PhD student

Jerry Nwabasa

mail: Jerry.Nwabasa@b-tu.de

Field of research

The extracts and chemical components of aphids as potential bioactive compounds for the treatment of diseases.

Insects are the most successful and diverse group of organisms on earth and their unparalleled success is a combination of factors that are beyond living diversity and relationships. Their systematic evolution over the years has helped enhanced their defence systems. These molecules of their immune system and other substances are used to trap and capture their prey or defend themselves from their predators  and from various attacks from microorganisms. These set of functional molecules made of peptides and other organic substances have been discovered to be bioactive with pharmacological activities and can be tapped for a new drug discovery .

Aphids generally have been observed and studied over the years both as a source of fascination and frustration to mankind, however, just like other insects,  honey  bee, ant and wasps, their products, including venoms from these species, have been used to treat infections, wounds and pains. Hence, the focus of this research is on aphids and their chemical compounds, to investigate their extracts and chemical components for potential bioactive compounds for the treatment of diseases.