Staff Profiles

BSc, MSc

I am a lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences here at the University of Botswana. My research interests include environmental microbiology, molecular genotyping and epidemiology of pathogenic microbes. My specific area of expertise is on the isolating and molecular identification of microbes of medical importance, as well as on molecular genotyping using various phenotypic and DNA based typing methods. I also evaluate traditional and synthetic products against pathogens. I am currently involved in various projects that use DNA sequencing of various loci to determine pathogenesis and epidemiology of emerging pathogens. In my projects DNA sequencing is used to type the organisms and elucidate genes involved in pathogenesis and elucidation of possible early detection platforms and biocontrol.

General Microbiology

Mycology

Plant Pathology

Food Microbology

Foodborne pathogens and disease

Molecular mycology

Genetic structure of fungal pathogens

Evolution of Cryptococcus neoformans in Botswana

Extremophilic fungi

Industrial exploitation of fungi

Fungal evolution

Molecular mycology

1. Wale, K., Kwape, T.E., Sethibe, L., Gaobotse, G., Loeto, D., and Sethebe, B. 2018. Antibacterial and antioxidant potential of Abizia anthelmintica as a medicinal plant on pathogenic veterinary isolates. Journal of Medicinal Plants Research, 12(27): 456-462.
2. Loeto, D., Wale, K., Khare, K.B., Coetzee, T., and Baruti, K. 2016. Mating type determination of Cryptococcus neoformans isolates obtained from faecal samples of veterinary animals in Botswana. CIBTech Journal of Microbiology, 5(3): 16-22.
3. Mazimba, O., Wale, K., Loeto, D., and Kwape, T. 2014. Antioxidant and antimicrobial studies on fused-ring pyrazolones and isoxazolones. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry 22(23): 6564-6569.
4. Loeto, D., Matsheka M.I., and Gashe, B.A. 2007. Enteroptoxigenic and antibiotic resistance determination of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from food handlers in Gaborone, Botswana. Journal of Food Protection 70(12): 2764-2768.