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Name: Dr. Joseph Maingi Maitha
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SUMMARY
I am a Pharmacognosist possessing Master of Pharmacy Degree in Pharmacognosy and Complementary Medicine from the University of Nairobi (UoN) and Bachelor of Pharmacy Degree from the same university. I am currently undertaking a PhD degree program in Pharmacognosy and Complementary Medicine (PCM) at the UoN. I am a Registered Pharmacist by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Kenya and dedicated to generation of knowledge, skills advancement and research in the areas of PCM. I have wealth of working and teaching experience. In aggregate, I have twenty years work experience in pharmaceutical matters, both in academia and hospital set-up. I have at least nine years teaching experience as a full-time Lecturer of PCM. Currently I am a full-time Lecturer at Kenyatta University (KU). I have headed the department of Pharmacognosy and Complementary Medicine at KU. Previously, I taught PCM as full-time lecturer at the School of Pharmacy, Mount Kenya University (MKU). I have also taught PCM as a part-time Lecturer at Jomo
Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, The Kenya Medical Training College Mombasa, The Mombasa Polytechnic University College, The Nairobi Institute of Business Studies and the Lake Institute of Tropical Medicine, Kisumu. I have worked for the Ministry of Health (MoH) from 2001 to 2011 as the Hospital Pharmacist in-charge in the following Hospitals: Machakos Provincial General
Hospital; New Nyanza Provincial General Hospital; Tigoni District Hospital and PortReitz District Hospital. I have worked in Defence Forces Memorial Hospital, Nairobi as a Pharmacist intern. When working for MoH, due to diligence and hard work, I rose through the ranks from Job Group “L” (Pharmacist Intern) to Job Group “P”
(Assistant Chief Pharmacist) within a period of six years. I have taught in Makueni Boys High School after excelling in my form four exams in Mang’u High School. Previously, before I joined Mount Kenya University in 2013 to carry out full-time teaching and research, I worked as Hospital Pharmacist in The Mater Hospital, Nairobi. Teaching in KU and MKU as Full-time Lecturer for more than nine years and as Part-time Lecturer in the above mentioned Pharmacy program offering Universities and Colleges for over ten years has given me a wealth of skills in training young and dynamic aspiring pharmacy professionals. I have headed the department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutics in MKU. I was the Chair, Academic advisory and Mentorship Committee of the School of Pharmacy in MKU. I was the Chair, School of Pharmacy Research Committee and the School representative to the MKU Research Committee. My passion is service to humanity through creation, transmission and utilization of knowledge by developing effective, safe, affordable, environment friendly and sustainable solutions to health problems.
Research, Publications, Thesis And Dissertations
- MSc (Pharmacognosy and Complementary Medicine), Title: J.M. Maitha [2014]. Determination of withaferin A content of root, stem and leaf extracts of Withania somnifera (L) Dunal collected in Kenya. MSc. Thesis 2014, University of Nairobi.
- PhD (Pharmacognosy and Complementary Medicine), Title: J.M. Maitha [Ongoing]. The effect of agronomical features on withaferin A from root extracts of Withania somnifera (L) Dunal cultivated in Kenya ,(University of Nairobi)
- Maitha M J [2018]. Determination and comparison of the effect of different seed priming methods on germination and seedling growth of Withania somnifera (University of Nairobi).
- Maitha M J [2018]. Determination of the comparative effect of different fertilizers sources on growth, yield and root quality of Withania somnifera (University of Nairobi).
- Maitha M J [2018]. Evaluation of how withaferin-A content of the root of Withania somnifera varies with age and agronomical growth conditions(University of Nairobi).
- Maitha M J [2018]. Determination of the optimum agronomical conditions for the cultivation of Withania somnifera (University of Nairobi).
- Maitha M J, Kelvin K N, [2019]. Phytochemical screening and investigation of antibacterial activity and resistance patterns of Tagetes minuta leaf extract
- Maitha M J, Laila A K, [2019]. Preparation and formulation of Pumbkin seed granule nutraceutical for the management of worm infestation.
- Maitha M J, Ikol M, [2019]. Investigation of phytochemicals contained in Salvia Hispanica.
- Maitha M J, Lily W M, [2019]. Investigation of the influence of socioeconomic factors on ibuprofen abuse among patients visiting community pharmacy in Nairobi, Kenya.
- Maitha M J, Mohamud K N, [2016]. Evaluation of the phytochemistry and antimicrobial activity of extracts of Nigelia sativa (Ranunculaceae) seeds.
- Maitha M J, Anne B M, [2016]. Phytochemical screening and investigation of antimicrobial activity of Solanum incanum.
- Maitha M J, Ngotho J M [2014]. Phytochemical screening and antimicrobial activity of Persea americana seed extracts.
- Maitha M J, Ivy N O, [2014]. Phytochemical screening and antimicrobial activity of crude extract of Catha edulis (Khat).
- Maitha M J, Kasina P [2014]. Evaluation of the prevalence and attitudes of complementary alternative medicine use among patients with diabetes mellitus in Rift Valley Provincial Hospital, Nakuru.
