Applied Microbiology: Open Access
Open Access

Department of Microbial, Cellular and Molecular Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Biography

Dr. Gurja Belay is an Associate Professor in the Department of Microbial, Cellular, and Molecular Biology at the College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Addis Ababa University (AAU), Ethiopia. He has been a faculty member at AAU since 1988 and was promoted to full professorship in October 2022. Ethiopian Monitor Education and Academic Background: Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.): Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, 1988 Master of Science (M.Sc.): Kyoto University, Japan, 1995 Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.): Kyoto University, Japan, 1998 Research Interests: Dr. Belay's research focuses on molecular genetics, population genetics, and evolutionary biology. He has conducted extensive studies on the genetic adaptation of human populations to high-altitude environments in Ethiopia. Science Daily Selected Publications: "Origin and Differential Selection of Allelic Variation at TAS2R16 Associated with Salicin Bitter Taste Sensitivity in Africa" Authors: Michael C. Campbell, Alessia Ranciaro, Daniel Zinshteyn, Renata Rawlings-Goss, Jibril Hirbo, Simon Thompson, Dawit Woldemeskel, Alain Froment, Joseph B. Rucker, Sabah Omar, Jean-Marie Bodo, Thomas Nyambo, G. Belay, Dennis Drayna, Paul A. S. Breslin, Sarah A. Tishkoff Journal: Molecular Biology and Evolution, 2013 URL: https://academic.oup.com/mbe/article/31/2/288/1022830 "Genetic Adaptation to High Altitude in the Ethiopian Highlands" Authors: Laura B. Scheinfeldt, Sameer Soi, Simon Thompson, Alessia Ranciaro, Dawit Wolde Meskel, William Beggs, Charla Lambert, Joseph P. Jarvis, Dawit Abate, G. Belay, Sarah A. Tishkoff Journal: Genome Biology, 2012 URL: https://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/gb-2012-13-1-r1 "Human–Wildlife Conflict and Attitude of Local People Towards Conservation of Wildlife in Chebera Churchura National Park, Ethiopia" Authors: Aberham Megaze, Mundanthra Balakrishnan, G. Belay Journal: African Zoology, 2017 URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15627020.2017.1300190 "Detection of Phytoplasma by Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification of DNA (LAMP)" Authors: E. Obura, D. Masiga, F. Wachira, B. Gurja, Z.R. Khan Journal: Journal of Microbiological Methods, 2011 URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167701211001260 "Species Composition, Distribution and Habitat Association of Rodents from Arbaminch Forest and Farmlands, Ethiopia" Authors: D. Datiko, A. Bekele, G. Belay Journal: African Journal of Ecology, 2007 URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2028.2007.00789.x

Publications

• Review Article   
  Genetic Diversity in Escherichia coli
  Author(s): Benyam Zenebe*, Tesfaye Sisay and Gurja Belay
  
  E. coli are genetically diverse bacteria which can live in different habitats. The E. coli genome has two components: The core genome which contains essential genes and is shared among all strains of the species; and the accessory genome which is highly variable among strains encompassing many mobile genetic elements. Despite the extensive dynamics in the genomic content over evolutionary period, the genome size of E. coli seems to have been conserved due to processes of continuous gene gain and gene loss. Mobile genetic elements give strains of E. coli better adaptability to different environments such as the ability to resist antibiotics and to escape immune responses and establish infection in various hosts. Mobile genetic elements have been detected in both commensal and pathogenic strains. Horizontal gene transfer in the fo.. View More»
  DOI: 10.35248/2471-9315.24.10.311

  Abstract HTML PDF

Other relevant publications from this author

• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167701211001260