PAN AFRICA CHEMISTRY NETWORK
Alejandra Palermo (PhD FRSC)
PACN Manager,
Royal Society of Chemistry,
Burlington House,
Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BA
Alejandra Palermo graduated as a chemical engineer (Argentina) and her undergraduate studies included a period at the Chemical Engineering Department of the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, where she worked on separations and tower dryers. Her subsequent PhD research in Materials Science dealt with theoretical and experimental studies of diffusion of high molecular weight hydrocarbons in zeolites.
She went on to become an Assistant Professor in Chemical Engineering (UNMDP, Argentina) before joining the Chemistry Department at Cambridge University under a Royal Society Visiting Fellowship. She was subsequently awarded the position of CONICET External Research Fellow and for the next 7 years she continued to work in Cambridge in the field of heterogeneous catalysis and surface science. She has over 50 publications in the area of diffusion, heterogeneous catalysis, solid state electrochemistry and surface science, including synchrotron radiation methods.
Professor of chemistry at the University of Nairobi, Dr Wandiga's research interests include coordination and environmental chemistry, the sources and sinks of biogenic gases; and climate change and health. He is a former Chair of Kenya's National Academy of Sciences and national committee of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program, and has chaired the Pan-African Committee of START (the global change SysTem for Analysis, Research and Training) since 2001.
Prof. Jacob O Midiwo undertook his PhD studies in Organic Chemistry at the University of Maryland, College Park, USA studying fungal mycotoxins which had potential in cancer chemotherapy. He graduated from that University in 1981 and took up lectureship position at his alma mater, University of Nairobi where he has risen through the ranks to full professorship.
Prof. Midiwo has done research on the secondary metabolites of popular Kenyan medicinal plants from a range of plant families: Myrsinaceae, Polygonaceae, Papilionacea, Compositae, Rutaceae and Sapindaceae. He has published over 60 papers in refereed international journals describing the structures and bioactivity of compounds with various bioassay models- anti-plasmodial, mosquito larvicidal, insect antifeedant effects and their capacity as anti-oxidants - in search of their potential application.
Professor Jacob Midiwo
University of Nairobi
Exec. Secretary, NAPRECA
Exec. Secretary, PACN Kenya Hub
Professor Shem O. Wandiga
University of Nairobi
Chair, PACN Kenya Hub
Meet the team
Ruth Odhiambo undertook her undergraduate studies in BEd (Sc) at Egerton University where she graduated in 1993. She taught Chemistry and Maths in High School for 14 years where she held various positions as Head of Chemistry and Head of Science Department.
She later joined Kenyatta University and graduated in 2007 with an MSc degree in Physical Chemistry. Her research work involved synthesis and electrochemical studies of redox-active polynuclear complexes which are of current potential technological interest.
In 2008, she joined PACN Kenya as the Administrator.
Mrs Ruth Odhiambo
PACN Kenya Administrator
Dr Muniru Khamis Tsanuo,
Chairman/Senior Lecturer, Chemistry Department
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology (JKUAT),
Muniru Khamis Tsanuo graduated with B.Ed (Science, Chemistry/Physics) Kenyatta University (KU). He worked as a graduate teacher for one and a half years with Teachers Service Commission, Kenya. He registered for MSc (Chemistry) at KU where he researched on insect anti-feedants from medicinal plant, Elaodendron buchananii before joining Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology as a Teaching Assistant. He was later awarded A DAAD in country PhD scholarship and research on striga-affecting semiochemicals associated with root exudates of Desmodium uncinatum. Tsanuo has over 11 publications in the area of Natural products Chemistry, phyto and bioremediation. In 2003 He was promoted to senior Lecturer and 2006 appointed Chairman, Chemistry Department. Member, NAPRECA Kenya and The Kenya Chemical Society
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