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Newcastle disease is economically important in sub-Saharan Africa often causing devastating losses to indigenous poultry farmers who are mostly women and the youth. In Kenya very little research has been done in terms of the molecular epidemiology of the virus causing the disease as well as the response especially of the indigenous chicken which is the most popular of the poultry species in sub-Saharan Africa. The work focused on garnering more understanding on the host-pathogen interactions of Avian Paramyxovirus Serotype 1 (APMV-1) which is the causative agent of Newcastle disease using a genomics, transcriptomics, and molecular evolution approach. The results should pave way for more elaborate studies that will have an impact in vaccine development and molecular diagnostics as well as genomic selection for Newcastle disease resistance.
About the author
Dr. Sheila Cecily Ommeh is a molecular geneticist at the Institute of Biotechnology Research at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Kenya. She has over ten years research experience working on the genetics of indigenous poultry which includes chicken. She currently lives in Nairobi with her husband and two sons.
