Ashenafi Hailu Gunnabo (PhD)

I was born in a shanty village named Garda in Derashe (Gidole) and studied Biology. I worked for southern agricultural research institute (SARI) as Fishery and Aquaculture Researcher and shifted my journey to Microbiology. Then, I became a lecturer at Wolaita Sodo University (WSU). To continue my journey in the unseen world of life (microbiology), I continued as a PhD student at Addis Ababa University, but quite it and joined Plant Production Systems Group at Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands, where I spent time dealing with plant microbe interactions. After coming back to home, I joined Arba Minch University and established my lab that focus on Plant-Microbe-Interactions. My research focuses on legume-rhizobium symbiosis; AMF-plant symbiosis; microbial genomics and bioinformatics. I am collaborating with colleagues and friends in Ethiopia and outside Ethiopia. Besides plant-microbe interactions, I also established plant tissue culture lab to develop disease free plants and seedlings. Currently, we are collaborating with VITA on producing disease free potatoes to distribute to farmers in Game highlands and beyond.