Professor Davis Mubika Pfukenyi
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
Faculty of Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Department of Veterinary Sciences
I am a veterinary epidemiologist at the level of an Associate Professor with over 20 years of experience in both academia and industry. My broad background training is in veterinary science with areas of expertise being veterinary epidemiology, animal health economics, and biostatistics and research methods. I am a holder of BVSc (UZ, 1992), MVSc-Veterinary Epidemiology (UZ, 1995) and DPhil (UZ, 2003) degrees. Over the years I have gained substantial knowledge and expertise on the epidemiology of animal diseases. My research interests are focused on the epidemiology of zoonoses (diseases transmissible between animals and humans) and vector-borne parasitic diseases, animal diseases of economic importance and quality assurance control systems for animal food safety. I have so far published 58 peer-reviewed journal articles mainly in the field of epidemiology and two book chapters. Through my own and collaborative research and supervision of student research (both undergraduate and postgraduate), I have expanded my knowledge and expertise on the epidemiology of various animal diseases. My knowledge and expertise on the epidemiology of animal diseases and critical review of scientific articles has also increased over the years through being a peer reviewer of scientific papers submitted to peer-reviewed journals for publication and examiner of theses. My vision is to promote and safeguard animal health, production and welfare and to sustain public confidence in the veterinary profession.
I have been involved in the teaching and supervision of both undergraduate and postgraduate students since 2004. My teaching is focused on veterinary epidemiology, veterinary parasitology, animal health economics, research methodology and biostatistics. I have also been involved in internal and external examination of student dissertation and theses. My supervision of students (both under and postgraduate) has expanded markedly over the years: supervise/co-supervisor of > 15 BVSc undergraduate students, 13 MVSc/MSc dissertations and 10 MPhil & 11 DPhil students (completed and current).
- Veterinary Epidemiology – undergraduate and graduate degree programmes
- Biostatistics and Research Methodology - undergraduate and graduate degree programmes
- Animal Health Economics - undergraduate degree programmes
- Veterinary Parasitology - undergraduate degree programmes
I have been involved in research activities as an undergraduate, postgraduate student and later as a veterinarian/academic since 1992 to date. Through own and collaborative research I have gained substantial knowledge and expertise on the epidemiology of various animal diseases. As a result of research activities and publications, I have been and still being invited as a peer reviewer of scientific papers submitted for publications in peer-reviewed journals. In addition, I have also managed to attract research funding from donor organizations. My research has expanded over the years through own and collaborative research, scientific publications, peer-review of journal scientific papers and research proposals, supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate research projects, examination of theses, attraction of research funds and managing research projects. Over the years, I have gained a sound grasp in the design of field and experimental research studies, expertise in data analysis and interpretation and experience in coordinating and managing multidisplinary research projects. To date I have published 58 peer-reviewed journal articles mainly in the field of veterinary epidemiology with my first publication in 1999 and two book chapters.
Arears of Interest
- Epidemiology of zoonotic diseases
- Epidemiology of vector-borne parasitic diseases
- Animal diseases of economic importance
- Quality assurance control systems for animal food safety
Publication Links
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=mlb0A-kAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1818-5723
https://researchgate.net/profile/Davies-Pfukenyi-2/research
- Livestock Production Systems in Zimbabwe (LIPS-Zim) Project
This project is aimed at promoting the increased adoption of climate relevant innovations in livestock-based production systems and improved surveillance and control of livestock diseases. It is an EU-funded project with several partners involved. Research is being conducted on livestock disease vectors (ticks and tsetse), and priority diseases; anthrax, blackleg, Newcastle disease, peste des petits ruminants (PPR), tick-borne diseases (TBDs) and trypanosomiasis. Currently, it has 6 postgraduate students; 1 DPhil and 5 MPhil.
- Heritage for Innovation and Development (HID) Project – Anthrax
This project is aimed at determining the epidemiology of anthrax in Zimbabwe, suitable environmental isolation protocols and genetic diversity of Bacillus anthracis. It also focuses on finding effective decontamination methods for B. anthracis spores. Two MPhil students are currently working on this project.
- HID Project – Ticks and Tick-borne diseases
The ticks and tick-borne diseases project is aimed at determining the epidemiology of ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) in Zimbabwe, tick acaricide resistance and to formulate effective and affordable generic acaricides for the country. Three MPhil students will be involved in the project: one student will research on the spatial distribution of tick species, seroprevalence of selected TBDs and farmers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices with respect to ticks and TBDs. The other student will focus on tick vector competency, tick acaricide resistance while another will research on acaricide formulations.