- Maitha M J, Kariuki A K [2013]. To qualitatively and quantitatively determine the label claim of various amoxicillin brands in the market by using HPLC assay method by comparison with standard amoxicillin U.S.P.
- Maitha M J, Rotich K J, [2014]. Evaluation of the incidence, prevalence and therapeutic management of breast cancer patients at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret
- Maitha M J, Beryl A O, [2014]. Patterns of antibiotic use in the treatment of urinary tract infections at Kenya Medical Training Clinic, Nairobi
- Maitha M J, Oyuga A R, [2013]. Correlation between dispensing instructions and actual medication use practices at the household level in Seme East Division of Kisumu
- Maitha M J, Owako W O, [2013]. Prevalence and management of adverse drug effects associated with antiretroviral therapy on HIV-infected adult patients in Defence Forces Memorial Hospital.
Other Professional/Special Skills, Competencies and Talents
- Visionary , innovative and capable of establishing an effective, dynamic and motivated management team
- Ability to learn and adapt to new environment
- Capacity to plan and manage complex administrative activities and processes and ability to demonstrate initiative and sound judgment
- Capacity to make quality decisions, to resolve conflicts, to communicate effectively, delegate wisely and set and achieve goals
- A person of integrity, with excellent interpersonal skills capable of establishing effective working relationships with all people in the institution
- Dynamic, well- organized, result-oriented, clear-minded, open to continuous learning and a problem solver
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
- High level of professionalism, commitment to duty and transparency
- Excellent decision making and judgement skills with outstanding creativity and innovativeness.
- Excellent performance management, leadership and negotiation skills
- High levels of accountability, client orientation and technological awareness
- Extraordinary resource mobilization skills
- Ability to work for under pressure and meet deadlines and the capacity to work with minimum supervision while performing duties
- Understanding and adherence to work ethics and ability to carry out instructions and instruct others
- Proficiency with MS Office suite: Outlook, Word, Excel and Powerpoint
Additional Responsibilities
Previous and Current
- Section Head of Pharmacognosy and Complementary Medicine, Kenyatta University, School of Pharmacy
- Head, Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutics, Mount Kenya University
- Chair- Mount Kenya University School of Pharmacy Research Committee
- Representative of Mount Kenya School of Pharmacy to the University Research and Development Committee
- Chair – Mount Kenya University School of Pharmacy Budgetary Committee
- Chair- Mount Kenya University School of Pharmacy Admissions, Registration and Indexing Committee
- Internal Quality Auditor- Mount Kenya University Quality Management Systems based on ISO 9001: 2008
- Member- Mount Kenya University School of Pharmacy Post-graduate Programmes, Projects, Thesis, Research and Seminars Committee
- Member- Kenyatta University School of Pharmacy Undergraduate Studies Committee
- Member –Mount Kenya University School of Pharmacy Verification of Result Slips Committee
- Chair, Student Academic Advisory Services, School of Pharmacy, Mount
Kenya University
Awards, Honors And Membership In Professional Organizations
- 2011-2013: Awarded University of Nairobi Scholarship, funded by the University of Nairobi, and administered through the Board of Post-graduate Studies of the same University to pursue a Masters degree in Pharmacognosy and Complementary Medicine at the university’s Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacognosy at the School of Phamacy.
- 2015: Awarded Full Scholarship by Chinese Government Administered through Chinese Scholarship Council to pursue PhD Degree in Pharmacognosy and Complementary Medicine in Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TUTCM) in China. I decided, however, to pursue the PhD degree course at the University of Nairobi. Ø Member, Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya (MPSK).
Conferences, Symposia, Workshops And Training
- Training course: Research Ethics, Thika, Kenya: April 2016
- Training course: An internal Quality Auditors course based on ISO 9001: 2008 and ISO 19011:2011, Thika, Kenya: Feb-March 2014
- Training course: Training of Trainers in TB Commodity Management, Thika, Kenya: August 2009
- Training course: Supportive Supervision for Health Commodities Management in Kenya, Limuru, Kenya: March 2009
- Training course: Basic Techniques for Managing Medicines and Supplies in Support of ACT Policy Implementation in Kenya, Kisumu, Kenya: February 2006
- Training course: Rational Use of ARV Drugs, Nairobi, Kenya: November 2003
Interests
Research Interests
- Current research interests in drug discovery from natural sources, principally plants, with particular emphasis on ethnopharmacological approach to drug discovery and the application of modern drug discovery tools and technologies to complement conventional drug discovery approaches.
- Specifically:
- The application of high throughput virtual screening techniques in the identification of novel bioactive compounds from plants and other natural sources
- In vitro and in vivo pharmacological evaluation of bioactive compounds from plants and other natural sources
- Ethnopharmacological approach to drug discovery coupled with conservation of biodiversity for sustainable supply of phytopharmaceutical resources
Other Research Related Interests
- Reading magazines and scientific journals on ethnopharmacology and current trends on phytomedicines
- Watching television documentaries on natures biodiversity with regard to animals and plants as well as documentaries on science, technology and innovations.
