Short Biography

Dr. Alice Nabatanzi founded NAPIANA (Natural Products Industry Advancement Network Africa). She also founded AMAF (Alice Mabira Foundation) to empower local communities to start home-based cottages for improved livelihoods. In February 2023, Alice won the BEST INNOVATOR AWARD at the Appropriate Technologies Expo when she invented a novel sustainable water purification system. https://news.mak.ac.ug/2023/02/dr-alice-nabatanzi-wins-best-innovator-award-at-atc-expo-2023-as-mak-claims-1st-position/ She is an Early Career Fellow (2023-2025) of the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Trieste, Italy. Alice is also an Early Career Research Leader Fellow of the Carnegie Corporation of New York (2019-2020). She is a Senior Lecturer of Phytomedicine and Nutraceuticals at Makerere University, Kampala Uganda (East Africa). Alice holds a Post-Doc (Phytobiomolecules for human cancer treatment) from the University of Pretoria, Future Africa campus, South Africa, Ph.D. Natural Products (Nutraceuticals) from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, M.Sc. Natural Products Technology and Value Chains (Nutraceuticals) from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, and a B.Sc. Ethnobotany from the College of Natural Sciences, Makerere University. Alice prides herself in doing societal-changing research. Her current research is multidisciplinary and includes investigating phytobiomolecules for treating human diseases, nutraceutical and physicochemical properties of traditional African foods, phytogenics in animal feeds, and devising solutions to water pollution. She has published scholarly articles in various international peer-reviewed journals, and international conference proceeding papers.

Education Background

January 2019 – December 2020 University of Pretoria, South Africa (Post-Doc)
August 2013 – February 2017 Makerere University, Uganda (Ph.D. Natural Products – Phyto-pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals)
August 2011 – January 2014 Makerere University, Uganda (MSc. Natural Products Technology and Value Chains)
August 2007 – January 2011 Makerere University, Uganda (Bachelor of Science Ethnobotany

