Science

Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Biology (Research)

The Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Biology (RESEARCH) is a doctoral programme offered at the University of Nairobi through the Department of Biochemistry and Centre for Biotechnology and Bioinformatics (CEBIB), and at Kenyatta University through the School of Pure and Applied Sciences (SPAS).

It is designed to produce scholars capable of advancing research in molecular biology, gene regulation and molecular genetics. The programme addresses Kenya's molecular biology research and life sciences development needs.

Students engage with advanced topics in molecular biology, gene expression and regulation, molecular genetics, cell signalling, epigenetics, molecular biology of disease, recombinant DNA technology, molecular cloning, PCR and qPCR techniques, sequencing technologies and research methods. The curriculum emphasises original research that develops molecular biology insights for Kenya's health, agricultural and environmental challenges.

Kenya's life sciences research needs, disease molecular mechanisms, crop improvement, pathogen molecular biology, biotechnology industry, genetic research and the demand for molecular biology expertise create demand for doctoral-level molecular biology researchers. The programme supports Kenya's life sciences and biotechnology development goals.

Teaching is delivered through research and supervised thesis work. At UoN, the Department of Biochemistry and CEBIB offer PhD by research with links to KEMRI, ICIPE and ILRI. CEBIB PhD is 36 months by research. At KU, SPAS offers PhD by research alone, 3-4 years, evaluation by thesis.

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, molecular biology researchers, geneticists, biotechnology specialists and biomedical researchers. 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 Gene Regulation
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Gene Expression and Epigenetics
Cell Signalling and Molecular Cell Biology
Molecular Biology of Disease
Recombinant DNA Technology and Cloning
PCR, qPCR and Sequencing Technologies
Molecular Biology of Pathogens
Genetic Engineering and Gene Therapy
Research Methods in Molecular Biology

Modules

8 in the programme

Advanced Molecular Biology and Gene Regulation
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Molecular biology, exploring cutting-edge developments, theoretical frameworks, and research methodologies at the forefront of the discipline.
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Molecular genetics, covering genetic principles, molecular techniques, and their application in heredity and biotechnology research.
Cell Signalling and Molecular Cell Biology
Year 1Semester 33 creditsCore
Cell signalling, covering biological principles, research techniques, and their application in understanding living systems.
Molecular Biology of Disease
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Disease molecular biology, covering biological principles, research techniques, and their application in understanding living systems.
PCR, qPCR and Sequencing Technologies
Year 2Semester 23 creditsCore
Sequencing technologies, covering theoretical foundations, practical methodologies, and contemporary research developments relevant to doctoral study in this area.
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

Epigenetics
Research on epigenetics
Genetic Engineering
Research on genetic engineering
Molecular Biology of Disease
Research on disease molecular biology
Molecular Genetics
Research on molecular genetics

A day as a student

A typical day involves conducting molecular biology research, running PCR and sequencing experiments, analysing molecular data, reviewing molecular biology literature, attending seminars on gene regulation, meeting with supervisors to discuss research progress, and engaging with KEMRI, ICIPE and CEBIB for research collaboration.

The trade offs

In its favour

Kenya's life sciences research creates demand
Access to CEBIB, KEMRI, ICIPE and ILRI
Research contributes to health and agriculture

Against it

Requires expensive molecular biology equipment and reagents
UoN PhD fees are high (KSh 396,000/year)
Ethical approvals for genetic research can be lengthy

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

Public175k to 367k

175k at University of Nairobi367k 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

KU 367.2K/yr (ku.ac.ke). UoN unverified. KeMU 168K, Kabarak 313.7K/yr (kabarak.ac.ke).

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
DAAD Kenya Scholarship
ScholarshipKenyan
Postgraduate students in Kenya
HELB Postgraduate Scholarship
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan postgraduate students

Getting in

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

What you need

KCSE mean grade: Masters Degree
Alternative entry: At UoN: MSc from UoN or recognised institution. Department of Biochemistry or CEBIB. PhD by research, 36 months. At KU: MSc from KU or recognised institution. SPAS. PhD by research alone, 3-4 years. KSh 244,800/year. Application fee KSh 3,000.

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

How you are assessed

3 components

Research Seminars
Continuous assessment20% of the mark
Seminar presentations and research progress reports
Thesis Proposal Defence
Oral defence20% of the mark
Defence of research proposal before faculty panel
Thesis
Thesis60% of the mark
Doctoral thesis research, submission and oral defence

Accreditation

Accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). Offered at University of Nairobi (Department of Biochemistry and CEBIB, PhD by research, 36 months) and Kenyatta University (SPAS, PhD by research alone, 3-4 years, KSh 244,800/year).

Accredited by

Commission for University Education
AcademicRequired
Statutory body responsible for accreditation of university programmes in Kenya

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

4 roles

Molecular Biology 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
Biomedical Researcher
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Biomedical research at hospitals and institutes
Geneticist
High demandKsh 200,000 to Ksh 500,000
Genetics at research institutes

Graduate outcomes

Graduates pursue careers as university professors, molecular biology researchers, geneticists and biomedical researchers. They work at KEMRI, ICIPE, ILRI, biotechnology firms and universities.

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Certifications

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Molecular biology is just about DNA.
The field covers gene regulation, epigenetics, cell signalling, molecular genetics and molecular biology of disease.
There is no demand for molecular biology PhDs in Kenya.
Kenya's life sciences research and biotechnology create demand.
Molecular biology research is purely laboratory work.
The programme uses bioinformatics, computational biology, genomics and statistical analysis.
Only biochemists study this PhD.
The programme attracts geneticists, medical professionals and biotechnologists.