Christian I. Nkanga

Christian Isalomboto Nkanga (born 16 May 1989) is a Congolese academic, researcher, and entrepreneur specializing in nanotechnology and pharmaceutical product development. He is a Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Kinshasa and serves as the Chief Scientific Officer at Memsel Inc. He is a co-founder and executive committee member of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Young Academy of Science. He joined the Global Young Academy (GYA) in June 2024 and was elected to the Executive Committee one year later.

Early life and education

Nkanga was born in Mbandaka, DR Congo. He completed his secondary education at Institut Frère Iloo and graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Kinshasa in 2014. Supported by the BEBUC excellence scholarship, he attended Rhodes University in South Africa, where he earned a Master of Science in Drug Delivery Science in 2016. He completed his PhD in Chemistry specializing in Nanotechnologies and Drug Delivery, at the same institution in 2019. His doctoral research focused on "pH-Responsive Liposomal Systems for Site-Specific Pulmonary Delivery of Anti-Tubercular Drugs." From 2020 to 2021, he held a postdoctoral research position at the University of California, San Diego within the Steinmetz Lab, specializing in nanoengineering for biomedical applications.

Academic and professional career

Prof. Nkanga joined the University of Kinshasa as an Associate Professor of Pharmacy in 2019 and was promoted to Full Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences in April 2025.

In 2022, he received the African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence (ARISE) award from the African Academy of Sciences. This grant funded the launch of the first Nanotechnology Lab at the University of Kinshasa, where he leads research on converting agricultural waste into biogenic sanitizers to combat antimicrobial resistance.

His nanotechnology laboratory led to the creation of the Centre de Recherche en Nanotechnologies Appliquées aux Produits Naturels (CReNAPN) in June 2024, the first nanotechnology-dedicated research center in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In the private sector, Prof. Nkanga serves as the Chief Scientific Officer at Memsel Inc., where he leads the development of advanced biomaterials for wound care.

Prof. Nkanga has served as an invited peer-reviewer for multiple internationally renowned scientific journals. In 2024, he was recognized as one of the "Outstanding Reviewers" of Royal Society of Chemistry journals.

Awards and honors

  • Bourse d'Excellence Bringmann aux Universités Congolaises (BEBUC) (2015–2019): Awarded by the NGO Förderverein Uni Kinshasa e.V.
  • SACI Postgraduate Medal (2017): Awarded by the South African Chemical Institute.
  • Novartis Next Generation Scientist (2018): Awarded by Novartis Pharma AG.
  • DST/NRF Innovation Master's Scholarship (2017): Awarded by the National Research Foundation of South Africa.
  • DSI/NRF Innovation Postdoctoral Fellowship (2020): Awarded by the National Research Foundation of South Africa.
  • African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence (ARISE) Award (2022): Awarded by the African Academy of Sciences.

Selected publications

Prof. Nkanga has authored several significant works in nanotechnology and drug delivery:

  • Nkanga, C.I. et al. (2020). "Clinically established biodegradable long acting injectables: An industry perspective."
  • Nkanga, C.I. et al. (2019). "Encapsulation of Isoniazid-conjugated Phthalocyanine-In-Cyclodextrin-In-Liposomes Using Heating Method."
  • Nkanga, C.I. et al. (2023). "Inclusion complexation and liposomal encapsulation of an isoniazid hydrazone derivative in cyclodextrin for pH-dependent controlled release."
  • Nkanga, C.I. et al. (2024). "Preparation and characterization of micellar nanoparticles using crude saponins from five Congolese plant species."
  • Nkanga, C.I. et al. (2024). "A review of saponin-based nanocarriers for drug delivery."
  • Nkanga, C.I. et al. (2025). "Antimicrobial capping agents on silver nanoparticles made via green method using natural products from banana plant waste."