Publications

1. Book Chapter: Alice Nabatanzi. 2025. Nutritional, Pharmaceutical, and Antinutritional Properties of Wild Edible Plants. What Have We Learned from the Mediterranean Diet. In: Exploring Traditional Wild Edible Plants. Edited by Vibhor Agarwal, Sachidanand Sing, Rahul Datta. (Ed. 1). CRC Press. DOI: 10.1201/9781003395935-13
2. Book Chapter: Sanah Nkadimeng, Alice Nabatanzi, Christiaan Steinmann, Jacobus Eloff. 2024. Phytochemical, Cytotoxicity, Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Psilocybe Natalensis Magic Mushroom. Structural and Functional Analysis of Extracts in Plants, edited by Stefania Lamponi, MDPI Books, 359 – 371. ISBN978-3-0365-1895-4 (Hardback). ISBN978-3-0365-1894-7 (PDF). https://doi.org/10.3390/books978-3-0365-1894-7.
3. Karume Ibrahim, Moses Kigozi, Alice Nabatanzi, Hussein K. Nsamba, Madina M. Adia and Simon Bbumba. 2024. Impact of synthetic method and metal type on the efficiency of metal-based nanoparticles against pathogens and chemical pollutants. Discov. Chem. 1, 16 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44371-024-00020-y.
4. Alice Nabatanzi, Abdul Walusansa, Nangobi, Joanita, Apio Doreen Natasha. Understanding maternal Ethnomedical Folklore in Central Uganda: a cross-sectional study of herbal remedies for managing Postpartum hemorrhage, inducing uterine contractions and abortion in Najjembe sub-county, Buikwe district. BMC Women’s Health 24, 349 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-024-03205-w.
5. Samuel Baker Obakiro, Kenedy Kiyimba, Richard Oriko Owor, Moses Andima, Tonny Wotoyitide Lukwago, Carol Kawuma, Yahaya Gavamukulya, Alice Nabatanzi, Dan Kibuule, Charles Drago Kato, Godwin Anywar, Paul Waako, Acute and subacute toxicity profile of ethanolic stem bark extract of Albizia coriaria Welw. ex Oliv. in Wistar albino rats, Toxicology Reports, Volume 12, 2024, 178-185, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxrep.2024.01.005.
6. Stephen Magambo, Alice Nabatanzi, Titus Alicai, Enoch Wembabazi, Ketra Oketcho, Immaculate Nakalembe, Henry Wagaba. 2024. Somatic embryo production and GFP genetic transformation in elite Ugandan cassava genotypes. Scientific African, Elsevier. 24(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2023.e02039
7. Douglas O. Ochora, Caroline Murithi, Rael J. Masai, Farid Abdi, Agnes Cheruyiot, Esther Katuura, Savina Asiimwe, Alice Nabatanzi, Godwin Anywar, Hannington Oryem-Origa, Jane Namukobe, Esezah K. Kakudidi, Abiy Yenesew, Hoseah M. Akala, Edwin Kamau. 2023. Ex vivo and in vitro antiplasmodial activity and toxicity of Caesalpinia decapetala (Roth) alston (Fabaceae). Journal of Pharmacology, Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2023.117007.
8. Ibrahim Karume, Simon Bbumba, Moses Kigozi, Alice Nabatanzi, Is’harq Z. T. Mukasa & Solomon Yiga. 2023. One-pot removal of pharmaceuticals and toxic heavy metals from water using xerogel immobilized quartz/banana peels-activated carbon. Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews. Taylor and Francis. 16:1. https://doi.org/10.1080/17518253.2023.2238726.
9. Tabuti, J.R.S., Obakiro, S.B., Nabatanzi, A. Godwin Anywar, Cissy Nambejja, Michael R. Mutyaba, Timothy Omara, and Paul Waako. 2023. Medicinal plants used for the treatment of malaria by indigenous communities of Tororo District, Eastern Uganda. Trop Med Health 51, 34. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-023-00526-8.
10. Nabatanzi A, Kazibwe AJN, Nakalembe I, Nabubuya A, Tumwine G, Kungu BN, and JD Kabasa.. 2022. Nutraceutical and Antinutritional properties of Wild edible plants consumed by pregnant women and School-age Children (6-12 years) in Najjembe sub-county, Buikwe district, Uganda. African Journal of Food, Nutrition, Agriculture and Development. 22(10):21990-22016. https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.115.20925
11. Abdul Walusansa, Jesca. L. Nakavuma, Savina Asiimwe, Jamilu. E. Ssenku, Dickson Aruhomukama, Tahalu Sekulima, Hussein. M. Kafeero, Godwin Anywar, Esther Katuura, Alice Nabatanzi, Nathan. L. Musisi, Arthur. K. Tugume and, Esezah. K. Kakudidi. 2022. Medically important bacteria isolated from commercial herbal medicines in Kampala city indicate the need to enhance safety frameworks. Scientific Reports, Springer Nature 12, 16647. https://doi.org/:10.1038/s41598-022-21065-y
12. Walusansa A, Asiimwe S, Nakavuma JL, Ssenku JE, Katuura E, Kafeero HM, Aruhomukama D, Nabatanzi A, Anywar G, Tugume AK, Kakudidi EK. 2022. Antibiotic-resistance in medically important bacteria isolated from commercial herbal medicines in Africa from 2000 to 2021: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control. 11(1):11. https://doi.org/: 10.1186/s13756-022-01054-6
13. Conference Paper: Alice Nabatanzi. 2021. The Future of Africa’s Natural Products in Drug Discovery and Development: Trends and Challenges. Planta Medica. Vol. 87, Issue 15, Pages KN13, Publisher Georg Thieme Verlag.
14. Sanah Nkadimeng, Alice Nabatanzi, Christiaan Steinmann, Jacobus Eloff. 2020. Phytochemical, Cytotoxicity, Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Psilocybe Natalensis Magic Mushroom. Plants, 9(9), 1127. DOI: 10.3390/plants9091127.
15. Nabatanzi, A., Sanah M. Nkadimeng, Namrita Lall, John D. Kabasa, Lyndy J. McGaw. 2020. Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (1):1-11. DOI: 10.1155/2020/4352084.
16. Nabatanzi, A., Sanah M. Nkadimeng, Namrita Lall, John D. Kabasa, Lyndy J. McGaw. 2020. Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Activity of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. (Bignoniaceae). Plants, 9, 753; DOI: 10.3390/plants9060753.
17. Nabatanzi, A. 2018. In-vitro Antibacterial Activity of Allium sativum L. Clove Extract against Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Advances in Research, ISSN: 2348-0394, 16: 6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.9734/AIR/2018/44151.
18. Nabatanzi, A., Kabasa, J. D., Nakalembe, I., Owiny, D., Mugisha, C. and Nyanzi, S. 2016. Phytoconstituent Analyses of Selected Wild Edible Plants Constituting Diets of Pregnant Women in Buikwe District, Uganda. Int. J. Biochemistry Research & Review, 14(2): 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2023.117007.
19. Nabatanzi, A. and Nakalembe, I. 2016. Wild Food Plants used by People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nakisunga Sub-County, Uganda. African Journal of Food, Nutrition, Agriculture and Development, 16 (4): 11311 – 11331. https://doi.org/ :10.18697/ajfand.76.15720.
20. Nabatanzi, A., Kabasa, J. D., and Nakalembe, I. 2015. Phytochemicals and Antioxidant properties of five wild edible plants consumed by pregnant women in Buikwe district, Uganda. Int. J. Pharmacognosy and Phytochemical Research, 7(6); 1267-1271. ISSN: 0975-4873.
21. Nabatanzi, A., Kabasa, J. D., and Nakalembe, I. 2015. Wild edible plants consumed by pregnant women in Buikwe district, Uganda. Int. J. Technology Enhancements and Emerging engineering research, 3 (11): 18 -27. ISSN 2347-4289.
22. Nyamukuru, A., Nabatanzi, A., Mpiira, S. and Tabuti, J. R. S. 2015. Locally Preferred Woody Species and Their Management in Kiruhura and Arua Districts, Uganda. Ethnobotanical Research and Applications, 4:049-061. https://doi.org/: 10.17348/era.14.0.49-61.

