Dr Daud Kassam is an Associate Professorand Deputy Centre Leader (AquaFish), born on 4th July 1973 at Twaya Village, T/A Chikowi,Zomba which is in the Southern Region of Malawi. He did his undergraduate education at Chancellor College (University of Malawi), graduating in 1997 with a BSc. Ed. majoring in Biology. He left Malawi for Japan in October 1998, to do his postgraduate education (sponsored by the Japanese Government), at Kochi University, and obtained his MSc. in Aquaculture in 2001, then enrolled immediately for his PhD at the United Graduate School, Kochi Campus. He got a PhD in Fisheries Ecology in 2004, and due to his excellent publication record, he was awarded a Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), which he did up to March 2006. Soon after completing his postdoc, he returned to Malawi, and currently he is working at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) Bunda Campus in the Aquaculture and Fisheries Science Department, where he is lecturing in the following courses: Fish Genetics and Molecular Biology, Fish Biodiversity and Conservation (to postgraduates), Fish Genetics, Fish Breeding and Reproduction (to undergraduates).

Dr Kassam has been the head of department (2009-2012) and also served in several University Committees such as Heads and Deans Committee (2009-2012), University Wide Postgraduate Committee as a representative from Faculty of Natural Resources (2015-now). He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Malawi Journal of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Development Studies (MAJANDS, 2015-now), Editor and coordinator for the Malawi Journal of Aquaculture and Fisheries (MJAF, 2007-now). He has been a TWAS Affiliate (2008-2012) having won the TWAS Young Scientist Award in 2008. TWAS is The World Academy of Sciences Based in Trieste, Italy.

Apart from lecturing, Dr Kassam is involved in research on Fish Biotechnology, Fish Population Genetics, Biodiversity and Conservation, as well as Fish Breeding. His major breakthrough in research is the hybridization program he initiated, the first of its kind in Malawi, producing Oreochromis hybrids which are outperforming all locally available strains as well as the selectively-bred strain. He has been one of the key implementers in the following 2 projects; Malawi Pilot Development Project: Accelerating agricultural technology transfer from China (2014-2016), and Fish Biodiversity Project (BioFisa; 2009-2012). He is now the Principal Investigator for “The Aquaculture and Fisheries Science Africa Centre of Excellence” project, funded by the World Bank (2016-2020) and also PI for the project entitled “Improving Community Health-Nutrition Linkages through Solar Energy Based Fish and Crop Integrated Value Chains (ICH LIEBE FISCH)” funded by the German Government (2016-2019).

