Position: Postdoctoral Fellow
Phone: +47 77644716
Fax: +47 77645350
E-mail: malachy@fagmed.uit.no


Dr. Malachy Ifeanyi Okeke is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Norwegian Institute of Gene Ecology Tromsø, Norway. He received his PhD from the University of Tromsø, Norway in 2007, where he characterized recombinant viruses obtained from recombination in vitro between transgenic and wild type orthopoxviruses. Dr. Okeke`s current research interests focus on virus-virus interaction between transgenic and wild type orthopoxviruses, virus-host interaction between transgenic or wild type orthopoxviruses and their mammalian hosts, and how these interactions can result in potential bio-safety problems especially if transgenic poxviruses are used as vaccines for human and animal diseases.


Publications: 2000 – Date

Okeke M. I. (2007). Recombination in vitro between transgenic and wild type orthopoxviruses; characterization of parental and progeny hybrid viruses. Ph.D Thesis. University of Tromsø, Norway. ISBN:978-82-7589-188-2

Okeke M. I., Nilssen Ø, and Traavik T. (2006). Modified vacinia virus Ankara (MVA) multiplies in rat IEC-6 cells and limited production of mature virions occurs in other mammalian cell lines. J Gen Virol 87, 21-27.

Hansen H, Okeke M. I, Nilssen Ø, and Traavik. T. 2004. Recombinant viruses obtained from co-infection in vitro with a live vaccinia-vectored influenza vaccine and a naturally occurring cowpox virus display different plaque phenotypes and loss of the transgene. Vaccine 23: 499-506.

Weli S. C, Okeke M. I, Tryland M, Nilssen Ø and T. Traavik. 2004. Characterization of Avipoxviruses from wild birds in Norway. Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research 68(2): 140-145.

Okoli A. S, Okeke M. I, Iroegbu C.U and Ebo P. U. 2002. Antibacterial activity of Harungana madagascariensis leaf extract. Phytotherapy Research 16(2): 174-179.

Okeke M. I, Iroegbu C.U, Eze E.N, Okoli A. S and Esimone C.O. 2001. Evaluation of extracts of the root of Landolphia owerrience for antibacterial activity. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 78: 119-127.

Okeke M.I., Iroegbu C.U., Jideofor C.O., Okoli A.S. and Esimone C.O. 2001. Antimicrobial activity of ethanol extracts of two indigenous nigerian spices. Journal of Herbs, Spices, and Medicinal plants 8(4), 39-46.

Okeke M.I., Iroegbu C.U. and Nwadinobi G.C. 2000. Cultural conditions affecting the production of Beta-haemolysin of Bacillus globisporus. Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences 6(2): 215-219.