Dr. Lucy M. Kamau  Short Biography

A Kenya national by birth

A Senior lecturer at Kenyatta University, School of Pure and Applied Sciences, Department of Zoological Sciences, since 2014 (first appointment as Tutorial Fellow in 1994). Teaching Parasitology, Physiology and Molecular Biology courses.

Research interests include:

Development of anti-parasite vaccines (particularly anti-vector) to control ticks and tick-borne pathogens.
Research in herbal medicines to against parasitic disease.
Research on proteins for uses in parasite diagnostics.

Holds Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Master of Science (comparative Mammalian Phsiology), both University of Nairobi, Kenya and PhD in Parasitology (Kenyatta University, Kenya.

Has undertaken research on anti-tick vaccines using recombinant expression in bacteria and insect cells as part of PhD research and post-doctoral. With other partners, has been involved in community engagement projects with small scale farmers in Laikipia which is within arid and semi-arid region in Kenya. During the project farmers were enlightened about ticks biology, their involvement in livestock disease transmission and control/ prevention methods as well animal husbandry practices for improvement of economic gains.

Also involved in postgraduate students research supervision, thesis writing and examination

Some publications

Collince J. Omondi, Daniel Onguru, Lucy Kamau, Mark Nanyingi, George Ong’amo and Benson Estambale (2017). Perennial transmission of malaria in the low altitude areas of Baringo County, Kenya. Malaria Journal 16:257

Collince Jared Omondi, Lucy Muthoni Kamau, Humphrey Kariuki Njaanake, Douglas Anyona, Daniel Onguru, Benson Estambale3 (2017). Evaluation of Three Rapid Diagnostic Test Kits in the Diagnosis of Plasmodium Species Infections among Primary School Children in Baringo County. Kenya. Open Journal of Clinical Diagnostics, 7, 31-44.

Janeffer N. Njuguna Michael M. Gicheru Lucy M. Kamau and Peter M. Mbatha (2017). Incidence and knowledge of bovine brucellosis in Kahuro district, Murang’a County, Kenya.  Trop Anim Health Prod (2017) 49:1035–1040.

Kamau L.M., Skilton R.A., Githaka N, Kiara H., Kabiru E., Shah T., Musoke A., Bishop R.P. (2016). Extensive polymorphism of Ra86 genes in field populations of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus from Kenya. Ticks Tick Borne Diseases. 2016

Esther G. Kanduma, Joram M. Mwacharo, Naftaly W. Githaka, Peter W. Kinyanjui, Joyce N. Njuguna, Lucy M. Kamau, Edward Kariuki, Stephen Mwaura, Robert A. Skilton and Richard P. Bishop (2016). Analyses of mitochondrial genes reveal two sympatric but genetically divergent lineages of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus in Kenya. Parasites & Vectors 9:353

Githaka, N., Konnai, S., Bishop, R., Odongo, D., Lekolool, I., Kariuki, E., Gakuya, F., Kamau, L., Isezaki, M., Murata, S., Ohashi, K. (2014). Identification and sequence characterization of novel Theileria genotypes from the waterbuck (Kobus defassa) in a Theileria parva-endemic area in Kenya. Veterinary Parasitology http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2014.02.056.

Lucy M. Kamau, Harry W. Wright, Alasdair J. Nisbet, Alan S. Bowman (2013). Development of an RNA-interference procedure for gene knockdown in the poultry red mite, Dermanysus gallinae: Studies on Histamine Releasing Factor and Cathepsin-D. African Journal of Biotechnology 12(12) 1350-1356.

L. Kamau, R.A. Skilton, D.O Odongo, S. Mwaura, N. Githaka, E. Kanduma, M. Obura, E. Kabiru, A. Orago, A. Musoke and R.P Bishop (2011). Differential transcription of two highly divergent gut-expressed Bm86 antigen gene homologues in the tick Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (Acari: Ixodida). Insect Molecular Biology 2011 20 (1) 105-114

David O. Odongo, Lucy Kamau, Robert Skilton , Stephen  Mwaura , Cordula Nitsch, Evans Taracha , Antony  Musoke , Claudia Daubenberger, Richard Bishop (2007). Vaccination of cattle with TickGARD induces cross-reactive antibodies binding to conserved linear peptides of Bm86 homologues in Boophilus decoloratus.  Vaccine Vol. 25 (2007); 1287-1296.