1. Kassam, D. D., T. Sato and K. Yamaoka. 2002. Landmark-based morphometric analysis of the body shape of two sympatric species, Ctenopharynx pictus and Otopharynx sp. “heterodon nankhumba” (Teleostei: Cichlidae), from Lake Malawi. Ichthyological Research. 49 (4): 340-345.
2. Kassam, D. D., T. Sato and K. Yamaoka. 2002. Comparative morphometrics and associated growth trends of two benthophagous cichlid species from Lake Malawi (Pisces, Perciformes). Zoologischer Anzeiger. 241 (4): 381-387.
3. Kassam, D. D., D. C. Adams, M. Hori, and K. Yamaoka. 2003. Morphometric analysis on ecomorphologically equivalent cichlid species from Lakes Malawi and Tanganyika. Journal of Zoology London. 260:153-157.
4. Kassam, D. D., D. C. Adams, A. J. D. Ambali, and K. Yamaoka. 2003. Body shape variation in relation to resource partitioning within cichlid trophic guilds coexisting along the rocky shore of Lake Malawi. Animal Biology. 53:59-70.
5. Kassam, D., S. Mizoiri, and K. Yamaoka. 2004. Interspecific variation and sexual dimorphism in three coexisting species of the genus Petrotilapia (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from Lake Malawi. Ichthyological Research. 51(3):195-201
6. Kassam, D., D. C. Adams, and K. Yamaoka. 2004. Functional significance of variation in trophic morphology within feeding microhabitat-differentiated cichlid species in Lake Malawi. Animal Biology. 54(1):77-90
7. Kassam, D., S. Seki, and K. Yamaoka. 2005. Genetic diversity within the genus Cynotilapia and its phylogenetic position among Lake Malawi’s Mbuna cichlids. African Journal of Biotechnology 4(10):1195-1202
8. Setiadi, E., S. Tsumura, D. Kassam and K. Yamaoka. 2006. Effect of saddleback syndrome and vertebral deformity on the body shape and size in hatchery-reared juvenile red spotted grouper, Epinephelus akaara: a geometric morphometric approach. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 22:49-53.
9. Kassam, D., S. Seki, M. Hori and K. Yamaoka. 2006. Nuclear markers reveal that inter-lake cichlids’ similar morphologies do not reflect similar genealogy. Journal of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 40:383-388.
10. Kassam, D., K. Yamaoka, B. Rusuwa, A. J. D. Ambali, and M. Hori. 2007. The robustness of geometric morphometrics in testing the morphological equivalence hypothesis among cichlid species from East African Great Lakes. Biological Journal of Linnean Society, 91:1-9.
11. Kassam, D., S. Seki, and K. Yamaoka. 2007. Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism markers reveal population structuring in Dimidiochromis kiwinge (Teleostei: Cichlidae), a commercially-exploited species from Lake Malawi. African Journal of Aquatic Sciences, 32(1):39-44.
12. Zidana, H., Jamu, D., Kang’ombe, J., Kalindekafe, M., Kassam, D. and Kandapo, R. 2010. Guidelinesfor Tilapia Hatchery Operators in Malawi. Technical Report. Department of Fisheries Publications,Lilongwe, Malawi.
13. Gideon, B.W., Kaunda, E.K., Kassam, D., Msukwa, A.V. and Valeta, J.S. 2011. Yield and spawner biomass-per recruit analysis of Lethrinops gossei (chisawasawa) in the southeast arm of Lake Malawi. Malawi Journal of Aquaculture and Fisheries, 1(2): 1-9.
14. Ssenfuma, R., Kassam, D., Gondwe, T.N., Mtethiwa, A.H, and Sikawa, D. 2011. The combined effect of temperature and salinity on egg incubation, hatching period and egg hatchability of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell 1822). Malawi Journal of Aquaculture and Fisheries, 1(2): 26-31
15. Kassam, D., M. Ssebisubi, and J.S. Likongwe. 2012. Effect of temperature and feed rate on the body shape of Oreochromis shiranus, a widely-cultured tilapia species in Malawi. Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences 4(1): 211-217.
16. M’balaka, M., Kassam, D. and Rusuwa, B. 2012. The effect of stocking density on the growth and survival of improved and unimproved strains of Oreochromis shiranus. Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research 38 (3): 205-211. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejar.2012.12.013
17. Chigamba, G., E. Kaunda, A. Msukwa and D. Kassam. 2012. A Comparison of Life History Traits of Mpasa, Opsaridium microlepis (Günther 1864), (Pisces: Cyprinidae) From Bua and Linthipe Rivers in Central Malawi. Indian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Life Science, 2 (4): 76-88.
18. Kefi AS, Kang’ombe J, Kassam D and Katongo C. 2012. Growth, Reproduction and Sex Ratios in Oreochromis andersonii (Castelnau, 1861) Fed with Varying Levels of 17α-Methyl Testosterone. Jounal of Aquaculture Research & Development 3:155 doi:10.4172/2155-9546.1000155.
19. Kefi, A. S., Kang’ombe, J., Kassam, D and Katongo, C. 2013. Effect of Dietary Soyabean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) Protein Level on Growth and Feed Utilization of Oreochromis andersonii (Castelnau, 1861). Pakistan Journal of Nutrition 12 (11): 990 – 995.
20. Kefi, A. S., Kang’ombe, J., Kassam, D and Katongo, C. 2013. Effect of 17 α – Methyl Testosterone on Haematology and Histology of Liver and Heart of Oreochromis andersonii (Castelnau, 1861). Journal of Marine Science Research and Development 3:3 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2155-9910.1000130.
21. Kefi, A. S., Kang’ombe, J., Kassam, D and Katongo, C. 2013. Optimal Dietary Plant Based Lipid on Growth of Oreochromis andersonii (Castelnau, 1861). Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 13: 503 – 508. DOI: 10.4194/1303-2712-v13_3_13.
22. Valeta J.S., Likongwe J.S., Kassam D and Maluwa A.O. 2013. Temperature-dependent egg development rates and hatching period of Chambo, Oreochromis karongae (Pisces: Cichlidae). International Journal of Fisheries and Aquaculture, 5(4): 55-59. DOI: 10.5897/IJFA12.056.
23. Changadeya W., Stima H., Kassam D., Kaunda E. and Jere W. 2013. Genetic diversity and structure of potamodromous Opsaridium microlepis (Günther) populations in the in-let rivers of Lake Malawi. African Journal of Biotechnology, 12(48): 6709-6717. DOI: 10.5897/AJB2013.12459.
24. Petros Chigwechokha, Alfred O. Maluwa, Daud Kassam and Jeremiah Kang’ombe. 2013. Spawning success and parentage analysis of mass-spawned Oreochromis karongae (Trewavas, 1941) F1 generation using microsatellite markers. Malawi Journal of Aquaculture and Fisheries, 2(1): 51-58.
25. Bosco B. Rusuwa, Daud Kassam and Maxon Ngochera. 2013. The Genetic Basis of Trait Divergence in Lake Malawi Cichlids. Malawi Journal of Aquaculture and Fisheries. 2(1): 65-75.
26. Daud Kassam. 2014. The Ecology of the South East Arm. In Donda S, Hara M, Ngochera M, Berge E (Eds.). Fragmentation of Resource Management on the South East Arm of Lake Malawi (pp 35-43). LIT VERLAG Dr.W. Hopf, Berlin.
27. Ssenfuma, R., Kassam, D., Gondwe, T.N., Mtethiwa, A.H, and Sikawa, D. 2015. The interactive effect of temperature and salinity on growth and survival of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell 1822), larvae. Malawi Journal of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Development Studies: 1(1):24-28.