Dr. David Mburu
^{Senior Lecturer, DBS}

He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biological Sciences from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), a Master of Science Degree in Tropical Entomology from the University of Zimbabwe under African Regional Postgraduate Programme in Insect Science (ARPPIS) fellowship. In the MSc fellowship he worked with mosquitoes. After the Masters fellowship, David worked as a senior Medical Representative for Bristol Myers Squibb in Nairobi and Machakos detailing health products to clinicians for management of Upper and Lower respiratory tracts-, Cardio- and dermatological infections. He later earned a PhD in Zoology from JKUAT under ARPPIS fellowship in which he gained hands-on exposure in tools utility for, Molecular-and-Micro Biology, Biotechnology, Chemical analytics,
electrophysiology and Biostatistics.
David Mburu is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences. In 2010, he started the conversation with Prof. Sam Kinyanjui, the Director of IDeAL and Head of Training and Capacity Building, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP). David followed up the conversation, marshalled it to, conceptualization, development and finally signing, in 2013, of the now operational MOU between Pwani University (PU) and KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP). The MOU opened up
avalanche of reality starting with Pwani University Biosciences Research Center (PUBReC) with a strong Steering Committee in which, David Mburu is an active member. PUBReC steering committee members have attracted joint research grant funding in collaboration with multi-institutional partners. For instance, David is also engaged in Eastern Africa Network in Bioinformatics Training (EANBiT), an NIH funded project since 2017. EANBiT has been training high quality MSc. in Bioinformatics graduates since 2018 to-date.
Additionally, since 2019, PUBReC coupled with inter-institutional support on the platform of the MOU is also supporting a course in MSc. Immunology in which, David Mburu is engaged in mentorship. He was also involved in establishment of the Postgraduate Diploma in Research Methods (PGD) as supported under the MOU from which many graduates have been mentored. David is also engaged in various committees of Pwani University.
David has the expertise, leadership, training and motivation necessary to successfully foster further collaborative frameworks. His postgraduate supervisory, co-supervision and mentorship role has had 8
and 2 MSc scholars to completion and on-going, respectively. These are spread across disciplines of interest including Bioinformatics, Metagenomics, Public Health, Vector Biology, Chemical analytics, Immunology and Basic Biology. Further, 2 PhD scholars are on-going. Moreover, he has taught and
mentored undergraduatessince 2007 and postgraduate since 2009 at University level in courses in Vector Biology, Immunology, Parasitology, Insect Biochemistry, Proteomic and Biostatistics.
Advanced trainings: David has had several advanced trainings. Some of the selected few includes, 2-weeks hands-on training on multiple Glossina genome annotation (2015), 2-weeks hands-on training on use of geographic information systems and remote sensing for diseases vectors (2016). Both trainings were through Yale University under NIH funding. Additionally, he had a 5-weeks hand-on residential training in Bioinformatics through EANBiT(2018), 4-day Flow Cytometry and Bioinformatics Training
workshop (KENBOP: 2018), which added propensity for more personal Bioinformatics training using online platforms including that of Human Heredity and Health in Africa, H3Africa (2020).
Selected Professional Memberships: David is a member of Pan-African Mosquito Control Association (PAMCA), American Association for Advancement to Science (AAAS), Human Heredity and Health in
Africa(H3Africa) and Application of Novel Transgenic Technology and Inherited Symbionts to Vector Control (ANTiVeC).

Selected On-going Research funding

1. Eastern Africa Network for Bioinformatics Training – (EANBiT)- to develop a Training program for Bioinformatics
   in Eastern Africa. NIH; Grant No. 1 U2R TW010677-01, NIH; Masiga,D.K (PI),09/05/17-08/31/22, $1.3M.
2. Developing Pwani University Bioscience Research Centre (PUBReC) – A Model for enhancing Bio-research in LocalUniversities. National Research Fund (NRF)-Kenya, Rono,M.K (PI),01/27/17-01/01/22, $450,980.4
3. Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles arabiensis genetic diversity and association with insecticide resistance in Kenya- to create New partnership to accelerate research on Anopheles Genomics in Africa. BMGF/PAMCA; Grant No. OPP 12/10/2021, Kamau, L (PI), $100,000
4. Comparative molecular role of Glossina austeni in the epidemiology of livestock and human trypanosomosis at the Kenyan coast – to determine prevalence and genetic variants of trypanosomes among Glossina austeni livestock along the Kenya coast. PU/PURF/2017/012, PURF. Mburu, D (PI) 04/25/17-05/25/2022, $5,000
5. Development of evidence-based policy recommendations for snakebite awareness, education andmanagement: Sakthi, V(PI) £300,000 UKRI (Suspended, UK freeze on projects)

Selected publications

1. Dzeha T, Nyiro C, Kardasopoulos D, Mburu D, Mwafaida J, Hall MJ, Burgess JG. UV Resistance of bacteria from the Kenyan Marine cyanobacterium Moorea producens. Microbiologyopen. 2019 Apr;8(4):e00697. Pub MedPMID: 30123980; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6460272.
2. Mburu DM, Maniania NK, Hassanali A. Comparison of volatile blends and nucleotide sequences of two Beauveria bassiana isolates of different virulence and repellency towards the termite Macrotermes michealseni. J Chem Ecol. 2013 Jan;39(1):101-8. PubMed PMID: 23111683.
3. Mburu DM, Ndung’u MW, Maniania NK, Hassanali A. Comparison of volatile blends and gene sequences of two isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae of different virulence and repellency toward the termite Macrotermes michaelseni. J Exp Biol. 2011 Mar 15;214(Pt 6):956-62. PubMed PMID: 21346123.
4. Mburu DM, Ochola L, Maniania NK, Njagi PG, Gitonga LM, Ndung’u MW, Wanjoya AK, Hassanali A. Relationship between virulence and repellency of entomopathogenic isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveriabassiana to the termite Macrotermes michaelseni. J Insect Physiol. 2009 Sep;55(9):774-80. PubMed PMID: 19442668
5. e. Authors: Godfrey Nattoh, Tracy Maina, Lilian Mbaisi, Enock Mararo, Edward E Makhulu, Evan Teal, Juan Paredes,
6. Joel Bargul, David M Mburu, Everline A Onyango, Gabriel Magoma, Steven P Sinkins, Jeremy Keith (2021).
7. HerrenHorizontal transmission of the symbiont Microsporidia MB in Anopheles arabiensis
8. Journal: Frontiers in Microbiology, section Microbial Symbioses
9. Status: Accepted