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Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics

The Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics is a doctoral programme offered at JKUAT and at the University of Nairobi through the Centre for Biotechnology and Bioinformatics (CEBIB). It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in molecular biology, bioinformatics and computational biology. The programme addresses Kenya's molecular biology research and bioinformatics development needs.

Duration
3-5 years
Next intake January 2027
Public tuition
Ksh 428,000
Ksh 1,284,000 to Ksh 2,140,000 total
Private tuition
Ksh 288,000
Ksh 864,000 to Ksh 1,440,000 total
Job market
High
Market demand for graduates

The short answer

What it costs
Up to Ksh 428,000 a year at a public institution, Ksh 1,284,000 to Ksh 2,140,000 for the whole course. Up to Ksh 288,000 a year at a private one.The detail
Who can get in
A KCSE mean grade of Masters Degree or above, plus 1 subject grade. There is another way in without it.The detail
How long, and when
Takes 3-5 years, full-time, part-time, with 0 months of attachment. Next intake January 2027, at 5 institutions.The detail
Where it leads
8 careers in the catalogue. The least exposed to AI is Forensic DNA Scientist, at 15 out of 100.The detail

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Overview

Students engage with advanced topics in molecular biology, genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics algorithms, computational biology, sequence analysis, structural bioinformatics, systems biology, molecular modelling and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops molecular biology and bioinformatics insights for Kenya's health, agriculture and environmental challenges.

Kenya's genomics research needs, agricultural biotechnology, health genomics, pathogen surveillance, drug discovery, biodiversity research and the demand for computational biology create demand for doctoral-level molecular biology and bioinformatics expertise. The programme supports Kenya's biotechnology and genomics development goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, computational sessions and supervised research. At JKUAT, PhD in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics is offered with duration 3-5 years. Application fee KSh 1,500. At UoN, CEBIB offers PhD in Bioinformatics (I837) by research only, minimum 6 semesters, maximum 14 semesters.

Tuition KSh 396,000/year, Year 1 total KSh 428,000, Year 2 KSh 423,000, Year 3 KSh 473,000, total KSh 1,324,000 over 3 years. Students must publish at least 2 peer-reviewed articles. Admission open throughout the year.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, bioinformatics researchers, computational biologists, genomics scientists and biotechnology consultants. They work in universities, KEMRI, ILRI, ICIPE, biotechnology firms and research institutes.

What you study

10 subjects
  • Advanced Molecular Biology and Genomics
  • Bioinformatics Algorithms and Sequence Analysis
  • Proteomics and Protein Bioinformatics
  • Computational Biology and Systems Biology
  • Structural Bioinformatics and Molecular Modelling
  • Genome Assembly and Annotation
  • Phylogenetics and Molecular Evolution
  • Next-Generation Sequencing Data Analysis
  • Machine Learning in Bioinformatics
  • Research Methods in Molecular Biology

Modules

8 in the programme

  • Advanced Molecular Biology and Genomics

    Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore

    Molecular biology, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.

  • Bioinformatics Algorithms and Sequence Analysis

    Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore

    Bioinformatics algorithms, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and current analytical techniques used in advanced research and professional practice.

  • Structural Bioinformatics and Molecular Modelling

    Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore

    Structural bioinformatics, covering mathematical and computational modelling techniques, simulation methods, and their application in research and analysis.

  • Next-Generation Sequencing Data Analysis

    Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore

    NGS analysis, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and current analytical techniques used in advanced research and professional practice.

  • Machine Learning in Bioinformatics

    Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore

    Machine learning, examining pedagogical theories, educational frameworks, and their application in teaching, learning, and curriculum development.

  • Research Methods in Molecular Biology

    Year 2Semester 33 creditsCore

    Research design and methodology, covering quantitative and qualitative approaches, data collection techniques, and analytical frameworks relevant to doctoral-level research in the field.

  • Departmental Seminars

    Year 3Semester 13 creditsCore

    Research presentations and peer review of doctoral work, providing a platform for doctoral candidates to present research findings, engage with peer feedback, and explore contemporary debates in.

  • Thesis Research

    Year 3Semester 26 creditsCore

    Doctoral thesis research and dissertation writing, involving original research, literature review, data analysis, and the production of a doctoral dissertation contributing new knowledge to the.

