Mbukeni Andrew Nkomo

Biography:

Dr. Nkomo is a young vibrant academic with a purpose of enhancing academic excellence through innovative teaching and learning approaches, quality research that may impact society positively.Dr. Nkomo holds a PhD in Biotechnology from UWC, where he had trained a number of Plant Biotechnology post graduate students in different physiological and biological techniques in other to help identify how plants are affected by Environmental Stresses and to help in finding ways to combat the effect of these stresses. With a background in Structural Biochemistry and Microbiology, Dr. Nkomo had previous lectured at CPUT in the areas of bioprocessing, microbiology, and immunology. Dr. Nkomo has recently joined the University of Zululand, as a Lecturer under the Department of Agriculture. He also acts as a reviewer for MDPI journals (Plants, Antioxidant and Proteome) and Plant Molecular Biology Reporter. He has also been invited to serve as the Guest Editor for Plants (ISSN 2223-7747), a new initiative were early-career scientists would act as Guest Editors under the mentorship of an experienced scientist.

Lecture ‘s the following modules:

• Plant Propagation (4AAG311)
• Introduction to Crop production (4AAG212)
• Field Crop Production (SAAG432)

Qualifications:

• BSc Biotechnology (Major in Structural Biochemistry and Microbiology);
• BSc (Honours)Biotechnology (Majored in Plant Biotechnology specializing in Biochemistry);
• MSc Biotechnology (Cum-Laude) (Plant Biotechnology, specializing in Proteomics and Biochemistry);
• PhD Biotehnology (The main theme of my PhD was to elucidate the biochemical mechanisms, proteomics pathways, and metabolomic fingerprints involving nutrient uptake and stress-response, including the uses of key metabolites of the phenylpropanoid pathway to modify and control abiotic stresses).

*Research interests: *

Dr Nkomo is actively participanting in departmental and faculty administration whilst engaging in undergraduate/post graduate teaching and collaborative research projects. He has expertise knowledge and experience in proteomic analysis and is currently supervising and/or mentoring several post graduate in Department of Agriculture and their laboratory experience ranged from Effect of Climate change on Plants (Specifically progressive drought stress and salinity), Plant Pathology (Effect of different fungus and their mycotoxins on plants), Soil Science and Phytoremediation of heavy metals contaminated land using plants.

Professional membership:

• Member, South African Association of Botanist (SAAB) (2016 -)
• Member, South African Society for Plant Pathology (SASPP) (2020 -)
• Member, South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (2020 -)

*Publications *

• Nkomo M, Ndimba R, Badiwe M, Gokul A, Keyster M, Klein A (2022) Piperonylic acid alters growth, mineral content accumulation and ROS scavenging capacity in chia seedlings. AoB. IF = 4.01 (under review)
• Nkomo M, Gokul A, Keyster M, Klein A (2019) Exogenous p-coumaric acid improves Salvia hispanica L. seedling shoot growth. Plants, 8, 546. IF = 2.63
• Bali S, Nkomo M, Klein A (2018) The impact of PEG-induced osmotic stress on the germination and physiological parameters of Salvia hispanica L. (Chia). South African Journal of Botany, 115, 278-279. IF = 1.44
• Bali S, Nkomo M, Klein A (2018) The influence of PEG-induced water stress on seed germination, plant growth and photosynthetic metabolism in chia plants. South African Journal of Botany, 115, 316. IF = 1.44
• Menzi P, Nkomo M, Keyster M, Klein A (2018) Gallic acid regulates physiological and biochemical responses of soybean plants under salt stress. South African Journal of Botany, 115, 323. IF = 1.44
• Nkomo M, Badiwe M, Klein A (2018) The effect of long-term salt stress on seed germination, growth, oxidative damage and proline accumulation. South African Journal of Botany, 115, 303. IF = 1.44
• Nkomo M, Gokul A, Klein A, Egbichi I, Keyster M, Ludidi N (2015) Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase activity alters antioxidant activity in Vicia faba. South African Journal of Botany, 103, 340. IF = 1.44