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Collins Khwatenge, PhD

Assistant Professor 
Department of Biological Sciences 
1200 N. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901
ckhwatenge [at] desu.edu 

EDUCATION 

  • Postdoctoral Research, Animal immunogenetics, Tennessee State University 
  • Ph.D., Biological Sciences with a concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology, Tennessee State University 
  • M.S., Agricultural Sciences with a concentration in Animal Science, Tennessee State University 
  • B.S. (Education), Biology & Chemistry, Maseno University 

RESEARCH INTERESTS/AREA 

  • Animal Immunogenomics 
  • Poultry Nutrigenomics 
  • Functional Genomics 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS 

  • American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) 
  • Poultry Science Association (PSA) 

 SELECTED PUBLICATIONS 

  • Bhogoju S, Taylor-Bowden T, Khwatenge CN, Nahashon SN. Growth Performance of French Guinea Fowl Broilers Fed the Probiotics Lactobacillus reuteri and Streptomyces coelicolor. Bacteria. 2025; 4(1):13. https://doi.org/10.3390/bacteria4010013  
  • Taylor-Bowden T, Bhogoju S, Khwatenge CN, Nahashon SN. The Impact of Essential Amino Acids on the Gut Microbiota of Broiler Chickens. Microorganisms. 2024 Mar 29;12(4):693. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12040693  
  • Adeyemi OD, Tian Y, Khwatenge CN, Grayfer L, Sang Y. Molecular diversity and functional implication of amphibian interferon complex: Remarking immune adaptation in vertebrate evolution. Dev Comp Immunol. 2023 Mar;140:104624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dci.2022.104624  
  • Mukuna W, Aniume T, Pokharel B, Khwatenge C, Basnet A, Kilonzo-Nthenge A. Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profile of Pathogenic and Commensal Bacteria Recovered from Cattle and Goat Farms. Antibiotics. 2023; 12(2):420. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12020420  
  • Dimitrakopoulou D*, Khwatenge CN*, James-Zorn C*, Paiola M, Bellin EW, Tian Y, Sundararaj N, Polak EJ, Grayfer L, Barnard D, Ohta Y, Horb M, Sang Y, Robert J. Advances in the Xenopus immunome: Diversification, expansion, and contraction. Dev Comp Immunol. 2023 Aug;145:104734. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dci.2023.104734  
  • Khwatenge, C. N.; Pate, M.; Miller, L. C.; Sang, Y. Immunometabolic Dysregulation at the Intersection of Obesity and COVID-19. Frontiers in Immunology 2021, 12, 4302. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.732913.  
  • Khwatenge, C. N.; Nahashon, S. N. Recent Advances in the Application of CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing System in Poultry Species. Front. Genet. 2021, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2021.627714. 
  • Bhogoju, S.; Khwatenge, C. N.; Taylor-Bowden, T.; Akerele, G.; Kimathi, B. M.; Donkor, J.; Nahashon, S. N. Effects of Lactobacillus Reuteri and Streptomyces Coelicolor on Growth Performance of Broiler Chickens. Microorganisms 2021, 9 (6), 1341. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9061341.  
  • Tian, Y.; De Jesús Andino, F.; Khwatenge, C. N.; Li, J.; Robert, J.; Sang, Y. Virus-Targeted Transcriptomic Analyses Implicate Ranaviral Interaction with Host Interferon Response in Frog Virus 3-Infected Frog Tissues. Viruses 2021, 13 (7), 1325. https://doi.org/10.3390/v13071325. 
  • Tian, Y.; Khwatenge, C. N.; Li, J.; De Jesus Andino, F.; Robert, J.; Sang, Y. Targeted Transcriptomics of Frog Virus 3 in Infected Frog Tissues Reveal Non-Coding Regulatory Elements and MicroRNAs in the Ranaviral Genome and Their Potential Interaction with Host Immune Response. Front. Immunol. 2021, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.705253. 
  • Khwatenge, C. N.; Kimathi, B. M.; Nahashon, S. N. Transcriptome Analysis and Expression of Selected Cationic Amino Acid Transporters in the Liver of Broiler Chicken Fed Diets with Varying Concentrations of Lysine. Int J Mol Sci 2020, 21 (16). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21165594. 
  • Khwatenge, C. N.; Kimathi, B. M.; Taylor-Bowden, T.; Nahashon, S. N. Expression of Lysine-Mediated Neuropeptide Hormones Controlling Satiety and Appetite in Broiler Chickens. Poultry Science 2020, 99 (3), 1409–1420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2019.10.053. 
  • Byers MS; Bohannon-Stewart A; Khwatenge CN; Alqureish E; Alhathlol AA; Nahashon S; Wang X. Absolute Quantification of Tissue Specific Expression of Glucose Transporters in Chickens. Journal of Molecular and Cellular Biology Forecast 2018, 1, 8. https://scienceforecastoa.com/Articles/JMCBF-V1-E1-1009.pdf. 
  • Bhogoju, S.; Nahashon, S. N.; Donkor, J.; Kimathi, B.; Johnson, D.; Khwatenge, C.; Bowden-Taylor, T. Effect of Varying Dietary Concentrations of Lysine on Growth Performance of the Pearl Grey Guinea Fowl. Poultry Science 2017, 96 (5), 1306–1315. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pew395. 
  • Khwatenge, C. N.; Hill, K. N.; Nahashon, S. N. Growth and Metabolic Indices of Furazolidone-Induced Cardiomyopathy in the Pearl Grey Guinea Fowl. Poultry, Fisheries & Wildlife Sciences 2018, 6 (2), 1–8. https://www.longdom.org/open-access/growth-and-metabolic-indices-of-fura… 

TEACHING 

  • General Biology I & II 
  • Molecular Biology 
  • Genetics 
  • Professional Scientific Writing 
  • University Seminar I & II 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

  • Journal Reviewer 
  • Journal of Animals 
  • Journal of Poultry  
  • Journal of Microorganisms