Research Areas

Microbiology, Agriculture, Medicine, Biogeochemistry and Autonomous Innovations,

Profile

Associate Professor of Biology, and a transdisciplinary microbiologist, Dr Placid Mpeketula is interested in understanding the role of soil microbes such as bacteria and fungi in mediating ecosystems processes. Microbes are a major part of soil biodiversity, yet mechanisms driving their large-scale ecological ranges and distribution are poorly understood. Apart from mutualisms microbes play crucial roles in carbon sequestration in soils and the global carbon cycle. But cryptic lifestyles of microbes make their community structure and composition enigmatic. Dr Placid Mpeketula conducts research that focuses on understanding roles of cropping system diversity and microbiomes to ecosystem function using multiple dimensions and transdisciplinary approaches. Soil health indicators of interest in his research are many but water stable aggregation, soil carbon measures and other indices of soil health are particuarly of interest. He collaborates with local and international teams of researchers, in the Global Learning Lab in Sub-saharan Africa and many others to mention but Prof Phil Robertson, Prof S. Snapp at Michigan State University and multidisciplinary research teams from Universities in Japan are among them, conducting research aimed at answering fundamental questions at local and broader geographical extents to identify pathways for regenerative agriculture, enhanced ecosystem services and sustainable development. He has worked on Malawian legume inoculants, the Flaskmush innovation for mushroom cultivation, a ground breaking and award winning innovation that helps farmers in Malawi cultivate alot of mushrooms using less water. He has published articles on various topics ranging from microbial ecology, autonomous innovations, green chemistry to spatial modeling aimed at understanding both microbial level controls to global ecosystem controls that modulate various processes in nature and bring about sustainability. The hallmark of his research is to learn about processes, mechanisms and trajectories for sustainable futures particularly for human dominated ecosystems.

Publications

• Journal Article
  Banda, G. C., Monjerezi, M., Sumani, J., & Mpeketula, P. M. (2022). Phytoconstituents and Antimycobacterial Activities of Root Extracts and Fractions from Vernonia glabra,(Steetz) Vatke. Journal of Chemistry, 2022. (2022)
  https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jchem/2022/7003809/

  ---

• Journal Article
  Njewa, J., Majamanda, J., Biswick, T. T., & Mpeketula, P. M. G. (2022). Opportunities and challenges associated with municipal solid waste disposal: A case study of Malawian cities. EQA-International Journal of Environmental Quality, 51, 1-12. (2022)
  https://eqa.unibo.it/article/view/15566

  ---

• Journal Article
  Vunain, E., Masoamphambe, E. F., Mpeketula, P. M. G., Monjerezi, M., & Etale, A. (2019). Evaluation of coagulating efficiency and water borne pathogens reduction capacity of Moringa oleifera seed powder for treatment of domestic wastewater from Zomba, Malawi. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 7(3), 103118. (2019)
  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2213343719302416

  ---

• Journal Article
  Mpeketula, P. M., & Snapp, S. S. (2019). Structural stability conditions soil carbon gains from compost management and rotational diversity. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 83(1), 203-211. (2019)
  https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.2136/sssaj2017.03.0076

  ---

• Journal Article
  Likongwe, M. C., Kasapila, W., Katundu, M., & Mpeketula, P. (2018). Microbiological quality of traditional and improved kiln smoked catfish (Clarias gariepinus; Pisces; Clariidae) in Lake Chilwa Basin. Food science & nutrition, 7(1), 281-286. (2018)
  https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fsn3.885

  ---

• Journal Article
  Kapute, F., Likongwe, J., Kang'ombe, J., Kiiyukia, C., & Mpeketula, P. (2012). Quality assessment of fresh lake Malawi tilapia (Chambo) collected from selected local and super markets in Malawi. (2012)
  

  ---

• Journal Article
  Ngonda, F., Magombo, Z., Mpeketula, P., & Mwatseteza, J. (2012). Extraction, characterization and pharmacological evaluation of leaves and root bark of Dalbergiella nyasae (Baker f.). Pharmacognosy Journal, 4(34), 69-76. (2012)
  https://doi.org/10.5530/pj.2012.34.12

  ---

• Journal Article
  Ngonda, F., Magombo, Z., Mpeketul, P., & Mwatseteza, J. (2012). Evaluation of Malawian Vernonia glabra (Steetz) Vatke leaf and Securidaca longepedunculata (Fresen) root extracts for antimicrobial activities. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, 2(11), 026-033. (2012)
  DOI: 10.7324/JAPS.2012.21106

  ---

• Journal Article
  Kazembe, Lawrence N., and Placid MG Mpeketula. "Quantifying spatial disparities in neonatal mortality using a structured additive regression model." PloS one 5, no. 6 (2010): e11180. (2010)
  https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011180

  ---