Philip Rwezawula

Philip Rwezawula is a Ugandan Aquatic Scientist focusing on advancing sustainable, antibiotic-free aquaculture in Africa and beyond. His research focuses on the development and application of indigenous probiotics and bacteriophages as environmentally responsible alternatives for disease control in fish farming. In addition, Philip is currently serving as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Ghent University, working on a follow-up project to his PhD research entitled “Indigenous Probiotic Valorisation in Aquaculture (INPROVAQUA).” The project focuses on scaling, field validation, and network-driven uptake of proven probiotic innovations to strengthen aquaculture productivity and reduce antibiotic dependence. 

Philip has authored and co-authored over eight peer-reviewed scientific publications in internationally recognized journals, including Aquaculture Reports, BMC Microbiology, Frontiers in Microbiology, Fishes, Journal of Great Lakes Research, and Journal of Limnology. His research outputs span fish health, probiotics, hatchery management, aquaculture sustainability, and aquatic biodiversity. He has also presented his work at multiple international and regional scientific conferences, including the Fish & Shellfish Larviculture Symposium (Belgium, 2024) and the World Aquaculture Safari (Uganda, 2025). 

In recognition of his scientific excellence and innovation, Philip has received several awards, notably the Best Student Spotlight Award at World Aquaculture Safari 2025 (Kampala) and the Second-Best Expert Pitch Award at the BBT Baltic Hackathon 2025 (Poland) for innovative solutions promoting healthier fish production in intensive recirculating aquaculture systems. He is also the applicant of a patent (EP 24212619.1) for a novel probiotic isolation method and strains applicable in aquaculture, currently under evaluation by the European Patents Office (EPO). 

Alongside his research career, Philip serves as an Assistant Lecturer in Aquatic Sciences at the Maritime Institute, Busitema University, Uganda, where he contributes to teaching, research, innovation, and student mentorship. Previously, he worked for seven years (2013 – 2020) as a researcher at the National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI–NARO). During this period, he spearheaded the development of the NARO Cage Aquaculture App, now available on the Google Play Store, a digital decision-support tool designed to assist fish farmers across Uganda with cage aquaculture management. 

He is also a founding member and voluntary Aquaculture Planning & Development Officer at the African Great Lakes Network (AFLANET) Uganda, supporting sustainable aquaculture livelihoods across the region. Philip holds a PhD in Bioscience Engineering: Animal Sciences and Aquaculture and an International MSc. in Aquaculture (IMAQUA) from Ghent University (Belgium), a BSc. in Fisheries and Aquaculture from Makerere University (Kampala-Uganda), and a Diploma in Fisheries Management and Technologies from the Fisheries Training Institute (Entebbe-Uganda). He is a recognized fellow for his scientific leadership, international collaboration, and commitment to translating research into practical, scalable solutions for resilient aquatic food systems.