Contact Information
Name: Name: Dr. Alex Mugwiria Muthengi, Ph.D.
Position: : Director, Research, Extension & Publication
Official Email: alex.mugwiria@tharaka.ac.ke
Office Telephone: (+254) 790-545588
Level | Qualification Name | Institution | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
Postdoctoral Fellowship | Postdoctoral Fellow, Medicinal Chemistry | Northeastern University, US. | 2020 |
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) | Doctorate in Chemistry | University of Massachusetts Boston, US. Dissertation | 2019 |
Master | Chemistry | Kenyatta University | 2013 |
Bachelor | Education (Science) Chemistry (1st Class Honors) | Catholic University of Eastern Africa,of Nairobi | 2010 |
Education Background
Academic Appointments/ Related Experience
Period | Institution | Position |
|---|---|---|
October 2023 – To date | Tharaka University | Senior Lecturer |
2021-September 2023 | Tharaka University | Lecturer |
2014 – May 2019 | Massachusetts Boston, US. | Teaching Assistant |
2011 - 2013 | Kenyatta University | Graduate Assistant |
2012 – 2013 | Kabete Polytechnic | Assistant Lecturer |
2010 – 2011 | Meru Polytechnic | Tutor |
Administrative Experience
Period | Institution | Position |
|---|---|---|
Aug 2024– To date | Tharaka University | Director, Research, Extension & Publication |
July 2024 | Tharaka University | Director, Board of Postgraduate Studies & Research |
October 2023 – June 2024 | Tharaka University | Director, Research, Extension & Publication |
2012 – 2013 | International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE, Kenya) | Research Assistant |
Trainings/Workshops/Curriculum Development
Pedagogy Training at Tharaka University on March 30-31st, 2023 |
Workshop on Proposal Writing and Grant Management for Early Career Researchers at Semara Hotel in Machakos County, Kenya on October 17-19th, 2022. |
Workshop on Designing an Effective Intellectual Property Policy, at Siaya Institute of Technology (SIT) on January 19-21st, 2022. |
Training Curriculum Design & Development, and CBC on January 26-28th, 2022. |
Workshop on Technology Transfer & Commercialization of Intellectual Property at Machakos University on November 15-17th, 2021. |
Workshop on Effective Intellectual Property Policy Development at Machakos University on October 25-27th, 2021. |
Training on Fire & Laboratory Safety at University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA on July 2017. |
Patents
Inventors | Patent Name | Patent Document |
|---|---|---|
Wei Zhang, Alex Muthengi, Hailemichael O. Yosief | “Heterocyclic Compounds and Uses Thereof” | PCT/US2018/041933 (WO 2019/014514 A1). |
Publications and Journals
Article | View Online | Year |
|---|---|---|
Alex Muthengi, Alice Ciandige, Fidelis Ngugi, Joseph K. Mworia. Phytochemical screening and repellence potencies of bioactive molecules plant extracts derived from Ocimum suave (Willd) (Lamiaceae), Ocimum americanum (Willd) and Eucalyptus citriodora (Hook) against Anopheles gambiae. Malaria Journal, 2025, e947114b-9b5b-4fe5-baf6-b737afc7a878- Manuscipt Accepted | View Online | 2025 |
Silas Njiru, Alex Muthengi, and Juster Mungiria. Assessment of Carbon Sequestration and Reflective Properties of High-Albedo C3 and C4 Plant Species: A Laboratory Approach. Acta Scientific Nutritional Health, 9(1), 17-23. | 2025 | |
Silas Njiru, Alex Muthengi, Fidelis Ngugi, Regina Tenda & Rael Karimi. Metabolite Profiling of Mung Bean (Vigna radiata) Varieties Using UV-Vis Spectroscopy: A Tool for Breeding Resilience. Acta Scientific Nutritional Health, 9(2), 32-36. | 2025 | |
Silas Njiru, Alex Muthengi, Fidelis Ngugi, Regina Tenda & Rael Karimi. Evaluation Of Mung Bean (Vigna Radiata) Varieties For Resistance To Bruchid Callosobruchus Spp) Infestation Using The “No Choice test”. IOSR Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Science (IOSR-JAVS), 2024, 17(9), 36-41. | 2024 | |
Eric M. Ngigi, Philiswa N. Nomngongo, Alex Muthengi, Joseph K. Mworia, and J. Catherine Ngila. Sol-Gel Synthesis of Mn2O3−WO3 Nano-Composites with an Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance of Mixed Parabens. Nanomaterials-3092152 (ISSN 2079-4991). | 2024 | |