Articles in National News Papers:
1. Daily monitor: Daily Newspaper. Article: “How I mind my mental well-being.” Alice Nabatanzi. https:// www.monitor.co.ug.
(b) Daily monitor: Daily Newspaper. Article: “Crops you harvest in less than six months.” By Alice Nabatanzi. https:// www.monitor.co.ug.

Articles in Scientific Magazines:
1. 8M Construction Digest: Articles on Plant chemistry in construction – A bi-monthly series – 8mconstruction.com.
Article Titles
 Good Properties of Bamboo in Construction
 Eucalyptus. Foe or Friend?
 What is this Asbestos…and the Cancer talk on every Ugandan’s mouth?
 Cactus in Building Construction

2. Miti Magazine: THE TREE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR AFRICA.
Francis Gachathi and Alice Nabatanzi. January – March 2014. Uses of the Sausage Tree (Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. Miti Magazine – The Tree business magazine for Africa. Pages 30 -31. https://issuu.com/mitimagazine/docs/miti_21_full.

Technical Reports:
1. Cheikh Mbow (Senegal), Yamkela Ntola (South Africa), Eness Paidamoyo Mutsvangwa Sammie (Zimbabwe), Edmond Totin (Benin), Alice Norah Nabatanzi (Uganda), and Rachel Fischer (South Africa). Climate, Land, Agriculture, and Biodiversity (CLAB-AFRICA). An African initiative to support climate and biodiversity global negotiations. https://www.futureafrica.science/hub/clab/CLAB%20Report_1%20November%202021.pdf

2. John R. S. Tabuti and Alice Nabatanzi. Status report on the situation of Traditional medicine in the East African Community Member States.

