Consolata Nanjala

Resourceful postgraduate student passionate about advancing knowledge in plant science through high-quality research. Self-motivated professional with excellent communication, planning and problem solving abilities.

• Vice-Chair, Kenyan Students in Wuhan Association (KENSWA), 2021-2022
• Student Leader, International Students at Wuhan Botanical Garden, 2021-2022

Graduate Research Assistant, 08/2019 to 07/2022, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences

• Conducted literature reviews on ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacology and conservation of the genus Calanthe and other medicinal plant species.
• Conducted comparative genomics and phylogenetic analysis of closely related plant species.
• Carried out collection, identification and storage of different plant species.
• Performed the characterization of experiment products to corroborate research findings.

Internship, 04/2019 to 07/2019, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Centre for Molecular Research (KEMRI, CMR) Kenya,

• Conducted experiments related to human pathogenic bacteria, screening, including human pathogen inoculations.,
• Conducted basic molecular biology assays (i.e., PCR, sequencing).
• Collection of experimental data
• Analysis of experimental data

Teaching assistant, 04/2016 to 08/2016, Sibanga secondary school, Kenya

• Taught a section on Biology and Chemistry subjects.
• Designed experiments and engaged students to conduct experiments and provide answers to questions related to the experiments.
• Demonstrated use of laboratory equipment and ensuring students safety.

James Cook University Postgraduate Research Scholarship (2023-2026)

CSIRO Postgraduate Top-Up Scholarship (2023-2026)

Australian Tropical Herbarium Small Grant (2023)

Chinese Academy of Sciences -Belt and Road Scholarship (2019-2022)

Patterns of diversification and trait evolution in Australasian orchids, Biosystematics Conference 2023, 11/2023, Canberra, Australia.

Patterns of diversification and trait evolution in Australasian orchids, Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science (TESS), 11/2023, Cairns, Australia

Ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacology and conservation of the genus Calanthe R. Br. (Orchidaceae), The 10th National Conference on Ethnobotany and the 9th Asia-Pacific Forum on Ethnobotany, 06/2021, Lishui, China.

• Plastome structure of 8 Calanthe s.l. species (Orchidaceae): comparative genomics, phylogenetic analysis, BMC Plant Biology, 10.1186/s12870-022-03736-0
• Ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and conservation of the genus Calanthe R. Br. (Orchidaceae), Journal of Ethnopharmacology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2021.114822
• A review on ethnobotany, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of the genus Didymocarpus wall. (Gesneriaceae), J Ethnopharmacol, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35643208/
• Analysis of the complete plastomes of 31 species of Hoya group: Insights into their comparative genomics and phylogenetic relationships, doi: 10.3389/fpls.2021.814833
• Comparative Genomics, Phylogenetics, Biogeography, and Effects of Climate Change on Toddalia asiatica (L.) Lam. (Rutaceae) from Africa and Asia, Plants, https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11020231
• Traditional medicinal uses, pharmacology, phytochemistry, and distribution of the Genus Fagaropsis (Rutaceae), Journal of Ethnopharmacology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2021.114781
• Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Toxicology of the Genus Sambucus L. (Viburnaceae), DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.115102

• Available Upon Request