![speaker-photo](http://acat.aatf-africa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/ACAT-2023-SESSION-SPEAKERS-PROFILE-MUGIIRA-Roy.jpg )
Dr. Roy Mugiira
Dr. Roy B. Mugiira joined the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) in August 2021 as the Director of Technical Services (DTS). Before that, he served as the acting CEO from 22nd February 2022.Previously, he served as the Director of Research, Ministry of Education. From February 2016 to January 2021, he worked as the Director of Scheduled Sciences at the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI). Before that, from November 2009 to August 2011, he worked as the acting Technical Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) on deployment from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (MoHEST). In the formative stages of NBA, he was involved in building organizational, institutional and human resource capacity for effectively enforcing the Biosafety Act, 2009. In terms of academic qualifications, Dr Mugiira holds a PhD in the diagnosis of plant viral infections based on the alignment of their DNA sequences. In addition, he has research experience in cloning viral DNA genomes into gene silencing vectors for application in functional genomics. He holds a Master of Science Degree in Plant Pathology and a Bachelor of Education Science Degree from Egerton University. With more than fifteen years of experience in science and technology, Dr Mugiira has played a key role in developing Kenya's Biotechnology Development Policy and the Biosafety regulatory framework for Genetically Modified Organisms. He is a member of the Royal Society of Biologists and the Biosafety Risk Assessment Panel of Experts for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. In addition, he has a broad experience in policy advisory for the governance of Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I) generally and Biotechnology Development specifically.