experiments on the effect of radiation on the biology of lab-reared tsetse flies that would be used for sterile insect technique.
- Population structure of G. pallidipes tsetse flies from North western Kenya. These are population that haven't been included in previous analyses of the population structure of this species in Kenya.
- Preliminary lab-based experiments on the effects of radiation on lab-reared G. pallidipes to be used for the Sterile Insect Technique.
- Screening of endosymbionts (Wolbachia and Spiroplasma) in natural G. pallidipes populations in Kenya.