Specialisations

  • Structural Bioinformatics

    Research on structural bioinformatics

  • Genomics

    Research on genomics

  • Systems Biology

    Research on systems biology

  • Machine Learning in Biology

    Research on ML in bioinformatics

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting molecular biology research, running computational analyses on genomic data, developing bioinformatics pipelines, reviewing literature, attending seminars on genomics and computational biology, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with KEMRI, ILRI and CEBIB for research collaboration.

The trade-offs

In its favourAgainst it
Kenya's genomics research creates strong demandUoN PhD is expensive (KSh 1,324,000 total)
Access to CEBIB, KEMRI, ILRI and ICIPERequires both laboratory and computational skills
Research contributes to health and agricultureHigh-performance computing resources may be limited

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 191 technology courses
Public170k to 428k
170k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology428k at University of Nairobi
Private168k to 288k
168k at Kenya Methodist University288k at Kabarak University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

UoN 428K/yr Y1(cebib.uonbi.ac.ke). JKUAT 170K unverified. KeMU 168K/yr(eafinder). Kabarak 288K/yr

HELB provides postgraduate loans. DAAD offers scholarships for postgraduate study. NACOSTI provides research grants for science and technology research.

Funding options

  • HELB Postgraduate Loan

  • DAAD Kenya Scholarship

  • NACOSTI Research Grant

Scholarships

3 recorded

  • NACOSTI Research Grant

    GrantKenyan

    Science and technology researchers in Kenya

  • HELB Postgraduate Scholarship

    LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan

    Kenyan postgraduate students

  • DAAD Kenya Scholarship

    ScholarshipKenyan

    Postgraduate students in Kenya

Scholarships you could apply for

2 usable where it is taught
Save one and be reminded before it closes

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade
Masters Degreeminimum entry
Alternative entry

At JKUAT: Master's degree in relevant field from JKUAT or recognised institution. 3-5 years. Application fee KSh 1,500. At UoN CEBIB: MSc in Biological and Physical Sciences, Bioinformatics, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry or equivalent from UoN or recognised institution. I837. By research only. Must submit detailed research proposal at application. Admission open throughout the year.

Subject requirements
MSc in Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology, Biochemistry or related fieldRelevant Masters from recognised university

When it next starts

Taught at 5 institutions
January 20275 institutions

Including Maseno University, University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University.

May 20275 institutions

Including Maseno University, University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University.

September 20275 institutions

Including Maseno University, University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University.

How you are assessed

3 components

  • Research Seminars

    Continuous assessment20% of the mark

    Seminar presentations and research progress reports

  • Thesis

    Thesis60% of the mark

    Doctoral thesis research, 2 peer-reviewed publications, submission and oral defence

  • Thesis Proposal Defence

    Oral defence20% of the mark

    Defence of research proposal before faculty panel

Accreditation

  • Commission for University Education

    AcademicRequired

    Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at JKUAT (PhD in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, 3-5 years, total approximately KSh 510,500) and University of Nairobi (CEBIB, PhD in Bioinformatics I837, total KSh 1,324,000 over 3 years, by research only, minimum 6 semesters, must publish 2 articles).

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

  • Genomics Scientist

    High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000

    Genomics at research institutes

  • Computational Biologist

    High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000

    Computational biology at biotechnology firms

  • Bioinformatics Researcher

    High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000

    Research at KEMRI and research institutes

  • University Professor

    High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000

    Teaching and research in biology departments

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, bioinformatics researchers, computational biologists and genomics scientists. They work at KEMRI, ILRI, ICIPE, biotechnology firms and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Common misconceptions

  • Bioinformatics is just about using software.

    The field covers algorithm development, computational biology, systems biology, structural modelling and machine learning.

  • There is no demand for bioinformatics PhDs in Kenya.

    Kenya's genomics research and pathogen surveillance create demand.

  • Bioinformatics research is purely computational.

    The programme integrates molecular biology laboratory work with computational analysis.

  • Only computer scientists study this PhD.

    The programme attracts biologists, biochemists, medical professionals and pharmacists.

Further reading

Read next