Dr. Erick Ondari, Kisii University, Kenya
Dr. Erick Nyakundi Ondari, Ph.D., is a distinguished Kenyan researcher and Senior Lecturer at Kisii University, serving as Head of the Department of Biological Sciences. With a strong academic foundation in Biotechnology from Karpagam University, India, Dr. Ondari has cultivated interdisciplinary expertise in nanotechnology, bioinformatics, molecular biology, and natural product research. He has actively contributed to scientific knowledge through impactful publications, global conference presentations, and collaborative research projects, including co-PI roles in multimillion-shilling grants on cervical cancer screening and COVID-19 vaccine development. His work in mechanistic nanoparticle research and phytochemical therapeutics has earned him multiple international honors, including awards from conferences in Thailand, India, and Uganda. Dr. Ondari’s mentoring excellence is evident through his students’ success in securing prestigious fellowships and travel grants. A peer reviewer for top-tier journals, he also contributes to curriculum development and policy advisory roles in Kenyan and East African institutions. Committed to public health outreach, he has led sensitization programs on HIV/AIDS and substance abuse. His technical skills range from flow cytometry to nanomaterial synthesis, backed by certifications in good clinical and laboratory practices, ethics, and bioinformatics. Dr. Ondari is a dynamic force in African STEM advancement, combining research innovation, leadership, and community service with exceptional professionalism.
Publication Profile
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🎓 Educational Background
Dr. Erick Ondari has pursued a comprehensive and interdisciplinary academic journey in the life sciences, particularly in the fields of biotechnology and bioinformatics. He earned his Ph.D. in Biotechnology from Karpagam University, India (2012–2016), focusing on the mechanistic characterization of Tridax procumbens-mediated silver nanoparticles as novel nanocides against Anopheles stephensi. Prior to this, he completed his Master of Science in Biotechnology at AVS College of Arts & Sciences, Periyar University (2009–2011), where his thesis involved amplification of the emm gene to confirm drug resistance in Streptococcus pyogenes in the Salem District. His academic foundation began with a Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology (2006–2009) from KSR College of Arts & Sciences, where he researched the isolation and characterization of Actinomycetes with antibiotic properties. Additionally, Dr. Ondari pursued two postgraduate diplomas at Bharathiar University: one in Chemi-informatics (2011–2012), focused on molecular modeling and docking of the DAP gene from Streptococcus suis and S. parauberis, and another in Bioinformatics (2010–2011), centered on annotating non-coding regions of Streptococci species. His foundational education includes a KCSE from Sameta Boys High School (2005) and KCPE from Sironga D.E.B Primary School (2001), marking the beginning of a distinguished academic and research career.
📘 Professional and Work Experience
Dr. Erick Nyakundi Ondari has amassed a diverse and impactful professional background in academia and research across East Africa and India. Currently, he serves as a Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Biological Sciences at Kisii University’s School of Pure and Applied Sciences, a position he has held since June 2023. He has been a Lecturer at Kisii University since September 2017, contributing to both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and research. From 2018 to 2022, Dr. Ondari was a Visiting Lecturer at Kampala International University – Western Campus, Uganda, where he also served as Head of the Biochemistry Department (2020–2021) and Postgraduate Coordinator (2022). Prior to this, he worked as a Full-Time Lecturer at Kampala International University in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania (2017–2018). His earlier teaching roles include Part-Time Lecturer positions at JKUAT-Kisii Campus, Kisii University, and Africa Nazarene University. Dr. Ondari’s research journey began in India, where he was a Research Scholar at Karpagam University (2012–2015) and a Research Assistant under the University Grants Commission at Bharathiar University (2011–2012). This extensive cross-border academic experience underscores his commitment to education, research, and capacity building in molecular sciences and biotechnology across the region.
🏅 Honors, Grants, and Consultancies
Dr. Erick Ondari has been consistently recognized for his outstanding contributions to biotechnology and health sciences through numerous honors, grants, and consultancies. Notably, he secured an AGNES-Alexander Humboldt Stiftung Travel Grant for his student in 2024 and served as a Guest Speaker at the 2023 International Conference on Trends in Biological Sciences in India, where he presented on “Nanotechnology in Health.” He actively participated in the AfriLSc RNA Salon Symposium and presented groundbreaking research on schistosomiasis diagnostics at an international nursing conference. In 2023, Dr. Ondari received the Best Poster Presentation Award at the Uganda Virus Research Institute symposium. His students have also flourished under his mentorship, winning travel grants to prestigious events like the IBRO World Congress of Neuroscience in Spain. In 2022, he guided a Ph.D. student awarded a DBT-UNESCO-TWAS fellowship for tuberculosis research. As Co-Principal Investigator, he secured a KShs 50 million grant for cervical cancer screening innovations in Kenya and was instrumental in obtaining a multi-million Ugandan Shillings grant for COVID-19 vaccine development with Makerere University. Dr. Ondari also participated in the H3ABioNet IBT Course for bioinformatics, showcasing his commitment to capacity-building and translational research across Africa
🔬 Research Focus
Dr. Erick Ondari’s research is firmly rooted in interdisciplinary biosciences, with a strong emphasis on biotechnology, nanotechnology, bioinformatics, and natural product research. His work predominantly addresses vector control and antimicrobial resistance through the innovative application of green nanotechnology, as demonstrated in his highly cited paper on the optimization of silver nanoparticles for targeting Anopheles stephensi, a malaria vector. His research integrates molecular physiology and nanobiotechnology, focusing on the synthesis, characterization, and biological evaluation of biogenic nanoparticles for mosquitocidal and antimicrobial activity. Dr. Ondari’s contributions to computational biology are evident through molecular modeling and docking studies aimed at understanding protein-ligand interactions in pathogens like Streptococcus suis, Streptococcus parauberis, and Pneumocystis jiroveci. His bioinformatics work on annotating non-coding genomic regions and studying antimicrobial agents from natural phytochemicals underscores his commitment to addressing pressing public health challenges using eco-friendly and precision-based scientific methods. His multidisciplinary expertise positions him within the emerging fields of environmental nanoscience, phytochemical drug discovery, and computational toxicology, making significant impacts on both human health and environmental safety. Dr. Ondari’s research profile aligns well with modern global scientific priorities, especially in neglected tropical diseases, biomedical innovation, and bio-nano interface technologies.
Publication Top Notes
📄 Green chemistry focus on optimization of silver nanoparticles… – Cited by 56 (2015) 🧪🦟
📄 Antimicrobial activity of biogenic silver nanoparticles synthesized using Tridax procumbens L – Cited by 25 (2014) 🌿🧬
📄 Effect of biopolymer stabilized silver nanoparticles on antioxidant genes… – Cited by 6 (2017) 🧫🧠
📄 Annotation of non-coding regions of streptococci family: A case study – Cited by 2 (2013) 🧬🧠
📄 Larvicidal and pupicidal effect of Tridax procumbens mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles… – Cited by 1 (2014) 🦟🌱
📄 Synthetic Biology Industrial Revolution, Social And Ethical Concerns – Not cited (2019) ⚙️🌍
📄 Molecular modeling and docking studies of dihydrodipicolinate reductase enzyme… – Not cited (2014) 💻🧪
📄 Secondary metabolites from Annona squamosa as a potential antimicrobial agent – Not cited (2014) 🍃🧫
📄 Molecular modeling approach and RMSD calibration for superimposed 3D structure… – Not cited (2014) 🧠🖥️