Bio

Getahun Lombamo is a PhD candidate under the co-supervision of Drs. Carol Henry and Gordon Zello in the division of Nutrition. He received his BSc in Rural Development and Family Sciences (2005) and MSc in Applied Human Nutrition (2009) from Hawassa University, Ethiopia. During his graduate studies at Hawassa University, Getahun was also a research assistant in a community-based collaborative nutrition research project and a lecturer in the undergraduate nutrition program at the School of Nutrition, Food Science and Technology.

Since the start of his PhD program, Getahun has been the recipient of several scholarships, including from the UofS, the prestigious Dean’s Scholarship and a graduate research fellowship as well as scholarships from the AUCC Student for Development Program and the Saskatchewan Innovation and Opportunity Scholarship Program.

Research

Getahun’s current research looks into the nutritional health of mothers and young children in pulse- or cereal-based agricultural communities in Ethiopia. His research links agriculture and nutrition and explores whether production and/or consumption of pulses (legumes low in fat and high in protein and micronutrients) have translated to nutritional health, as measured by a combination of dietary and anthropometric assessments. Getahun is also implementing a basic educational nutrition intervention controlled study to further document the benefit of pulse agriculture on food and nutrition security in his study population. Findings from his research have been shared in a number of local, national, and international conferences in the form abstract, posters, and oral presentations.

Getahun is currently preparing manuscripts for peer-review. He aims to finish his PhD this year and wishes to pursue post-doctoral opportunities in the areas of community-based nutrition, food and nutrition security/food sovereignty, and gender and nutrition. Teaching and research are his long-term goals.

Publications

  • Tessema, M., Belachew, T., and Ersino, G. (2013). Feeding patterns and stunting during early childhood in rural communities of Sidama, Southern Ethiopia.Pan African Medical Journal, 14, 75.
  • Getahun Ersino, Henock Tadele, Alemtsehay Bogale, Cherinet Abuye, and Stoecker, B. J.  (2013). Clinical assessment of goiter and low urinary iodine concentration depict persistence of severe iodine deficiency in pregnant Ethiopian women: A cross-sectional study in rural Sidama, southern Ethiopia.Ethiop.Med.J. 51(2).

Conference Presentations

  • Gordon A. Zello, Getahun Lombamo, Nigatu Regassa, Carol J. Henry. High prevalence of maternal and child undernutrition in both pulse and cereal-growing rural communities of Southern Ethiopia, Food Security Dialogue, April 2014, University of Alberta.
  • Getahun E. Lombamo, Carol J. Henry, Gordon A. Zello. Suboptimal feeding practices and high levels of undernutrition among infant and young children from pulse-growing communities of rural Halaba, South Ethiopia, 3rd Annual National Research Workshop “Ensuring Development through Research and Community Service” May 2-3, 2014, Wolaita Sodo University, Ethiopia.
  • Ersino, G., Tadele, H., Bogale, A., Abuye, C., Stoecker, B.J. Iodine status and knowledge of IDD among pregnant women around tula, rural Sidama, Southern Ethiopia, Regional Iodine Deficiency Disorders/Universal Salt Iodization (IDD/USI) Advocacy and Salt Regulation Dissemination Workshop,November 11-12, 2011, Hawassa, Ethiopia.

Conference Abstracts and Posters

  • Getahun Ersino, Gordon A. Zello, Carol J. Henry. Application of the Health Belief Model to understand the behavior of mothers in pulse or cereal-growing rural communities in Ethiopia, 22nd Annual Life and Health Science Research Day, March 13, 2015, University of Saskatchewan – 1st place poster award.
  • Getahun E. Lombamo, Carol J. Henry, Gordon A. Zello. Dietary intakes of Fe, Zn and protein and anthropometric measures of mothers and children living in pulse or cereal-growing rural communities of Ethiopia (poster), Global Micronutrient Forum, June 2-6, 2014, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
  • Getahun Ersino, Henok Tadele, Alemtsehay Bogale, Cherinet Abuye and Barbara J. Stoecker. Clinical assessment of goiter and low urinary iodine concentration depict presence of severe iodine deficiency in pregnant Ethiopian women: a cross-sectional study in rural Sidama, southern Ethiopia (poster),Global Micronutrient Forum, June 2-6, 2014, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
  • Getahun E. Lombamo, Carol J. Henry, Gordon A. Zello. Maternal and child anthropometry depicts high levels of chronic energy deficiency and child stunting in pulse growing communities: The case of Halaba Woreda, south Ethiopia (poster), Revised National Nutrition Program Launch Workshop, 24th - 27th June 2013, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.