Peggoty Mutai is a Kenyan chemist. Born in Kericho, her interests include medicinal chemistry, in particular working with the search for new treatments against parasitic worms.[1]

Peggoty Mutai
Born
Kericho, Kenya
NationalityKenyan
Alma materUniversity of Cape Town, University of Nairobi
AwardsUNESCO-L’Oreal Fellowship for Young Women in Life Sciences
Scientific career
FieldsPharmacognosy and Pharmacology
InstitutionsUniversity of Nairobi
Thesis The Medicinal Chemistry Progression of Phytochemicals from Dalbergia melanoxylon as potential antimycobacterial and antitumor agents  (2014)

After studying at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, where she obtained her Bachelor of Science and her Master's degree in pharmacy and pharmaceutical analysis, she was accepted at McGill University in Canada to continue pursuing her doctorate, which she had started at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.[2] Mutai returned to the University of Cape town to finish her doctorate in 2014. Mutai was among the fifteen Fellows chosen by the L'Oréal-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science to receive an international scholarship to pursue their research projects in 2012.[3] She is currently a lecturer for the department of Pharmacology and Pharmacognosy at the University of Nairobi and the section head of Pharmacognosy.

Life

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Mutai grew up in Kericho, Kenya. She has stated that her love of science was stimulated by her love of nature and the serene natural environment she experienced in childhood.[4]

Research

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Mutai's doctoral research involved studying parasitic worms and neglected tropical diseases.[4] Her subsequent research interests have included treatments for neglected tropical diseases.[5] [6]

References

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  1. ^ "Peggoty Mutai". Blazing the Trail in Science. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
  2. ^ "FOCUS ON PEGGOTY MUTAI". Women who Mentor and Innovate in Africa. 3 October 2013. Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  3. ^ "The 14th Annual L'ORÉAL-UNESCO Awards For Women in Science". UNESCO. 28 March 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  4. ^ a b "PEGGOTY MUTAI: Drugs; You have to kiss many frogs to find a prince". The East African. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
  5. ^ Njoroge, Mathew; Njuguna, Nicholas; Mutai, Peggoty; Ongarora, Dennis; Smith, Paul; Chibale, Kelly (2014-07-11). "Recent Approaches to Chemical Discovery and Development Against Malaria and the Neglected Tropical Diseases Human African Trypanosomiasis and Schistosomiasis". Chemical Reviews. 114 (22): 11138–11163. doi:10.1021/cr500098f. PMID 25014712.
  6. ^ Cheuka, Peter; Mayoka, Godfrey; Mutai, Peggoty; Chibale, Kelly (2016-12-31). "The Role of Natural Products in Drug Discovery and Development against Neglected Tropical Diseases". Molecules. 22 (1): 58. doi:10.3390/molecules22010058. PMC 6155950. PMID 28042865.