Jump to content

Iruka Okeke

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Viewmont Viking (talk | contribs) at 18:47, 15 March 2024 (External links in body of article). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Iruka Okeke
Born
England
Alma materObafemi Awolowo University
Scientific career
FieldsPharmaceutical microbiology Science and technology studies
InstitutionsUniversity of Ibadan

Iruka Okeke is a Nigerian Pharmaceutical Microbiologist currently holding the position of professor at the College of Medicine,University of Ibadan in Nigeria. Iruka has devoted her career to studying neglected enteric bacteria such as E. coli, known for their potential to cause fatal bloodstream and diarrheal infections. She advocates for the utilization of Genomics approaches to enhance surveillance and gain a better understanding of pathogen virulence. Iruka's research interests extend to combating antimicrobial resistance and investigating bacterial pathogenesis, epidemiology, and antimicrobial resistance of enteric bacteria. Iruka's contributions to the field have earned her recognition as a fellow of esteemed institutions such as the Nigerian Academy of Sciences, African Academy of Sciences, and The Calestous Juma Fellowship.[1].

Throughout her career,she has garnered significant recognition for her outstanding contributions to microbiology, including awards such as the American Society for Microbiology Moselio Schaechter Award 2023 in Recognition of a Developing-Country Microbiologist[1] and The Peter Wildy Prize from the UK Microbiology Society 2024, [2]among others.

Life and education

Iruka was born in England to Nigerian parents. She later moved to Nigeria to pursue her secondary education[3]. She earned her Bachelor of Pharmacy from Obafemi Awolowo University, in 1994, followed by her Master of Science in Pharmaceutics in 1998 at the same universit. She later completed her Doctor of Philosophy degree from Obafemi Awolowo University in collaboration with the University of Maryland, USA, in 2000. Iruka later pursued a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology,[4] spedning a year at the Center for Vaccine Developement, as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Maryland.

She is married and has a daughter.[5]

Research career

Iruka carried out her postdoctoral research at the University of Maryland, USA and Uppsala University, Sweden. In 2000 she moved to the University of Bradford, England, as a teaching faculty member[citation needed]. She then moved to Haverford College, USA in 2002 as an Associate Professor before becoming a full Professor in 2014.[6] During her time at Haverford she was a Branco Weiss Fellow of the Society of Science between 2004-2009, and a Fellow of the Institute for Advanced Studies, Berlin from 2010-11.[6]

Her research has focused on using bacterial genetics to understand the molecular epidemiology, colonization, pathogenesis and antimicrobial resistance of enteric bacteria.[7] She has studied the surface proteins of E. coli and described how these proteins help the bacteria colonize the gut.[5]

In 2014, Okeke moved to the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, supported by the UK Medical Research Council and UK Department for International Development as an African Research Leader.[6] In 2019 she was awarded funding from the Grand Challenge Africa drug discovery scheme to identify potential drugs compounds against bacterial disease[8] She is also working on low-cost technology solutions to monitor antimicrobial resistance in low-income settings, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.[9]

. In 2015 she was awarded funding from the Microbiology Society to reform a masters course in Pharmaceutical Biology at the University of Ibadan.[10] Observing that students had limited laboratory experience, she developed a course that included more practical laboratory elements. This involved a collaboration of scientists from different fields including bacteriologists, molecular biologists, and natural product researchers. The course content focused on studying leaf microbiomes of plants used in Nigerian ethnomedicine.[11] She has also written a book, Divining Without Seeds: The case for strengthening laboratory medicine in Africa, with the aim to assist researchers as well as policy makers.[6][12]

On 2018 she spoke at the World Economic Forum,about ways to improve antimicrobial surveillance in African countries.[13] She has also served on committees and acted as a consultant for the Wellcome Trust Surveillance and Epidemiology of Drug Resistant Infections Consortium, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and the Nigerian Global Antibiotic Resistance Partnership Network.[6][14]

In 2017 she was appointed editor-in-chief of the African Journal of Laboratory Medicine.[10]

Awards and honours

  • American Society for Microbiology Moselio Schaechter Award in Recognition of a Developing-Country Microbiologist, June 2024[15]
  • The Peter Wildy Prize. UK Microbiology Society, April 2023[16]
  • Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellowship.  Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 2021 - 2026[17]
  • Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science in 2018.[18]
  • Pharmacy Ambassador in the Diaspora Award.  Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria , 2014.[19]
  • Mellon 23 Life Cycle of the Student Scholar Award for early curricular initiatives that serve to build the foundations of student scholarship, 2009.[20]
  • Branco Weiss Fellowship. Society in Science, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) Zürich, 2004-2009.[21]
  • Nigerian Universities Postgraduate Thesis Award. National PhD thesis award – Science category, 2001.[22]


References

  1. ^ "ASM Moselio Schaechter Award in Recognition of a Developing-Country Microbiologist". ASM.org. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  2. ^ Society, Microbiology. "Peter Wildy Prize Winners". microbiologysociety.org. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  3. ^ "Haverford Winter 2014". www.mydigitalpublication.com. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  4. ^ "Dr. Iruka N. Okeke new Editor-in-Chief". African Society for Laboratory Medicine. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  5. ^ a b Foley, Denise (2014). "Faculty Profile". Haverford. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Okeke Iruka". www.aasciences.africa. The African Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
  7. ^ "Iruka Okeke | STS Infrastructures". stsinfrastructures.org. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
  8. ^ "African innovators discovering new drugs for diseases endemic to Africa". www.aasciences.africa. The African Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
  9. ^ "Minimal Genomics Lab for AMR Surveillance and Diagnostics in Provincial Low-income Settings | Grand Challenges". gcgh.grandchallenges.org. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
  10. ^ a b "Dr. Iruka N. Okeke new Editor-in-Chief". ASLM. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
  11. ^ "Developing microbiology around the world". Future Tech. Microbiology Society. 2016-08-09.
  12. ^ Professor Iruka N. Okeke discusses her new book, retrieved 2019-12-03
  13. ^ Smart antimicrobial resistance surveillance to meet Africa's needs | Iruka Okeke, retrieved 2019-12-03
  14. ^ "GARPNet News" (PDF). The Center For Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy. 2017-05-01. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  15. ^ "ASM Moselio Schaechter Award in Recognition of a Developing-Country Microbiologist". ASM.org. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  16. ^ Society, Microbiology. "Peter Wildy Prize Winners". microbiologysociety.org. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  17. ^ "Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellowship | Science for Africa Foundation". scienceforafrica.foundation. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  18. ^ "Fellows of the Academy | The Nigerian Academy of Science". nas.org.ng. 2022-06-02. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  19. ^ "Iruka N Okeke". The Branco Weiss Fellowship. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  20. ^ "Iruka N Okeke". The Branco Weiss Fellowship. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  21. ^ "Iruka N Okeke". The Branco Weiss Fellowship. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  22. ^ https://www.haverford.edu/sites/default/files/Department/iokeke_resume.pdf
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Iruka_Okeke&oldid=1213888591"