Alex Muthengi, Silas Njiru, and Juster Mungiria. A Comparative Study of Caffeine Levels in Coffee and Cocoa in Kenyan Supermarkets and Shops. Pan-African Journal of Health and Environmental Science (AHJES). 3(1), 1-11. | 2024 | |
Alex Muthengi, Virangika K. Wimalasena, Hailemichael O. Yosief, Melissa J. Bikowitz, Deyao Li, Zied Gaieb, Gagan Dhawan, Shuai Liu, Jon Erickson, Ernst Schönbrunn, Rommie E. Amaro, Jun Qi and Wei Zhang. Development of Dimethylisoxazole-Attached Imidazo[1,2‑a]pyridines as Potent and Selective CBP/P300 Inhibitors. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2021, 64, 5787−5801 | 2021 | |
Alex Muthengi, Jon Erickson, Rachel Muriph and Wei Zhang. (3+2) Cycloaddition and cascade radical reaction for the synthesis of trifluoromethylated tetrahydrobenzodiazepin-3-one. Journal of Organic Chemistry 2019, 84 (9), 5927–5935. | 2019 | |
Alex Muthengi, Xiaofeng Zhang, Gagan Dhawan, Wensheng Zhang, Francesca Corsini and Wei Zhang. Sequential (3+2) cycloaddition and modular synthesis of dihydrobenzoxazines, tetrahydrobenzoxazepines and tetrahydrobenzoxaocines. Green Chemistry 2018, 20, 3134–3139. | 2018 | |
Shuai Liu, Hailemichael Yosief, Lingling Dai, He Huang, Gagan Dhawan, Xiaofeng Zhang, Alex Muthengi, Justin M Roberts, Dennis L Buckley, Jennifer A. Perry, Lei Wu, James E. Bradner Jun Qi and Wei Zhang. Structure-guided design and development of potent and selective dual bromodomain 4 (BRD4)/Polo-like Kinase1 (PLK1) Inhibitors. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2018, 61, 7785–7795. | 2018 | |
Xiaofeng Zhang, Gagan Dhawan, Alex Muthengi, Shuai Liu, Wei Wang, Marc Legris and Wei Zhang. One-pot and catalyst-free synthesis of pyrroloquinolinediones and quinolinedicarboxylates. Green Chemistry 2017, 19, 3851–3855. | 2017 | |
Xiaofeng Zhang, Marc Legris, Alex Muthengi and Wei Zhang. [3+2] Cycloaddition-based one pot synthesis of 3,9-diazabicyclo[.2.1]nonane-containing scaffold. Chemistry Heterocyclic Compounds 2017, 53, 468–473. | 2017 | |
Xiaofeng Zhang, Kenny Pham, Shuai Liu, Marc Legris, Alex Muthengi, Jerry P. Jasinski and Wei Zhang. Stereoselective synthesis of fused tetrahydroquinazolines through one-pot double [3 + 2] dipolar cycloadditions followed by [5 + 1] annulations. Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry 2016, 12, 2204–2210. | 2016 |
Conference Presentations/Proceedings
Conference | Presentation |
|---|---|
28th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference in Atlanta, GA, June 3-5, 2024. | Multicomponent Reactions for Synthesis of Biologically Active Compounds”. |
4th Annual International Research Conference at Tharaka University on November 17-18th 2022. | “Development of Dimethylisoxazole-attached Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines as Potent and Selective CBP/P300 Inhibitors. |
3rd Annual International Research Conference at Tharaka University on November 18-19th 2021. | “Green Synthesis of Dihydrobenzoxazines, Tetrahydrobenzoxazepines and Tetrahydrobenzoxazocines. |
1st Career, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Week at Tharaka University on March 7-10th, 2022. | Innovation and Protection of Intellectual Property Rights. |
1st New England NTD’s consortium at Boston University on September 11th, 2019. | SAR on Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines targeting Leishmaniasis. |
2019 Northeast Section Chemistry Research conference at Novartis, Boston MA on March 7th, 2019. | Development of Potent and Selective CBP Inhibitor. |
2018 Northeast Section Chemistry Research conference at UMass Boston, MA on April 14th, 2018. | Design and Synthesis of Potent and Selective CBP Inhibitors. |
Boston Symposium on Organic and Bioinorganic Chemistry at Merck Company, Boston, MA on October 18th, 2018. | (3+2) cycloaddition & (5+n) annulations for synthesis of Dihydrobenzoxazine, tetrahydrobenzoxazepine, and tetrahydrobenzoxazocine. |
256th American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition at Boston, MA on August 19- 23rd, 2018. | |
U54 Summer Research Symposium at UMass Boston on August 10, 2018. | Sequential (3+2) cycloaddition & (5+n) annulations for synthesis of Dihydrobenzoxazine, tetrahydrobenzoxazepine, and tetrahydrobenzoxazocine. |
