National Institute Of Medical Research (NIMR)

Prof BL Salako is the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Foremost Research Institute in Nigeria, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research. He is a lecturer and a consultant nephrologist at the Department of Medicine, University of Ibadan and an honorary Consultant Physician to the University College Hospital, Ibadan. Prof Salako as a renowned clinical scientist has been involved in research works that had significant impact at improving the health of the Nigerian populace. He is a fellow of the West African College of Physician (Medicine), Royal College of Physician of Edinburgh and Royal College of Physician of London. He is a member of different professional body in Nigeria and within the global ecosphere of Health and Research. Since, his ascension as the Director General at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research he has continued to promote research work in areas of public health significance to improve health and impact policy.

 

Nneka Onyejepu (PhD) is the Research Lead for mycobacterial genomics and bioinformatics at the Centre for Tuberculosis Research (CTBR). Her research interest is on clinical research, molecular transmission dynamics of infectious diseases in particular tuberculosis (TB) and how the environment impacts their incidence. She is using molecular genetics and computational tools to understand mechanisms underlying the evolution dynamics, pathogenesis, drug resistance and impact of drug mutations on drug targets in  Mycobacterium tuberculosis. She was the Pioneer Head of the Centre for Tuberculosis Research and led a 21 staff team towards ISO 15189 2012 certification. She is enthusiastic that her research experience and engagement with communities in health research will impact TB control efforts through application in policy development, drug discovery and diagnostics.

 

Adesola Z. Musa, PhD | Chief Research Fellow and Biostatistician, NIMR/DATA LEAD SARMAAN PROJECT NIGERI:  is a Chief Research fellow/Biostatistician at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba. She works both as a Biostatistician and a Data Manager in the Institute. As a Biostatistician at NIMR, she leads the Statisticians in development and application of statistical models and theories responsible for development of research proposals, analyzing data and interpreting the scientific      findings generated from research studies. As a Data manager, she leads the team by advising and assisting investigators in developing and implementing data management plan that focuses on the collection, structure/format, coding, review, entry, validation, editing, and reporting of research data. Her areas of research interest are: epidemiological and longitudinal studies and large surveys. Dr Musa has authored more than 104 scientific papers and won a fellowship for Biostatistics practicum at Emory University from IANPHI. Dr. Musa received a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, Master’s degree in Biostatistics and Ph.D degree in Public health all from University of Ibadan. She is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Lead City University (LCU), Ibadan. She is the lead Biostatistician and Monitoring and Evaluation expert on the XX Project.

 

Chika K. Onwuamah, PhD (Cell Biology and Genetics), is a Chief Research Scientist and the Team Lead Population Genomics and Cancer Group, Centre for Human Virology and Genomics (CHVG), at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research. Since 2001, Dr Onwuamah has worked on helminthic infections, malaria, population genetics, genotoxicity and HIV drug resistance. From 2006-2017, he coordinated quality control and assurance in Nigeria’s first ISO 15189:2012 accredited public laboratory – The Centre for Human Virology and Genomics. He then led this Centre from 2017 to January 2020. From 2008, he was part of several studies genotyping HIV, growing from co-investigator to principal investigator. His current research focuses on HIV drug resistance, genomic predisposition to diseases and developing diagnostics for resource-limited settings. He developed Nigeria’s first indigenous assay for SARS-CoV-2 called SARS-CoV-2 Isothermal Molecular Assay (SIMA). Dr Onwuamah is the lead faculty for HIV drug resistance testing, with ISO 15189 accreditation and World Health Organization recognition as the National HIV drug resistance testing facility. He has also worked extensively on identifying and genotyping other high-risk Human Papillomavirus prevalent among women living in  Nigeria. He is currently pioneering the investigation of genomic predispositions to infections and health conditions among Nigerians, beginning with a predisposition to severe COVID-19 and pre-eclampsia.To develop sustainable health interventions, Dr Onwuamah is interested in using “MULTIOMICS” research to understand host-pathogen-environment inter-relationships

 

Chioma Nneka Kunle-Ope (PhD): Is a Research Fellow at Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos. I am a Microbiologist with long standing research interest in mycobacteriology. My research training and background is in molecular studies of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates using genotyping methods. For fifteen years, I have continued to conduct studies in tuberculosis and I have participated in many tuberculosis research. My research passion is to participate in multidisciplinary research teams dedicated to molecular studies of tuberculosis especially Population Genomics and drug resistance to enhance TB research in Nigeria. Currently, I am the Head and Laboratory Manager of the Center for Tuberculosis Research (CTBR) working with a team of twenty staff on TB research, service and training. My motivation is to provide oversight function in ensuring that the Center, (a four-star rated laboratory by SLIPTA) is the first TB Diagnostic laboratory to achieve an international ISO 15189 accreditation (SANAS) in Nigeria. I would like to see the Center have relevance regionally and internationally in clinical research.

 

MR AINA OLUSEYI BABATUNDE is an indigene of Abeokuta, Ogun state. He has BSc Accounting from University of Lagos (Unilag, Lagos) Nigeria and he is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He started his working career at Mushin Central Community Bank during the era of Community Banking in Nigeria from 1992 to 1996 before he joined public service as a young enterprising civil servant in the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research as a clerk. He rose through the rank between 1996 that he joined and 2018 (22years) and he is currently the Deputy Director Finance and Accounts and Head of the Institute’s Treasury unit. He is equally the compliance officer to the Institute’s Grant unit.

NWAJIEZE, OKONKWO CHUKWUNONSO is an indigene of Abacha autonomous community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State. He obtained his National Diploma in Statistics from the prestigious Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), he also obtained his Higher national Diploma in Statistics from same Yabatech before he went to obtain his BSc in Statistics from Kwara State University. He proceeded to the University of first choice “University of Lagos” to obtain his MSc in Statistics, He worked with Nigeria Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO Aviance) from 2014 to 2015 and then started private research. He enjoys Statistics a lot as Statistics is life. He is very passionate about data and analysis; research is one aspect he is in love with because it exposes a lot of facts about events.

 

MS NWOGU PRECIOUS AMARACHI is an indigene of  Imo State. She has Bachelor of Medical laboratory science (B. MLS), from Imo State University ( IMSU) Nigeria. She carried out her one year Internship program at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research from 2021-2022 where she became well versed in performing medical laboratory assays, culturing and identifying micro-organisms present in different body fluids and got an excellent reputation for improving patient satisfaction, resolving problems and driving overall operational improvement. She also carried out her one-year youth Corp program at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research from 2022- 2023 where she cooperated with healthcare experts and professionals to better the lives of numerous patients, utilizing her professional and technical expertise and also her exceptional communication abilities. She has carried out several research in the institute and she is currently a project laboratory manager at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research. She has regularly displayed great time management, meticulous and diligent attention to detail and a steadfast dedication to professional development.