PhD project: Metabolome-Proteomic Profile and Starch Quality of Cocoyam
I am Ewane Kounty Herman Pascal, a PhD student at the University of Yaounde I, Cameroon. My research focuses on root and tuber crops, particularly cassava (Manihot esculenta) and cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium), two widely consumed species in tropical regions.
In 2021, I completed my master’s thesis, which aimed to develop a low-cost method to reduce post-harvest deterioration in cassava by studying the impact of harvest time and variety on root quality.
My PhD project, titled “Metabolome-Proteomic Profile and Starch Quality of Cocoyam,” explores the metabolomic and proteomic characteristics of cocoyam based on flesh color. This research, supported by a 6-month DAAD scholarship, will be conducted within the Division of Biochemistry at the FAU. The study aims to: (i) Investigate gene expression related to sugar storage in different cocoyam cultivars. (ii) Identify the proteomic and metabolic pathways involved. (iii) Analyze sugar/starch ratios to assess dry matter content. (iv) Conduct transcriptome and metabolome profiling using advanced mass spectrometry.
This research will contribute to develope the first genomic/metabolomic database for cocoyam and to stablish genomic and metabolic markers for breeding purposes.