Cancer Genetics Retreat at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) on June 25th, 2018. | Design and Synthesis of Potent and Selective CBP/P300 Inhibitors |
Boston Symposium on Organic and Bioinorganic Chemistry at Merck Company, Boston, MA on October 10th, 2017. | Structure-Activity Relationship on Dual PLK1/Bromodomain inhibitor BI-2536. |
15th Annual Discovery on Target Conference at Westin Copley Place, Boston, MA on September 25-29th, 2017. | Development of Potent and Selective CBP Inhibitor. |
U54 Summer Research Symposium at UMass Boston on August 15, 2017. | Design and Synthesis of Potent and Selective CBP Inhibitors. |
ISOFT17 Fluorous Conference at Tufts University in Boston, MA on August 9-11th, 2017. | One-Pot Synthesis of Polysubstituted Phenols and Pyridines via dehydrofluorination & Aromatization. |
21st Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference in Reston, Virginia on June 13-15th, 2017. | Pot Economic Synthesis & Organocatalysis. |
Green Chemistry in the Pharmaceutical Industry & Chemical Education organized by UMass Boston and Pfizer at UMass Boston on November 5th, 2016. | Pot Economic Synthesis of Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines. |
UMass Boston Green Chemistry Conference at UMass Boston on September 18th, 2016. | |
Green Chemistry 3-Day Conference at Yale University on August 31st to September 2nd, 2016. | Drug Discovery in One Pot. |
U54 Summer Research Symposium at UMass Boston on August 18, 2016. | Structure-Activity Relationship on Dual Kinase PLK1& BRD4 Bromodomain inhibitors. |
34th Annual Chemistry Graduate Student Symposium at The University of Buffalo, New York, USA on May 16-18th, 2016. | SAR on Dual Kinase PLK1& BRD4 Bromodomain inhibitors. |
250th American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition at Boston, MA on August 16-20th, 2015. | |
3rd Workshop of the Global Green Chemistry Centers (G2C2) at UMass Boston on August 8-9th, 2015. | Pot Economic Synthesis of Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines and it’s Analogues. |
Grants/Honors/Awards
2024: Farm Africa Grant for Tharaka University to supply Fruits & Tree seedlings. Role: Lead PI. Total amount: Kshs. 6,708,200.00. Start date: 9/8/ 2024. |
2024: Tharaka University Internal Research Fund. “Ethnobotanical Study of Traditional Knowledge and Uses of Plants among the Tharaka Community in Kenya”. Total amount: Kshs. 200,000. Role: Co-PI. Start date: Sept. 2024. |
2024: Tharaka University Internal Research Fund. “Bee Management in Improving Honey Quality & Production in Tharaka Constituency”. Total amount: Kshs. 200,000. Role: Co-PI. Start date: Sept. 2024. |
2023: Tharaka University Internal Research Fund. “Development of Phlebotomite Sandflies Repellent Product(s) for Control of Visceral Leishmaniasis (Kala-azar)”. Total amount: Kshs. 800,000. Role: PI. Start date: Sept. 2023- on-going. |
2016-2019: National Institutes of Health (NIH) U54 grant CA156732. “Development of bromodomain inhibitors in treatment of cancer & addressing Cancer disparities”. Total amount: $500,000. Role: Team member 2018 UMass Boston Ph.D. Dissertation grant. Total amount: $5000 |
2018 Summer U54 UMass Boston-Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center internship grant. Total amount: $5000 |
2017 ACS Green Chemistry Institute® (ACS GCI) Pharmaceutical Roundtable Student Travel Grant. Total Amount: $1000 |
2017 Student fellowship award during the 15th Annual Discovery on Target Conference, Boston, MA. Total amount: $1000 |
2017 Summer U54 UMass Boston-Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center internship grant. Total amount $5000 |
2016 Summer U54 UMass Boston-Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center internship grant. Total amount: $5000 |
2016 Travel Grant to attend 34th Annual Chemistry Graduate Student Symposium at The University of Buffalo, New York. Total amount: $500 |
Professional Membership
American Chemical Society (ACS), Member (30853770) |
American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS), Member |
Kenya Chemical Society, Member |
