Department of Medical Laboratory Science

About Us

The department of Medical laboratory Science was established in December 2007 and began its operations in January 02, 2008. The departmental office is located on Arts complex II building, Second Floor, Room Number 2005 and 2006.

Currently, the department offers three programmes: B.Sc. (Medical Laboratory Science), M.Sc. and PhD (Medical Laboratory Science). The post graduate programmes (MSc, Ph. D) offer specialized training in the following areas of specialization: Clinical Chemistry, Medical Virology, Medical Bacteriology, Medical Parasitology, Medical Mycology, Medical Immunology, Hematology, Blood transfusion, Histology and Cytology.  

All our programmes are reviewed per a stipulated cycle with input from both internal and external stake holders with representation from the users, governance bodies, influencers and providers. This has given all the programmes a competitive edge in the market and kept the demand soaring. The teaching and technical staff are qualified and have ably met the need.

The B.Sc. Programme leads to a professional qualification allowing the graduates to practice Medical Laboratory Science in all the clinical laboratories both in public, private hospitals and research institutions. The programme is approved by the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board (KMLTTB). The graduates from this programme are registered and licensed by the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board (KMLTTB) to practice.

The B.Sc. (MLS) programme was revised in 2017 to meet the frontiers and current market demands in Medical Laboratory Science. It is a four year programme with a trimester of clinical rotations/skills laboratory attachment each year in KMLTTB approved hospitals. The clinical attachment takes 8 week for the first 3 academic years and 16 weeks in the last (4^th) academic year. The B.Sc. (MLS) is extremely popular and competitive programme with a very high number of applicants every year.

The M.Sc Medical Laboratory Science Programme was revised in October 2019. It provides comprehensive and focused training with strengths in the following areas: Phlebotomy, Medical Virology, Clinical Chemistry, Medical Bacteriology, Medical Parasitology, Medical Mycology, Medical Immunology, Hematology, Blood transfusion, Histology and Cytology. It is a more market driven reviewed programme of what was previously MSc (Infectious Diseases), geared to address evidence based diagnosis for both communicable and non-communicable diseases.

The goal of this programme is to provide an opportunity for students to specialize in any of the disciplines mentioned above. The M.Sc. (Medical Laboratory Science) is a 2 year training programme with course work in the first year and thesis research in the second year of study.

The Ph.D (Medical Laboratory Science) is a three year programme was revised in October 2019. It was previously Ph.D (Infectious Diseases). This has given it a competitive edge in the market. It has a one year course work and two years research and thesis thereafter.

It provides comprehensive and focused training with strengths in the following areas: Medical Virology, Clinical Chemistry, Medical Bacteriology, Medical Parasitology, Medical Mycology, Medical Immunology, Hematology, Blood transfusion, Histology and Cytology.

All our programmes are supported by very well equipped laboratories for practical demonstrations during training and a highly trained and motivated team of lecturers actively involved in research and development of sustainable solutions to emerging and re-emerging health challenges through evidence based diagnosis.

We work closely with Training and Referral hospitals, Research institutions including Institute of Primates Research (IPR) in close proximity with the University to ensure that the desired exposure in evidence based diagnosis is achieved.

This translates our contribution in the big four agenda by implementing what is discovered or explored on the laboratory bench to the bedside for improved health outcomes.

VISION

• To be the leading center in the training of Medical laboratory Science graduates globally.

MISSION

• To train Medical Laboratory Scientists for the service of humanity.

OBJECTIVES

1. Produce medical science graduates with state of the art skills in all the areas of laboratory medicine and medical research.
2. Equip medical laboratory science students with administrative and managerial skills for sound clinical laboratory practice.

CAREER PROSPECTS
Upon graduating from the B.Sc. and Postgraduate programs, there are ready opportunities for graduates as scientists and technologists in the private sector in hospital laboratories, in medical and biomedical research centers, in training institutions as tutors, in national quality control and regulatory bodies, in the food safety industries, reference and biotechnology laboratories , in dairy or brewing companies, in product development, in medical equipment companies in sales and marketing and in pharmaceutical companies as well.

Medical laboratory scientists can progress into managerial or supervisory roles in a laboratory. With further postgraduate study, they may do research into particular disciplines and become researchers or university lecturers.