RESEARCH UNITS IN THE INSTITUTE
The Institute has the following units which are headed by reputable academic staff. The overview of the activities of each unit is as highlighted:
|
S/N |
UNIT |
ACTIVITIES OF THE UNIT |
HEAD OF UNIT |
|
1 |
DRUG AND CANCER RESEARCH |
1. Studies on Molecular markers of resistance to antimalarial drugs such as Pfindr, Pfcrt, dhfr, dhps etc. Factors affecting genetic associations with the resistance phenotype. 2. Invivo and Invitro evaluation of antimalarial activities of drugs and natural products. 3. Outcome of drug treatment in patients with HIV, malaria and tuberculosis. 4. Effects of immune response to helminthes infection on outcome of treatment of HIV, malaria and TB 5. Drug disposition and pharmacokinetics of antimalaria agents including chloroquine, amodiaquine, quinine and dihydro - artemisinin. 6. Toxcological studies of novel and conventional antimalarial agents. 7. Development and evaluation of novel diagnostic methods for malaria. 8. Clinical trials evaluation of efficacy and safety of antimalaria drugs including artemisinin-based dr |
Professor O.G. Ademowo |
|
2 |
GENETIC / HAEMOGLOBINOPATHY |
1. Population genetics of sickle cell disease, the thalassaemias and factors which modify the pathology of the disease. 2. Awareness programme of education, genetic counselling and diagnosis of genetic diseases such as the haemoglobinpathies |
Professor Adeyinka G. Falusi |
|
3 |
BREAST CANCER RESEARCH |
1. Epidemiology of genetic risk factors of BRCA I & II in breast cancer. 2. Identification of genetic factors modifying the incidence and prognosis of hypertension, pre-eclampsia/eclampsia and diabetes |
Professor Olufunmilayo Olopade |
|
4 |
PHAMACOKINETICS / PHARMACY |
1. These activities are carried out in collaboration with other departments within the University such as Medicine, Pharmacy, Institute of Child Health and other institutions. 2. Clinical Trials evaluation of efficacy/safety of antimalarial drugs. 3. Genetics of antimalarial drug kinetics |
Professor Chinedum P. Babalola |
|
5 |
MOLECULAR ENTOMOLOGY |
1. Development of Nigeria Anopheles Vector Database: A comprehensive database comprising of Anopheles vectors of malaria and filariasis from 1900 to 2011 was collated. This collation resulted in a total of 110 publications, encompassing 484,747 Anopheles mosquitoes in 632 spatially unique descriptions at 142 georeferenced locations being identified across Nigeria from 1900 to 2010. Information on vector species composition, sampling/collection and species identification methods, distribution of Insecticide resistance and distribution of Plasmodium falciparum and W. Bancrofti. 2. Evaluation of the efficacy of LG ultrasonic device in effectively expelling and killing mosquito vectors of malaria in Nigeria. This study is to test the efficacy of LG ultrasonic device in effectively expelling and killings mosquito vectors in Nigeria. This study is in collaboration with Department of Epidemiology, Medical Statistics and Environmental Health (EMSEH), Physics Department and IAMRAT. 3. Insecticide resistance in Anopheles gambiae in Nigeria. The studies include insecticide resistance and susceptibility studies in field populations of Anopheles gambaie in Nigeria. 4. Lymphatic filariasis in Nigeria; micro-stratification overlap mapping (MOM) |
Dr. Patricia N. Okorie |
|
6 |
MALARIA RESEARCH LAB (MRL) |
1. Development, evaluation and validation of diagnostic kits for drug resistant malaria 2. Evaluation of new drug combinations in managing drug resistant malaria in African communities. 3. Evaluation of Protocols for Home Management of Malaria. 4. Identification and evaluation of active natural products for malaria therapy. These activities are carried out in collaboration with other departments’ viz. Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Zoology, Public Health and other Research Institutes in Nigeria and in the United States of America, Malaysia and Ghana. |
Professor A. Sowunmi, Professor Grace O. Gbotosho |
|
7 |
PHYTOMEDICINE RESEARCH |
1. Establishment of standard Ethno-medical Herbarium. 2. Extraction, isolation and development of pure compounds having anti- microbial, antitumor, anti-malaria and anti-viral properties from plants. 3. Formulation of active compounds into dosage forms. 4. Collaboration with the Faculty of Pharmacy and donor agencies both locally and internationally. The plan is to strengthen and expand our objectives and activities to enable the Institute attain its expected position as a National centre for research and training in the country. |
Professor Edith O. Ajaiyeoba |
|
8 |
BIOETHICS |
1. T he genetic arm undertakes genetics of disease prognosis and pharmacogenomics especially with respect to sickle cell disease, breast cancer, asthma and malaria. It is currently carrying out research in genetics of breas t ca ncer a nd as thma , pharmacogenomic a nd pharmacokinetic research in sickle cell disease patients, HIV/AIDs patients and healthy individuals with respect to targeted enzymes. 2. The bioethics unit undertakes bioethics research and training. |
Professor Sola Olopade |
|
9 |
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND BIO-STATISTICAL RESEARCH AND SERVICES |
1. Providing training programmes to help capacity building in research methodology, epidemiology, biostatistics and computing in medical sciences. 2. Providing consultancy services to Faculty members on the designs, conduct, analysis and interpretation of data on regular basis 3. Conducting research in collaboration with other medical scientists on the development of morbidity and mortality indicators related to prevailing health problems in Nigeria and evaluation of health programmes. 4. Carrying out research on the epidemiology of specific diseases of public health importance e.g. AIDS, asthma, malaria etc. |
