Scientist transforming livestock health through genetic breakthroughs

Animal Health Innovation Lab PhD Fellow Ethel Webi.  [Ryan Kerubo, Standard] 

In her formative years as an eight-year-old, Ethel Webi dreamed of soaring the skies as an air hostess, intrigued by the marvel of the big bird. However, the dream of becoming a flight attendant was quickly swapped as she watched her mum at work. Today, she is pursuing other skies, unraveling the mysteries of life through the science of genetics.

Webi’s fascination with viruses’ genetic makeup led her to pursue biotechnology at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). Her passion for understanding the intricate codes of life also led her to earn a Master’s degree in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics.

Now, as one of ten fully sponsored ‘Feed the Future Innovation Lab’ fellows, Webi is nearing the completion of her four-year PhD in Genomics at the University of Nairobi, contributing to the management of East Coast Fever, the leading cattle disease in Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa. East Coast Fever, a fatal condition caused by a parasite transmitted by ticks during blood meals, has devastating effects on farmers and their families.

Her mother, Maximilla Webi, a teacher by profession, has been her biggest supporter and motivation, always urging her to pursue her education and standing by her even during challenging times in her project. “I feel like she is the one who got me where I am today,” she says.

Webi is working on a vaccine for East Coast Fever using CRISPR-Cas 9, a biotechnology tool, doing genome editing on the virus that causes East Coast Fever Disease known as  Theileria Parva. Her research centres on identifying the genes of parasites that make them harmful to the cow and removing them. “The parasite remains alive but is no longer deadly,” she explains. “Its purpose is to stimulate an immune response so that, even after infection, the animal does not suffer from the disease,” she said.

She explains that the East Coast Fever vaccine is being developed in several phases. The first step involved establishing a genetic manipulation method for the parasite, which previously lacked one. This method involves introducing the CRISPR Cas-9 components into the parasite, cutting out harmful genes in transfection.

The second phase involved identifying and knocking out genes unnecessary for the parasite’s survival as proof of concept. According to Webi, understanding gene function requires genetic manipulation and a reliable system for culturing and studying the organism.

“We have identified the genes that we thought are not necessary for the parasite’s survival and also identified those that are harmful in the parasites to be knocked out, but so far, we have not yet knocked them out because we realized that the parasite, one of the apicomplexan parasites, cannot be cultured in the laboratory and that most of the gene’s functions are not known,” she adds.

Webi also explains that this vaccine will be unique because it will not need to be combined with antibiotics that expose the animals and the environment to Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR.)She focused on the live-attenuated vaccine because it provides a stronger and more durable immune response due to the broader range of antigens presented, which is an improvement over the current East Coast Fever vaccine.

Despite her challenges while working on the parasite, Webi is not quitting. After completing her PhD, she plans to continue working on projects involving East Coast Fever, such as focusing on the host (cow) or other biotechnology-related projects.

Webi’s journey has been challenging, too, but she has been fortunate to have a strong support system. Her supervisors, including Prof George Obiero, Prof Paul Ndegwa, and others like Dr Hussein Abkallo and Dr Lucilla Steinaa, have been instrumental in her success, providing the academic support and psychological guidance she needs.

After experiencing those challenges, Webi and her team have written a paper on the status of genome editing in apicomplexan parasites. The paper highlights the success stories, the challenges, and what they think will happen next.

The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Animal Health (Ahil) programme is being implemented in 600 households in Narok County to improve human nutrition, economic welfare, and resilience by removing constraints to cattle health and production in Kenya and the East Africa region.

Washington State University leads the Ahil consortium with Kenya-based partners, including the University of Nairobi, the International Livestock Research Institute, and Scientists from the Kenya Medical Research Institute and Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization.

Ahil Director Professor Thumbi Mwangi said that the programme, now in its fifth year, has combined cutting-edge laboratory methods to develop and improve livestock vaccines and diagnostics.

Training PhD fellows like Webi, Prof Thumbi explained, is part of mentoring the next generation of animal health researchers, committed to enhancing the lives of people reliant on livestock for their livelihood through better nutrition and household economics.

The five-year programme combines laboratory and field intervention studies to improve the uptake of animal health interventions and measure the impact on household well-being and the nutritional status of women and children. The programme is being funded by the USAid Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security.

Webi’s childhood dream of becoming an air hostess remains close to her heart. Although her academic path led her to the intricate world of biotechnology, her passion for travel, cultures, and connecting with people remained strong.

As Webi’s PhD draws to a close, she is excited about the potential impact of her research. Her significant contributions to the field of genomics, particularly in understanding and combating East Coast Fever, can shape the future of disease research and public health worldwide.