Climbing up the scientific ladder: Maria Gorreti marks a new phase in her career

Maria, a research technician with the ILRI Biotech theme is passionate about science, specifically animal research and enjoys every minute of her work. From the time she was young she always aspired to be a scientist and it was not by chance or a mistake that she studied Bachelor of science Bsc (Biochemistry, zoology) for … Continue reading →

From an aspiring teacher to an immunologist expert – Jan Naessens lab talk

Jan Naessens, is an immunology expert in livestock research working with the International Livestock Research institute (ILRI) Biotechnology Theme. In this interview we look at his career from the moment when he hardly dreamt of becoming a scientist, his contributions to immunology research, his optimism about CBBP research as well as other interests.   1. … Continue reading →

A Day in the Life of the PAZ Project: Tapeworm [taeniasis] infestation in Busia

‘A Day in the Life of the People, Animals and their Zoonoses (PAZ) Project’, is series of blog articles by several members of ILRI staff working on the PAZ project based in Busia. These staff members, share their first hand experiences, challenges, and highlights of the project, in this post Lorren Alumasa, a clinical technician … Continue reading →

A Day in the Life of the PAZ Project: Laboratory diagnostic of diseases hosted by animals in the PAZ project area

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), jointly with the University of Edinburgh (UK) and the Kenya Medical Research Institute, with additional support from the Kenyan Department of Veterinary Services, operates a laboratory in the town of Busia, in Western Kenya.  It is here that the People, Animals and their Zoonoses (PAZ) project operates a joint … Continue reading →

The long awaited birthday gift: James Gachanja transitions

In this article James Gachanja, who has just retired from ILRI, the place that has been his home for the past 23 years, looks back on his journey at ILRI as he excitedly goes to pursue his farming dream. From an early age, James Gachanja understood the value of livestock. He was educated and brought … Continue reading →

A Day in the Life of the PAZ Project: Pig farming and slaughtering in Western Kenya

Busia County, in Western Kenya is the main research area for the People, Animals and their Zoonoses (PAZ) project. Farmers in this County and its environs are slowly adopting pig farming as an alternative way of earning their livelihoods. There is close interaction between pigs and people as they are either tethered within the homestead … Continue reading →

The (neglected) ties binding human and animal health

“Animal diseases make up 60 per cent of all human pathogens and have a significant impact on poverty. Yet for many years, the worst diseases were sorely neglected by the international community. Eric Fevre describes how this turned around, and what researchers are now doing to tackle it. ‘In the far west of rural Kenya, … Continue reading →

Sheila Ommeh, her journey through agricultural research and passion for chicken research

Sheila Ommeh is one of the few scientists who are devoted chicken research, in this interview, we connect the dots from the moment her initial curiosity on agricultural research was stirred to her current research highlights. Q: Have you always wanted to be a scientist? SO: Yes, my curiosity started in the early 1990s when … Continue reading →

A Day in the Life of the PAZ Project: About the People, Animals and their Zoonoses Project

Western Kenya is a part of the world with high human and livestock population densities, representative more largely of the whole Lake Victoria Crescent ecosystem.  This is a rural area (around 95% of households depend on agriculture as their primary source of livelihoods) where farmers are mixed crop-livestock small-holders – families generally grow crops and … Continue reading →