University
Pan African University and Kenyatta University
Area of Focus
Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
Education
Sylvia Mutinda is a PhD student at the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the PanAfrican University in Kenya, and a research fellow at the Plant Transformation Laboratory at Kenyatta University. Sylvia holds a BEd in Science from Chuka University in Kenya and an MSc in Biotechnology from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). She has worked extensively as a researcher in the field of Molecular Biology, mainly focusing on the application of modern genetic editing tools for combating the parasitic plant, Striga, commonly known as witchweed. Striga attacks the roots of its hosts, siphons nutrients and water causing bewitching effects viz chlorosis and wilting on its hosts.
Research & Work
Sylvia’s research leverages advances in plant sciences, including genomics, genetics, and molecular biology, to manage the parasitic plant, Striga. Striga greatly impacts the production of Africa’s most staple cereals ( i.e. maize, millet, sorghum and rice), reducing their production by as low as 30%, or as high as 100%. This in turn, negatively impacts the income of many poor farmers and, as such, food security in the region. Employment of effective and sustainable host-based Striga control measures is therefore necessary as the existing approaches (cultural, mechanical, chemical, biological and the use of resistant varieties) have only been partially successful.
Specifically, she is interested in harnessing natural sources of Striga resistance in the cereal sorghum and using genome editing technology to introduce Striga resistance in susceptible sorghum. The benefits of this research will be in the identification of novel genetic sources of Striga resistance. The lack of this knowledge has previously limited the applications of genetic engineering and genome editing approaches for sorghum improvement. Sylvia’s work will also provide additional tools for functional genomics in the study of sorghum-Striga interactions. Overall, her research will have far-reaching implications in improving food security in sub-Saharan Africa due to improved sorghum varieties that can grow under Striga infestation.
Publications:
