HELLEN KAJUJU MBAYA
Summary
PROFILE SUMMARY Highly committed and experienced biotechnology policy professional with 7 years' experience working for the National Biosafety Authority (NBA), Kenya. I was responsible for ensuring compliance and enforcement of the regulatory framework for agricultural biotechnology products specifically the Biosafety Act, 2009, Regulations, Guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures. This was during development, transfer, handling and use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) for food, feed, research or trade to ensure safety of human and animal health and provision of protection of the environment.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work history
Seminar coordinator
Center, Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health, CTLGH
09.2022 - Current
Royal, Dick
02.2022 - 06.2023
University of Edinburgh
•Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems
- 11.2022
- Guest lecture for undergraduate teaching- October to, Support with hybrid teaching-May to November 2021
Principal Biosafety Officer
National Biosafety Authority, NBA
03.2018 - 08.2019
- Assign duties and supervise Biosafety Officers as well as exercising administrative functions (chairing departmental and consultative meetings, setting departmental targets, appraise subordinates, prepare departmental budgets, approve biosafety officers request documents, draft response letters on enquiries for CEO's signature etc.)
- Lead the development of guidelines and procedures for classification, registration and inspection of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) testing laboratories, greenhouses and containment facilities
- Lead the development of guidelines on GMO sampling, detection and analysis as well as Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for ensuring compliance to the various Biosafety regulations
- Coordinate the establishment and operationalization of Institutional Biosafety Committees in research institutions engaged in biotechnology / biosafety (GMO) research-related activities
- Coordinate GMOs regulatory activities with other government regulatory agencies with Biosafety mandates
- Ensuring periodic inspection and monitoring of approved GMO projects and facilities and reviews the reports
- Ensuring routine GMO market surveillance and approve (for onward transmission) target consignments for import/export/transit in the Kenya Electronic Single Window System portal
- Ensuring timely analysis of samples for genetic modification (GM) as well as reviewing GM analysis report ensuring timely issuance of reports and certificates
- Reviewing project proposals for funding by development partners and supervising implementation of Biosafety projects
- Tracking the implementation of the Authority's Strategic Plan in the areas of compliance and enforcement and review departmental, monthly and quarterly reports, work plans, performance targets, budgets and appraisals.
Biosafety Officer
National Biosafety Authority, NBA
08.2012 - 02.2018
- Develop, maintain, and continually update our organization's GE applications register and database of approved projects
- Visit project sites and facilities conducting research involving GE plants or animals prior to approval by our Authority
- Provide periodic inspection of approved GE projects
- For example, during the planting, deflowering and harvesting stages
- Participate in public awareness forums and outreach activities to create Biosafety awareness around the country
- Involved in sampling of consignments of foods and related items for analysis to ensure compliance with the Biosafety law, regulations and the required standards
- Conduct surveillance of commodities of interest at our border posts (Namanga, JKIA, Busia and Mombasa) as well as general market surveillance of GMOs in selected counties within Kenya
- Receive GMO applications in the Authority, screening for administrative and technical completeness
- Liaise with regulators, applicants, expert reviewers and stakeholders in analysis of feedback from regulators, expert reviewers and public comments
- Assist in compilation of risk assessment report, preparation of Board papers, decision documents and approval documents
- Ensure and assure safe development, transfer, handling and use of genetically modified organism
- Perform inspections and surveillance of GMO activities within the country
- Interact effectively with a diverse group of staff, students and other customers of NBA services
- Hospitality Industries Support Program (HISP), (Centre for Microbiology Research)
Kenya Medical Research Institute
10.2010 - 05.2011
- Stool examination to check for ova and cyst of parasites that can be transmitted by food handlers while handling food
- Took part in preparing stool culture to confirm presence of Salmonella or other infectious microbes in a specimen
- Trained and conducted Phlebotomy of food handlers to screen for microbes and infections that may be transmitted while handling food in hotels and restaurants
- Notable Accomplishments
- Supported the team in carrying out urinalysis of food handler's urine specimen to screen for infections
- Managed the performance of Widal test for screening of Salmonella in food handlers and as a result we carried out a PCR identification of Salmonella in stool of food handlers
- This enabled the senior teams to sensitise the communities on potential risk of contracting diseases.
Industrial
East African Breweries Limited
02.2009 - 04.2009
- Measured carbon dioxide (CO2), color, bitterness, alcohol content and specific gravity in green beer and made sure it conforms to set parameters
- Cultured green beer at 37C for 8-24hrs in the microbiology lab and screened for contaminants in beer
- Cultured rinse water used to clean beer storage tanks and checked effectiveness of cleaning chemicals
- Trained on how to carry out the packaged beer analysis which involved culture of packaged beer samples to check for contaminants in the final beer product.
Education
PhD - Agriculture and Food Systems focusing
University of Edinburgh
Master of Science Degree - Molecular Biology
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya Medical Research Institute
Bachelor of Science Degree - Microbiology
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
2009
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S - undefined
Loreto High School
2004
Skills
- Logistical planning
- Microsoft Office
- Strategic research
Accomplishments
- Training course on Regulation of GMOs and Biosafety Communication, organized by ISAAA in Mombasa, Kenya-June 19th -20th, 2013: RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS
- Masters research project on, Molecular Identification of Echinococcus Genotypes from livestock slaughtered in selected abattoirs in Meru and Isiolo Counties in Kenya; Kenya Medical Research Institute, Centre for Microbiology Research-Molecular Biology Laboratory, January 2012 to July 2012
- Publication: Echinococcus spp
- In central Kenya: a different story, Parasitology Research (2014) 113:3789-3794: DOI 10.1007/s00436-014-4045-z
- PhD research project on: Regulation, traceability and stakeholder engagement for genome editing technology
- Publication: Mbaya H, Lillico S, Kemp S, Simm G and Raybould A (2022) Regulatory frameworks can facilitate or hinder the potential for genome editing to contribute to sustainable agricultural development
- Front
- Bioeng
- Biotechnol.
Interests
;
, Large Animal Genetic Engineering Summit in Bethesda, Maryland, USA-September 18th -23rd, 2016;
Biotechnology Regulation Immersion Course-Cochran Fellowship Program in Columbia, University of Missouri, USA; September 28th - October 10th, 2015;
Training course on Communicating Biosafety Issues with the Media held organized by ISAAA at Pride Inn, Lantana Suites, Nairobi; September 14th -15th, 2015;
One-week course on Biosafety in Agricultural Biotechnology organized by NEPAD-ABNE at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; July 13th -17th, 2015;
Completed online course on Understanding Low Level Presence in Agricultural Biotechnology organized by the Center for Environmental Risk Assessment (CERA); March 11th, 2015;
Completed online course on Confined Field Trials of Genetically Engineered plants organized by the Center for Environmental Risk Assessment (CERA); January 29th, 2015;
Attended 2nd International Workshop on Regulation of Animal Biotechnology in Brasilia, Brazil-August 18th -21st, 2014;
International Biosafety Short Course organized by NEPAD-ABNE at the University of Bobo-dioulasso, Burkina Faso-November 3rd -9th, 2013;
International Summer School of Epidemiology, Ulm, Germany; July 22nd -26th ,2013:, INTERESTS AND HOBBIES
, Reading inspirational, fiction and research books, travelling and community service.
Languages
English
Advanced
Timeline
Seminar coordinator
Center, Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health, CTLGH
09.2022 - Current
Royal, Dick
02.2022 - 06.2023
Principal Biosafety Officer
National Biosafety Authority, NBA
03.2018 - 08.2019
Biosafety Officer
National Biosafety Authority, NBA
08.2012 - 02.2018
Kenya Medical Research Institute
10.2010 - 05.2011
Industrial
East African Breweries Limited
02.2009 - 04.2009
University of Edinburgh
•Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems
- 11.2022
PhD - Agriculture and Food Systems focusing
University of Edinburgh
Master of Science Degree - Molecular Biology
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya Medical Research Institute
Bachelor of Science Degree - Microbiology
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S - undefined
Loreto High School
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