I am a biochemist, who graduated in 2004 from the University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria mentored by Prof. (Mrs) O. B. Ajayi. I was an intern on industrial attachment under the Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) for 1 month at the Biochemistry Department, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba, Lagos State (October 2002) and later for 2 months at the International Breweries Plc, Omi-Asoro, Ilesa, Osun State (March - May, 2003). At the former, I learnt more about preparation of buffers and understudied laboratory technicians and research students during practical and experiment sessions; while at the latter, I got trained in the bioprocessing and biotechnology involved in the production of malt drink and lager beer, in quality control assessment of raw, semi-processed and the finished products, monitoring of microbiological standards.

In 2005, I undertook the compulsory 1-year National Youth Service Corp Scheme at Molecular Biosciences Ltd, Calabar, Cross River State as a Graduate Assistant Researcher in plant biotechnology, engaging in micro- and macro-propagation and distribution of important crops including pine apple, banana, cassava and Artemisia annua L., using tissue culture techniques and field planting under Prof. Andy Brisibe of the University of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.

I commenced my Masters training in Membrane Biochemistry and Biotechnology at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, studying the modulation of the mitochondrial membrane permeabilization in the liver of apparently healthy rats by artesunate, under the guidance of Prof. Olufunso O. Olorunsogo during which period I won the Ekiti State Indigenous PhD Scholarship for first-year PhD students. I qualified for an Assistant Lecturership position in Biochemistry at the Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria in 2009 after having commenced my doctoral training under the same Mentor at the University of Ibadan. During this period, I enjoyed the 2009 TWAS-DBT Sandwich PhD Fellowship to the Pharmaceutical Technology/ Biotechnology Department, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Punjab, India for 1 year research under the guidance of Prof. Uttam Chand Banerjee. I later won the 2012 Nigeria TETFund AST&D Short Course for Pre-Doctoral studies at the Pharmacology/ Toxicology Department, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Punjab, India under the guidance of Prof. Kulbushan B. Tikko for 3 months (studying apoptosis, signal transduction, cardiovascular disorders and epigenesis in insulin-resistant, uni-nephrectomised/ovariectomised rats, measuring invasive and non-invasive blood pressure and arterial angiotensin vasodilation), and the Evolutionary and Genetic Medicine Unit, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India for 9 months under the guidance of Prof. Kumarasamy Thangaraj (studying mitochondrial cytopathies, cancer genomics, genetic associations in sterility and visceral leishmaniasis).

I completed my doctoral training at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria in November 2015, having investigated the "Modulation of mitochondrial membrane permeability transition in selected organs of type 2 diabetic rats by the leaf extract of Manihot esculenta (Crantz)." In 2017, I obtained a postdoctoral fellowship from CONICET, Government of Argentina Ministry of Science, Technlogy and Productive Innovation to carry out postdoctoral studies in the laboratory of Dra Dolores C. Carrer at the Biophysics and Nanotechnology laboratory, Mercedes and Martin Ferreyra Institute for Medical Investigations, National University of Cordoba for 2 years. I now study, among other things, transdermal drug delivery in cutaneous leishmaniasis using liposomal system by which lipid and non-lipid nanovehicles are loaded with small molecules including peptides that have the potential to cure this severe skin disease.

I am also deploying biophysical techniques to study problems of relevance to biology and medicine for implication as novel therapeutics for different human diseases; in particular, in using confocal microscopy, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (for anisotropy measurements), Brewster angle microscopy. I study lipid bilayer behavior in model membranes and cells, building useful artifacts such as functionalized surfaces and elucidating the mechanisms of transport of therapeutic drugs across membranes using nanoparticles.

My interest is to study the nature and modulation of biological membranes in the following disease conditions: diabetes and its complications (wound healing, nephropathy, cardiomyopathy, and retinopathy), neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, aging, neglected / infectious tropical diseases. I search for drug-able compounds and hormetins, which can be useful in the treatment or management of these conditions using the fruit fly model and tissue culture.

I look forward to soon become an independent (principal) investigator and group leader in a more functional laboratory in UNIOSUN.

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