HEAD OF BIOTECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT, NIGERIAN DEFENCE ACADEMY KADUNA
My research interest has been in the area of Genetic analysis and manipulation of microorganisms. My BSc and MSc degrees were in Applied Microbiology from the then Anambra State University of Technology Awka, currently Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. I joined the services of the Nigerian Defence Academy as an Assistant Lecturer in 2005. In 2011, I received a fully funded scholarship from the Nigerian Tertiary Education Trust Fund to study for a PhD in the United Kingdom. My PhD is in Biomolecular Science from The University of Manchester, UK. My research focus was in understanding the molecular mechanism of inhibition of translation initiation and morphological differentiation by farnesol, a quorum sensing alcohol produced by the human fungal pathogen, Candida albicans. The study revealed some of the key pathways and molecular mechanisms involved in these processes which are critical to the pathogenicity of the fungus. Some of these findings are published in three Journals of International repute. My research has continued on the genetic analysis and manipulation of microorganisms particularly, pathogenic microorganisms. My profile on Google Scholar and ResearchGate has contributed in the enhancement of the global visibility of this prestigious military Academy
I have applied my knowledge of molecular Biology in advancing Modern Biotechnology in my Institution, The Nigerian Defence Academy. My efforts and lead role led to the establishment of the Biotechnology Centre in 2018, of which I was appointed the Head of the Centre and subsequently the pioneer Head of the newly created Department of Biotechnology.
I have served in National assignments as Team Leader for WAEC and member of accreditation team for National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
My professional affiliations include the Biotechnology Society of Nigeria, Microbiology Society of UK, American society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
LIST OF SELECTED JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS
- Nkechi E Egbe; Caroline M Paget; Hiu J Wang and Mark P Ashe (2015) Alcohols inhibit translation to regulate morphogenesis in albicans. Fungal Genetics and Biology 77,50-60.
- Nkechi Egbe, Caroline Paget, Lydia Castelli and Mark Ashe (2017). Farnesol co-ordinately regulates translation and transcription of individual mRNAs to inhibit filamentation in albicans Microbial Cell. 4(9) 294-304.
- Egbe NE, Onuh KC (2019) Eukaryotic Initiation factor 2B complex’s purification from a predominantly diploid organism, albicans by Flag-epitope tagging of the two GCDI alleles. FUTA Journal of Research in Sciences, Vol. 15(2), 2019: 212-219
- Nkechi E Egbe, Chukwu C. Onyedikachi, Ashiru M. Dantata, Surajo Jamalideen and Amaka M. Awanye (2021) The Coronavirus Disease of 2019: Prevention, Management and Treatment Strategies. Journal of Advances in Biology and Biotechnology 24(1):12-24 ISSN:2394-1081
