Research Interests and Accomplishments

Dr. Djikeng graduated with BSC (Honors) and MSC from the University of Yaoundé I in Cameroon. He was subsequently awarded the WHO scholarship for training in tropical diseases to pursue PhD studies jointly with the International Livestock Research Institute in Nairobi, Kenya and Brunel University in London. He then joined the Yale University School of Medicine for postdoctoral training where he made significant contributions for the discovery of the first intron in kinetoplastids, the elucidation of the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway, and developed methodologies and reagents for the use of RNAi as a tool for the regulation of gene expresion in African trypanosomes. Dr. Djikeng also served for one year as a junior faculty at the Yale School of Medicine (section of infectious diseases) before joining the JCVI.

At JCVI, Dr. Djikeng is Staff Scientist in the infectious disease group. His major interests are in the areas of research and development of new methodologies for high throughput viral genome sequencing, analysis and their application to understanding the evolution of emerging and re-emerging viruses. His long term goals are to develop new approaches to predict and control emerging and re-emerging viral infectious diseases, as well as to facilitate the transfer of technologies and knowledge in genomics and related disciplines to developing countries.

Select Publications