Dr. Casim Umba Tolo is the Director of Pharm-Biotechnology and Traditional Medicine Center (PHARMBIOTRAC), under the Eastern and Southern Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence (ACE II) at Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda. He has wide research experience and published articles in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters in the areas ranging from Conservation Biology, Ecology, Environment, Natural Resources Management, Green Enterprises for Rural Development and Livelihoods, Climate Change Adaptation and Indigenous Knowledge Systems. His responsibilities among others include; curriculum development, facilitating professional trainings, supervision of masters and PhD students, commissioned research/consultancy and conducting community outreach.
Dr. Tolo holds B.Sc. with Education (Hons), M.Sc. in Biology (Vertebrate Ecology with Wildlife Management and Conservation), Ph.D in Biology (Palaeo-Climate and Palaeo-Environmental Changes) [MUST], and did a Post-Doctoral Research with African Climate Change Fellowship Programme (ACCFP) of the Global Change System for Analysis, Research & Training (START), from Institute of Resource Assessment, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. He has over seventeen years teaching, research and advisory experience.
Dr. Tolo gained broad experience through undertaking a number of collaborative research and consultancy work (e.g. Lake Victoria Research Initiative, VicRes a SIDA-SAREC Program for East African Region) with regional and international colleagues in the areas ranging from Climate Change Adaptation and Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Sustainable Agriculture, Climate Change Risks to Ecosystems and Biodiversity, Biodiversity Conservation Strategies in a Changing Climate, Primate Ecology and Conservation, Rangeland Ecology and Management, Human-Environment Interactions, Conservation and Management of Biological Resources, Solid Waste Disposal and management. For example, he consulted with Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)/International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), The Uganda National Commission for UNESCO (UNATCOM), The Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) and SNV-Netherlands Development Organisation. Dr. Tolo is a seasoned expert in project proposal development and project management. He has a vast experience in successfully managing multi-millions donor grants with excellent results.
Dr. Tolo is serving on various boards and committees, among others: The National Committee of the Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme, Uganda National Commission for UNESCO, Kampala-Uganda, The Board of Trustees of THETA-Uganda as a Chair Programmes and Research Committee, Director of Education and Environment of Anzoa Humanitarian Foundation Ltd, Adjumani, Uganda, Steering Committee on “Developing Herbal Alternatives to the Chemical Drugs used in the Dairy Sector, mainly with respect to tick control, but also animal diseases such as mastitis” of the SNV-Netherlands Development Organisation, under The Inclusive Dairy Enterprise (TIDE) Project.