Professor IkeOluwapo Ajayi |
|
10 |
NEUROSCIENCES AND AGEING UNIT (NARU) |
In consonance with The Vision of the University of Ibadan “To be a world-class institution for academic excellence geared towards meeting societal needs” and the vision of the IAMRAT ‘‘To be a world – class institute with capacity to conduct high quality, cutting - edge and translatable research relevant to national and global issues, and train highly competent and innovative medical scientists’ the Neurosciences and Ageing Research Unit (NARU) is inspired by the labour and accomplishments of our heroes past and present to pursue the: The Mission:
Broad Objectives: • Build local and international collaborations and networks in the research fields of ageing and ageing-associated degenerative and vascular disorders of the brain. • Pursue the establishment of new basic, clinical and translational research programmes in the afformentioned areas. • Collaborate with other neuroscientists to upgrade our ‘brain cut up programme’ to a modern world class Ibadan Brain Bank, the first of its kind in Sub- Saharan Africa. • To develop new programmes such as Master of Research (MRes), MSc and PhD programmes in Neurosciences in the University of Ibadan. • Strengthen the mentoring programme for medical and biomedical students, and early career researchers eg short- and medium- term attachments, fellowships and post-doc training opportunities in our unit. • Promote translation of research findings into practice, community impact and policy formulation (T1 – T4 Translational pipelines) through robust patient, policy maker and community engagement and advocacy programmes. Research Interest Ageing and ageing-associated vascular and degenerative brain disorders, Neuro-infections Diseases of Interest Stroke, dementias and vascular cognitive impairment, Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury, NeuroAIDS Research Themes - Disease epidemiology, including genetic and genomic epidemiology - Peculiarities of diseases in people of African ancestry - Cognitive dysfunction associated with vascular and degenerative brain disorders - Genomic, biological, biochemical, psychosocial, cultural and environmental determinants of ageing, degenerative and vascular brain disorders and their consequences - Ageing research: epidemiology and determinants of ageing in people of African ancestry - Cellular and molecular disease mechanisms, including animal experimentation and post –mortem human studies - Diagnostics and biomarkers development - Drug discovery and development - Clinical trials - Translational research (T1 – T4) - Health systems research - Neuroadvocacy and neuroeducation Research Methods Qualitative methodologies Epidemiological methods Neuropsychological evaluation Immunohistochemistry Immunoblotting methods Genomic analyses methods: genotyping, GWAS and NGS Current Projects 1. The Abeokuta Stroke Registry: FMC, Abeokuta, Nigeria (2010 – till date) 2. Cognitive Functions After Stroke - Nigeria (COGFAST –NG) (2010- till date) 3. NIH-funded Tailored Hospital-based Risk Reduction to Impede Vascular Events after Stroke (THRIVES) study (2012 – 2016) 4. The IDEA Project (Grand Challenges, Canada) 5. NeuroAIDS Project (Forgarty International, NIH) 6. MEPI and NUMERIC Projects (NIH) 7. NIH – funded Stroke Investigative Research and Education Network (SIREN) (2013 – 2017) 8. Enhancing Stroke Education, Care, Documentation and Prevention in Nigeria; Project funded by the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) and World Stroke Organization (WSO) (2014 –2015) Collaborating Units/Departments/Institutions - Medical University of South Carolina, USA - University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA - Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, UK - Northumbria Foundation NHS Trusts, North Shields, UK - Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Ibadan. - Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan - Federal Medical Centre Abeokuta, Nigeria - Lagos State University, Ojo - Lagos, Nigeria - Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria |
Professor A. Ogunniyi, Dr. R. O. Akinyemi |
|
11 |
PALLIATIVE CARE |
1. Palliative Care Service is for any person (Adults and Children) who are suffering from Pain and other symptoms in persons with long- term Conditions and life limiting illnesses (e.g. Neurological diseases, Cancer, Sickle cell disease, other diseases and those nearing the End of Life). 2. Catering for some needs of patients and their family members (this needs range from physical, social, psychological, mental, cultural, ethical, legal and spiritual care). This is done at UCH Hospice and Palliative care Unit, through 2 key programmes (Adult and Children day care forums), run fortnightly when funds are available, to offer care at the wards (in-patient), out-patient service and Home care service to patients suffering from Life limiting illnessess disease, motor neuron 3. The Centre for Palliative Care, Nigeria (CPCN) which anchors the project with UCH Team was the first to introduce use of oral morphine for severe cancer pain management in the country as recommended by World Health Organization (WHO). CPCN works with Global Access to Pain Relief Initiative (GAPRI) and the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) cancer desk office to ensure continuous availability of oral morphine in the country. 4. CPCN is instrumental to the inclusion of pain and palliative care module into the aim is to produce professionals with an attitude to offering compassionate care while offering curative care. 5. Awareness creation through organization of workshops and training programmes. |
Professor Olaitan A. Soyannwo |