University
Makerere University
Area of Focus
Plant Breeding and Biotechnology
Education
Hellen Gitonga is a second year PhD student in Plant Breeding and Biotechnology at Makerere University, Uganda. She completed her BSc in Crop Improvement and Protection in 2012 at Kenyatta University, and also obtained an MSc in Plant breeding from Egerton University, Kenya in 2017.
Research & Work
Hellen worked at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) for six years, where she gained firsthand experience in plant breeding research, community outreach, proposal development and academic writing. In addition, between 2013 and 2018, Hellen worked as a part-time lecturer at Egerton University in the Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soil. She has published one journal paper and is preparing to publish more. Her goal is to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in East Africa. Hellen’s research will pave the way for researchers to understand the significance of secondary metabolites in resistance of Cowpea to Flower Bud thrips, therefore enhancing improvement of the crop for farmers.
Publications:
