Christian Isalomboto Nkanga
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Christian I. Nkanga | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 16, 1989 Mbandaka, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Citizenship | Congolese |
| Alma mater | University of Kinshasa; Rhodes University; University of California San Diego |
| Known for | Nano-/micro-encapsulation and targeted delivery of drug molecules and live particles for human, animal, and environmental health; multifunctional smart nano-/bio-materials for therapeutic, diagnostic, and environmental management applications |
| Awards | ARISE Fellow; Novartis Next Generation Scientist; SACI Postgraduate Medal |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Nanotechnology; medicinal chemistry; drug delivery; product development |
| Institutions | University of Kinshasa; Memsel Inc. |
Christian Isalomboto Nkanga (born 16 May 1989) is a Congolese academic, researcher, and entrepreneur specializing in nanotechnology and pharmaceutical product development. He is a Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Kinshasa and serves as the Chief Scientific Officer at Memsel Inc. in Texas, USA. In 2025, he was elected to the Executive Committee of the Global Young Academy.
Early life and education
Nkanga was born in Mbandaka, DR Congo. He completed his secondary education at Institut Frère Iloo and graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Kinshasa in 2014. Supported by the BEBUC excellence scholarship, he moved to South Africa to attend Rhodes University, where he earned a Master of Science in Drug Delivery Science in 2016.
He continued his studies at Rhodes University, obtaining a PhD in Chemistry in 2019. His doctoral thesis, titled "pH-Responsive Liposomal Systems for Site-Specific Pulmonary Delivery of Anti-Tubercular Drugs," focused on nanoparticle-based antimicrobial drug delivery systems.
From 2020 to 2021, Nkanga held a postdoctoral research position at the University of California, San Diego within the **Steinmetz Lab**. During this tenure, he specialized in plant virus nanotechnology for biomedical applications, contributing to the development of plant-virus-based platforms for COVID-19 vaccines and cancer immunotherapies.
Academic and professional career
Nkanga joined the University of Kinshasa as an Associate Professor of Pharmacy in 2019 and was promoted to Full Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences in April 2025. In June 2024, in collaboration with the university's leadership, he established the Centre de Recherche en Nanotechnologies Appliquées aux Produits Naturels (CReNAPN), the first nanotechnology-dedicated research center in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In the private sector, Nkanga serves as the Chief Scientific Officer at Memsel Inc. (Texas, USA), where he leads the development of advanced biomaterials for wound care. He is a co-founder of the D.R. Congo Young Academy of Sciences (ASJ-RDC) and has served as a guest editor and reviewer for multiple scientific journals.
In 2022, he received the African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence (ARISE) award from the African Academy of Sciences, which funded the launch of the first Nanotechnology Lab at the University of Kinshasa. Within this program, he mentors junior scientists in using green nanoengineering to convert agricultural waste into biogenic sanitizers intended to combat antimicrobial resistance.
Research interests and vision
Nkanga's research focuses on the "bench to bedside" development of drug products, specifically the nano-encapsulation and targeted delivery of small drug molecules, bio/macromolecules, and live particles for human, animal, and environmental health. His vision is to establish Africa as a pivotal provider of nanomedicine raw materials and a global nanotechnology hub by leveraging the continent's natural resources for advanced medical solutions.
Awards and honors
- **Bourse d'Excellence Bringmann aux Universités Congolaises (BEBUC)** (2015–2019): Awarded by the NGO Förderverein Uni Kinshasa e.V.
- **SACI Postgraduate Medal** (2017): Awarded by the South African Chemical Institute.
- **Novartis Next Generation Scientist** (2018): Awarded by Novartis Pharma AG and the University of Basel (Switzerland).
- **Henderson Doctoral Scholarship** (2018): Awarded by Rhodes University.
- **DST/NRF Innovation and Priority Research Areas Scholarships** (2017 & 2020): Awarded by the National Research Foundation of South Africa.
- **African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence (ARISE) Award** (2022): Awarded by the African Academy of Sciences.
Selected publications
- **Nkanga, C.I.**; et al. (2022). "Photothermal immunotherapy of melanoma using TLR-7 agonist laden tobacco mosaic virus with polydopamine coat". Nanomedicine: NBM. **43**: 102573. doi:10.1016/j.nano.2022.102573.
- **Nkanga, C.I.**; Steinmetz, N.F. (2022). "Injectable hydrogel containing cowpea mosaic virus nanoparticles prevents colon cancer growth". ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering. **8** (4): 1534–1544. doi:10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c01532.
- **Nkanga, C.I.** (2023). "Nanotoxicological profiles of clinically approved nanoplatforms". Beni-Suef University Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences. **12**: 115. doi:10.1186/s43088-023-00458-6.
References
External links
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