Projects /Grants

RECOGNITION
Recognized by VISION GROUP UGANDA among the TOP 40 UNDER 40 (20 Women, 20 Men) Achievers of the Year. Judges selected and declared 40 winners from a pool of 192 nominations. Stars exhibited ingenuity, community impact, and the X factor. I was recognized among the 20 women achievers. Ref. Sunday Vision, November 5th 2023.

AWARDS
BEST INNOVATION AWARD at the Appropriate Technologies 2023 Expo, Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, Kampala, Uganda. . https://news.mak.ac.ug/2023/02/dr-alice-nabatanzi-wins-best-innovator-award-at-atc-expo-2023-as-mak-claims-1st-position/

FELLOWSHIP AWARDS:
1. OWSD Early Career Fellowship (January 2023 – December 2025)
2. Carnegie Early Career Research Leader Fellowship (ECRLF) (January 2019 – December 2020)

SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS:
1. Regional Initiative in Science and Education for African Natural Products Research Network (RISE-AFNNET)/c/O Carnegie Corporation of New York – Doctoral Research Scholarship, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-security, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, 2013 – 2016.
2. Regional Initiative in Science and Education for African Natural Products Research Network (RISE-AFNNET)/ c/O Carnegie Corporation of New York – Master of Science Scholarship, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-security, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, 2011 – 2013.

CONFERENCE/ SYMPOSIUM/ WORKSHOP AWARDS:
1. RNPIA-2021 Conference Award by Carnegie Corporation of New York of USD 40000.
2. 1st NAPIANA Symposium Award by Carnegie Corporation of New York of USD 18000.

TRAVEL GRANTS:
1. IDRC-UNESCO Travel Grant to attend the OWSD Orientation workshop 29th May – 2nd June 2023 in Trieste, Italy.
2. Global Forum on Women in Scientific Research (GoFoWiSeR) travel grant to attend GoFoWiSeR 18th – 19th July 2019 in Dakar-Senegal: Venue – King Fahd Palace Hotel, Dakar-Senegal.
3. Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées – Robert Bosch Stiftung Travel grant to attend the European Science Forum (ESOF) 2018 in Toulouse, from 9th to 14th July 2018.

RESEARCH GRANTS

Project Name: Commercialisation Grant: Commercialization of Affordable Value-added Phyto-Nutra Chicken Concentrate Feeds.
Position: Principal Investigator
Award date: 19th December 2023 End date: 19th December 2024
Funder: Government of Uganda

Project Name: Commercialisation Grant: PhytoFoodPlus: Phyto-nutraceutical products from wild edible fruits and vegetables for Mitigating Malnutrition among pregnant women and children.
Position: Co-Principal Investigator
Award date: 19th December 2023 End date: 19th December 2024
Funder: Government of Uganda

Project Name: PHASE II: “Valorisation Of Waste Chicken Feathers For Water Purification: Designing and Constructing Low-Cost Keratin Based Nanofilters As Adsorbents Of Heavy Metals and Nanosized Contaminants”.
Position: Principal Investigator
Award date: 24th April 2023 End date: 24th April 2024
Funder: Government of Uganda

Project Name: Prevention and Management of Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH) Using Affordable, Effective, and Safe Phytouterotonics.
Position: Principal Investigator
Award date: 7th December 2022 End date: December 2025
Funder: IDRC-UNESCO (Grant No. 109755-001)

Project Name: PHASE II: Developing Multipurpose Phytonutraceuticals from indigenous wild edible fruits and vegetables for Mitigating Malnutrition among pregnant women and School-going children.
Position: Principal Investigator
Award date: 6th January 2022 End date: 30th June 2022
Funder: Government of Uganda

