Boost For Research as Varsity Commissions Multi-million Lab

Chuka University received a major boost following the commissioning of a multimillion GC-ICP-MS/MS infrastructure on Tuesday 2nd June 2022. The Sh67 million facility funded by the National Research Fund (NRF) has a state-of-the-art laboratory that will help students and researchers that undertake studies in agriculture, the environment, and renewable energy. Speaking during the launch, the Principal Secretary for University Education and Research Amb. Simon Nabukwesi said the lab’s equipment will deal mainly with climate change challenges. The equipment can execute various functions, including pesticide residue analysis on soil and food, contents in agricultural products, food quality evaluation, toxicological substances in the blood, and nuclear radioactivity. The equipment can also equally detect inorganic impurities in pharmaceuticals and their ingredients and analyze biological plant and animal samples.

“This equipment is the third in the entire Africa continent and is going to enhance sustainable development and environmental conservation and renewable energy innovation in the country and the surrounding regions,” said Mr. Nabukwesi. In his speech, the PS urged other universities, research, institutions, and individual researchers to take advantage of the lab and access the facility at an affordable fee. The CEO of the National Research Fund Dr. Jemimah Onsare congratulated the University for being selected as an Academic Center of Excellency in Environmental …. Dr. Onsare further challenged the university to go a notch higher in capacity building in order to

be part of the 5th Industrial Revolution and explore more collaborations with likeminded institutions to be able to compete with world-class universities. Dr. Jemimah G Onsare expressed satisfaction at the way the researchers and the University had utilized the allocated funds and their timely completion of the project.