Lillian Wambua

This study uses PCR-HRM analysis of mitochondrial genes to detect meat substitution in Nairobi, Kenya, finding 10.3% of samples were substituted with cheaper species.

The paper identifies tsetse fly blood-meal sources, endosymbiont infections, and trypanosome infections in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, finding that hippopotamus and buffalo are significant hosts and that Sodalis glossinidius endosymbionts correlate with higher trypanosome infection rates.

The paper surveys questing ticks in the Maasai Mara National Reserve to identify pathogens, endosymbionts, and blood-meal sources, revealing zoonotic risks and potential disease vectors.

The paper develops a low-cost method using PCR and high-resolution melting analysis to identify vertebrate species from mitochondrial DNA, applied to forensic and biodiversity research.