Dr. Tinna Ng’ong’ola-Manani is an accomplished Associate Professor of Food Microbiology and Dean Dean of Faculty of Food and Human Sciences at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR). She obtained her PhD in Food Science from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, and a Master of Science in Applied Microbiology from the University of Botswana. With 20 years of experience as a lecturer, consultant, and researcher in food microbiology, Dr. Manani’s expertise covers a wide range of disciplines including food fermentation and bio-preservation, food safety, food hygiene, food nutrient profiling, and food product development. As a skilled trainer of trainers, she has led numerous workshops in food safety, agro-food processing, and preservation for value addition and household nutrition.

Dr. Manani has conducted several consultancies as a team lead and has received multiple research grants as a Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator, and Sub-awardee from prestigious organizations such as International Foundation for Science (IFS), Feed the Future – USAID, World Bank through the Agricultural Productivity Program for Southern Africa (APPSA); International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) through McGill University, Biodiverity International, and WorldFish; African Development Bank through WorldFish; Norwegian Education Research Fund (NUFU); and Nowergian government through the Agricultural Research and Development Program (ARDEP). Recognized for her contributions to the field, Dr. Manani was awarded the prestigious Norman E. Borlaug International Women in Agricultural Sciences and Technology Fellows Program award.

Currently, she serves as a Team leader of a USAID-funded capacity-building program called Nutrition 4 Health Activity, and is Vice Chairperson of the Food and Nutrition Research Technical Working Group, a sub-committee of the Malawi National Nutrition Coordinating Committee. Dr. Manani also serves as a member of the National Policy Advisory Team for Food and Nutrition and has previously been a member of the National Food Safety Taskforce. In addition to her work in academia, Dr. Manani has a passion for community service, volunteering at her local church in several capacities, including twice as Women’s Ministry leader and church clerk.