Overview

Sida has played a fundamental role in helping initiate research and enhance education in Ethiopia since 100 years ago. More specifically, research and capacity building support to Addis Ababa University dates back to 1979 with support extended for Masters Programmes in life science at the former Faculty of Science. Later, project-tied PhD training and the sandwich model of collaborative training were put in place to jointly carry out training and research programmes. In 2006, the training capacity building component, which was tied to a research project in Ethiopia, implemented mainly through the collaborative efforts of departments at Ethiopian and Swedish universities was the foundation for the establishment of the biotechnology program unit (BTPU).

The herein proposed training and research partnership with SLU would deepen and strengthen the already existing close collegiality and professional relationships between and among faculty members at the two institutions. This will also be the foundation upon which the firm and long term institutional relationship will be reinforced.

It is important that the still growing and much anticipated Institute of Biotechnology be at the forefront of current advances in science. This will greatly contribute to the quality of both the research endeavors as well as its postgraduate training.

It is expected that research-based sandwich PhD programs will augment both the quality of graduates as well as the caliber of research projects that will be undertaken. It will serve as a means to embed and transfer technology and know-how on cutting edge specializations of biotechnology. Moreover, the layout of the programme is geared towards addressing issues related to Ethiopia’s food security, sustainable environment and health research problems thus increasing the likelihood of newly minted PhD graduates to pursue their research career on local research questions.

Objective

SUB-PROJECT-1:

INTEGRATING PLANT GENOMICS WITH CONVENTIONAL BREEDING TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY AND PRODUCTIVITY OF MAJOR CROPS IN ETHIOPIA  the objective of this sub project is;-

The proposed applied research combined with PhD “sandwich” training aim to increase crop productivity and enhance food quality thus contributing to food security and balanced nutrition. The project also aims to develop genomic tools and resources that could be used for conservation and plant breeding.

SUB PROJECT 2: PHYTOBENEFICIAL MICRO ORGANISMSFOR SOIL ENGINEERING AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE:The objectives of this sub project are to:

  1. Isolate, screen, and characterize phyto beneficial microbes (bacteria and AMF) from rhizosphere and bulk soil samples and evaluate their potential applications in increasing growth and yield of sorghum and finger millet for sustainable production;
  2. Isolate and characterize bacterial and fungal endophytes from sorghum, millet, and wild relatives of these crops, evaluate their role for growth and survival of the plants, and select the best strains for large scale application;
  3. Construct tagging, monitoring, formulation and delivery systems of native microbial consortia (MC) formulations taking into account the active principles of their action;
  4. Evaluate methods developed under objective 3 on farmers’ fields;
  5. Screen endophytes for the production of soluble and volatile bioactive compounds and determine their potential applications in agriculture and health

SUB-PROJECT 3: IMPROVING FEED NUTRITION AND DECREASING ENTERIC METHANE EMISSION IN INDIGENOUS LIVESTOCK:Objectives:

  1. Locally sourced improved and balanced diets of sheep to reduce methane emissions per unit product.
  2. Isolation of acetonogenes and methanogenes from local sheep rumen/hind-gut.
  3. Characterization and selection of acetogen strains with lower enteric methane emission properties.

SUB-PROJECT 4:

NOVEL BIOCATALYSTS FROM EXTREMOPHILES

The main objectives of this proposed research project is to:

  1. Isolate novel enzymes from different extremophilic microorganisms, characterize the enzymes, and clone the genes for further improvement;
  2. Screen industrially important biocatalysts employing metagenomic techniques to access a large fraction of the genetic pool in extreme habitats of Ethiopia;
  3. Development of different expression systems for efficient production of selected enzymes;
  4. Scale up enzyme production and evaluate the enzymes at application conditions in collaboration with local industries.

SUB-PROJECT 5:-

DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL INDUSTRIAL WASTE TREATMENT AND NUTRIENT RECOVERY PROCESSES

The objectives of this subproject are to:

  • Develop efficient biological treatment processes for gold mining, textile, and leather tanning wastes and optimize the process;
  • Scale up the process by establishing a pilot treatment plants with one textile and one gold mining factory in Ethiopia;
  • Develop an on-site and centralized efficient dry fertilizer production process from source- separated human urine and evaluate the effectiveness of the process in reducing or eliminating pathogens (bacteria and helminth ova) and antibiotic resistance genes;
  • Evaluate the bioavailability of the recovered nutrients and the effect of produced dry urine fertilizer on the quality, pharmaceutical safety and yield of plants in peri-urban farms.

Benefits and added value of AAU-SLU partnership

Ethiopia is now in a state of continuous change, and demands a large trained labor force. AAU is contributing its share to the process of producing this labor force and strives to bring about and lead the development agenda through capacity building. However, there is still a need for skilled work force and research support environment in biotechnology at AAU.

The long standing relationship with Swedish universities, such as SLU, the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) and Lund University has resulted in demonstrable and tangible benefits to AAU, particularly biotechnology. Of notable mention are capacity building through full PhD scholarships in agricultural, microbial and environmental biotechnology and later a sandwich model PhD trainings offered by the BIOEARN Program.

This strong historical relationship will be further strengthened through this project through generating knowledge, enhancing expertise and experience of faculty members in research planning and sharing of research resources. Staff and PhD students’ exchange programs will lay the foundation for continuing research collaborations. This will assure the fostering of long term collaboration between two different research cultures and creating a solid ground for long-term joint research work.

As a result of exposure to advanced molecular biology labs in Sweden, the quality of research results can improve significantly. The building of the capacity of IoB`s research infrastructure will also contribute to achieve high impact research. This will invariably bring opportunities to jointly publish scientific papers on highly reputable journals.

Furthermore, collaboration between IoB and SLU will have the following added benefits:

  • advisory (co-supervision) and teaching of postgraduate students;
  • explore and engage on ways to further enhance the quality of research;
  • guide and facilitate mutual exploration of opportunities that leverage the comparative advantages offered by AAU and SLU to promote development oriented research in biotechnology;
  • development of proposals on demand-driven researches in the area of agricultural, environmental, industrial and medical biotechnology;
  • support in laying out a system to translate research findings to practical application and commercialization;
  • support in laying out a system that facilitates adoption and transfer of proven and relevant technologies to the Ethiopian context;
  • Support in strengthening the existing laboratory facilities with up-to-date equipment and work protocols to enhance teaching and research in the different areas of biotechnology.