Science

Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology

The Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology is a doctoral programme offered at JKUAT through the Institute of Biotechnology Research (IBR) 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, biotechnology and genetic engineering. The programme addresses Kenya's molecular biology research and biotechnology industry development needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in molecular biology, genetic engineering, plant biotechnology, animal biotechnology, industrial biotechnology, environmental biotechnology, molecular diagnostics, recombinant DNA technology, bioinformatics and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops biotechnology innovations for Kenya's agricultural, health and industrial challenges.

Kenya's agricultural biotechnology needs, GM crop research, vaccine production, industrial enzymes, biofuel production, environmental bioremediation, molecular diagnostics and the demand for biotechnology research create demand for doctoral-level molecular biology and biotechnology expertise. The programme supports Kenya's biotechnology industry development goals.

Teaching is delivered through coursework, laboratory sessions and supervised research. At JKUAT, IBR offers PhD in Biotechnology with total cost KSh 510,500 over 3 years. Application fee KSh 1,500. At UoN, CEBIB offers PhD in Biotechnology by research, 36 months. Kenyan students KSh 380,000/year, foreign students US$ 6,500/year.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, biotechnology researchers, molecular biologists, genetic engineering specialists and biotechnology consultants. They work in universities, KEMRI, ICIPE, ILRI, biotechnology firms and research institutes.

Duration: 3-5 years
Public, up to: Ksh 367,200
Private, up to: Ksh 313,700
Job market: High

The programme

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

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time, Part-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 4 students
Award: PhD

What you study

10 subjects

Advanced Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering
Plant Biotechnology and Crop Improvement
Animal Biotechnology and Livestock Improvement
Industrial Biotechnology and Enzyme Technology
Environmental Biotechnology and Bioremediation
Molecular Diagnostics and Therapeutics
Recombinant DNA Technology and Gene Cloning
Bioprocess Engineering and Fermentation
Biosafety and Intellectual Property in Biotechnology
Research Methods in Molecular Biology

Modules

8 in the programme

Advanced Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Molecular biology, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Plant Biotechnology and Crop Improvement
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Plant biotechnology, covering technological tools, digital platforms, and information systems relevant to contemporary research and professional practice.
Industrial Biotechnology and Enzyme Technology
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Industrial biotechnology, covering technological tools, digital platforms, and information systems relevant to contemporary research and professional practice.
Environmental Biotechnology and Bioremediation
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Environmental biotechnology, covering technological tools, digital platforms, and information systems relevant to contemporary research and professional practice.
Recombinant DNA Technology and Gene Cloning
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Recombinant DNA, covering technological tools, digital platforms, and information systems relevant to contemporary research and professional practice.
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

Plant Biotechnology
Research on plant biotechnology
Industrial Biotechnology
Research on industrial biotechnology
Environmental Biotechnology
Research on environmental biotechnology
Molecular Diagnostics
Research on molecular diagnostics

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting molecular biology research, running genetic engineering experiments, analysing molecular data, reviewing biotechnology literature, attending seminars on biotechnology, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with KEMRI, ICIPE, ILRI and biotechnology firms for research collaboration.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's biotechnology industry creates demand
Access to CEBIB, KEMRI, ICIPE and ILRI
Research contributes to agricultural and health improvement

Against it

Requires expensive laboratory equipment and reagents
Biosafety and ethical approvals can be lengthy
Requires multidisciplinary knowledge

What it costs

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

What it costs, and where

Against 243 science courses

Public170k to 367k

170k at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology367k at Kenyatta University

Private168k to 314k

168k at Kenya Methodist University314k 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

JKUAT 170.2K/yr (kenyaeducationguide). KU 367.2K (ku.ac.ke). KeMU 168K, Kabarak 313.7K/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

DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students
NACOSTI Research Grant
GrantKenyan
Science and technology researchers in Kenya

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: At JKUAT: Master's degree in relevant field from JKUAT or recognised institution. IBR. Total KSh 510,500 over 3 years. Application fee KSh 1,500. At UoN CEBIB: MSc in Biological and Physical Sciences, Bioinformatics, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry or equivalent. 36 months by research. KSh 380,000/year for Kenyans.

MSc in Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Genetics or related field
Relevant Masters from recognised university

How you are assessed

3 components

Coursework
Continuous assessment30% of the mark
Assignments, laboratory projects and seminar presentations
Thesis
Thesis50% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence
Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at JKUAT (IBR, PhD in Biotechnology, total KSh 510,500 over 3 years) and University of Nairobi (CEBIB, PhD in Biotechnology, 36 months, KSh 380,000/year for Kenyans, US$ 6,500/year for foreigners). NBA regulates biosafety.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya
National Biosafety Authority
Professional
Regulates biosafety and GMO activities in Kenya

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

University Professor
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Teaching and research in biotechnology departments
Molecular Biologist
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Molecular biology at biotechnology firms
Biotechnology Researcher
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Research at KEMRI, ICIPE and research institutes
Biotechnology Consultant
High demandKsh 220,000 to Ksh 550,000
Consulting on biotechnology

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, biotechnology researchers, molecular biologists and genetic engineering specialists. They work at KEMRI, ICIPE, ILRI, biotechnology firms and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Biotechnology is just about GMOs.
The field covers plant and animal biotechnology, industrial enzymes, environmental bioremediation, molecular diagnostics and bioinformatics.
There is no demand for biotechnology PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's biotechnology industry and agricultural needs create demand.
Biotechnology research is purely laboratory work.
The programme uses computational biology, bioinformatics, field trials and industrial applications.
Only biologists study this PhD.
The programme attracts chemists, engineers, pharmacists and agricultural scientists.