Project Name: “Valorisation Of Waste Chicken Feathers For Water Purification: Designing and Constructing Low-Cost Keratin Based Nanofilters As Adsorbents Of Heavy Metals and Nanosized Contaminants”.
Position: Principal Investigator
Award date: 19th August 2021 End date: 30th June 2022
Funder: Government of Uganda

Project Name: “Development of Value-added Phytogenic Feed Additives to Replace Conventional Antibiotics in Chicken Feeds”
Position: Principal Investigator
Award date: 17th September 2020 End date: 30th June 2021
Funder: Government of Uganda

Project Name: PHASE I: Developing Multipurpose Phytonutraceuticals from indigenous wild edible fruits and vegetables for Mitigating Malnutrition among pregnant women and School going children
Position: Principal Investigator
Award date: 6th November 2019 End date: 30th June 2020
Funder: Government of Uganda

Project Name: Development of a Safe and Efficacious Anti-malarial drug from Traditional medicine (DESAT)
Position: Co-Investigator
Award date: 6th November 2019 End date: 30th June 2020
Funder: Government of Uganda

Mentorship / Supervision

GRADUATE STUDENT SUPERVISION
Graduate Students Supervised to Completion
1. Magambo Stephen, 2012/HD17/820U, MSc. Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University.
2. Epiak Mark Stephen, 2019/HD07/29581U, MSc. Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Development, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University.

Ongoing Graduate Students Supervision
1. Mubiru John, 2023/HD13/27858U, MSc. Botany, College of Natural Sciences, Makerere University.
2. Muwezi Moses, 2023/HD13/2564U, MSc. Botany, College of Natural Sciences, Makerere University.
3. Byarugaba Isaac, 2022/HD13/968U, MSc. Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Makerere University.
4. Mugume Alex 2022/HD17/985U, MSc. Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University.
5. Nangobi Joanita, 2022/HD07/544U, MSc. Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Development, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University.
6. Nakatoogo Maria, 2022/HD07/543U, MSc. Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Development, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University.
7. Magezi Godfrey, 2018/HD17/3657U, MSc. Medical Laboratory Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University.

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT SUPERVISION
On-going Undergraduate Students
2024/2025: BSBT
1. MWIJUKYE MARTIN 22/U/6452

Undergraduate Students Supervised to Completion
2023/2024: BSBT
1. NAGUJJA LAZIA SHINA 22/U/6507
2. APIO DOREEN NATASHA 21/U/06412/PS

2022/2023: BSBT
1. TUMWESIGYE LABAN 20/U/11886/PS BSBT
2. NATUMANYA HONEST 20/U/0376 BSCB

2021/2022: BSBT
1. TUSIIME CLAIRE REG NO: 19/U/6130/PS

2020/2021: BSBT
3. NABUKENYA CATHERINE 18/U/9350/PS
4. SEKAMWA ROBERT NATHANIEL,12/U/13985/PS

2018/ 2019: BSETB
1. NABYONGA CHRISTINE MUTEBI – 16/U/8271/PS

2017/2018: BSBT
1. ABBEY SIGOWA – 15/U/5
2. LAKOT AMERIDA -15/U/537

2016/2017: BSBT
1. SEGAWA STUART – 14/U/14533/PS
2. KATO EDWARD LUBEGA -14/U/7357/PS

2015/2016: BSBT
1. NIZEYIMAANA JOVAN – 12/U/12654/PS
2. BYARUHANGA PETER -12/U/4974/PS
3. KAGOLO CHRISTOPHER-12/U/5841/PS
4. NANDINDA NOEL – 12/U/11804/PS
5. NDYANABO ANDREW -12/U/935

2014/2015: BETB
1. NAZZIWA BERNICE -11/U/14589/PS
2. NIYONZIMA FRED -11/U/14572/PS

2014/2015: BSBT
1. MWESIGWA GERALD – 11/U/22718/PS
2. NDUGGA PETER -11/U/6572/PS
3. OYEL RICHARD BURNINGHAM -11/U/6564/PS