Bertrand B. Hankoua

Bertrand B. Hankoua is an Assistant Professor at Delaware State University (DSU), affiliated with the College of Agriculture, Science, and Technology (CAST) within the Food Science and Biotechnology Program and Human Ecology Department. His research focuses on natural products, biotechnology, and metabolic engineering for improving biofuel feedstocks, enhancing plant-derived pharmaceuticals, and advancing crop resilience. He holds a PhD in Genetics and Plant Biotechnology from the University of Ibadan and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), with postdoctoral training at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and DuPont.

Education includes a PhD (2003, joint program involving IITA and ETHZ), MPhil in Pharmacognosy (1997, Obafemi Awolowo University), and BSc in Botany (1991, University of Yaounde 1). He has held visiting faculty roles at NREL, ORNL, and the University of Kentucky, and serves on review panels for USDA and scientific journals.

Research interests include synthetic biology for crop improvement, lignocellulosic biofuel production, and phytochemical drug discovery. His work emphasizes reducing biomass recalcitrance, enhancing natural drug production, and developing non-GMO genetic systems for African agriculture. Key achievements include a U.S. patent on Miscanthus propagation and leadership in training students in biofuel research and molecular techniques.

Scientific awards include UNESCO-BAC and IITA/GCIAR fellowships. His lab conducts research in Baker Building rooms 111 and 17, with teaching responsibilities in Molecular Applications in Food Science (HMEC-501).

Advocacy includes global capacity-building in plant biotechnology, training programs for African researchers, and collaborations with institutions like NREL and ORNL. His research outputs span metabolic engineering, transgenic cassava development, and plant-pathogen interactions, with publications in Frontiers in Plant Science, Nature Scientific Reports, and others.