SAMI Board member profile

Prof. Luke Mumba

Professor Mumba is the Director of the Southern African Network for Biosciences (SANBio) of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). This is one of the four Networks of Centres of Excellence in the life sciences established by NEPAD throughout the continent. Since he joined the Secretariat in 2006, he has been actively involved in the implementation of the AU/NEPAD S&T Consolidated Plan of Action (ACP) in Southern Africa.

Professor Mumba has a PhD in Plant Genetics from University of Cambridge and an MSc in Molecular Genetics from University of Whales, UK. He still holds the position of Professor of Genetics in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Zambia where he also held senior management positions of Dean of Faculty and Head of Department. He joined the University of Zambia in 1985 after obtaining his BSc degree from the same institution, rising through the academic ranks. In 2002 he was awarded the Hawaii State Foundation Research Fellowship for his outstanding contribution to research and development in biological sciences. His work has been published in national, regional and international journals, books and conference proceedings. He has carried out consultancies ranging from country biodiversity assessments, to policy and legislative framework development strategic planning, and project proposal development in life sciences. His research interests include sourcing useful genes from wild relatives of the common bean for crop improvement, bioprospecting, biotechnology and biosafety.

Professor Mumba has also participated in many national and international expert consultations on biotechnology and risk assessment of genetically modified foods, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the USAID-RSCA, UN/Norway conference on Technology Transfer and Capacity Building, and the European Commission Parliament. He has served on a number of national and international committees including the ASTM International Technical Committee on Biotechnology (E48); the National Plant Genetic Resources Committee (NPGRC); the Interim National Biosafety Committee (INBC); the National AIDs Council Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) of which he was the founding Chair; Board of Directors of Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA); founding Director of Biotechnology Outreach Society of Zambia (BOZ); as well as a member of the University of Zambia (UNZA) Council and Senate.