Role: Principal Investigator. Funding: NIH (USA) 1U01HG007480 - 01. Period: 2013-2017.
Major efforts in this project will devoted to establish a West African genomics Research (WAGER) Network. Initial members of the WAGER network consist of Institutions in Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra-Leone. Scientific activities around the network will consist of using the microbial metagenomics approach to characterize fever of unknown origin and for pathogen discovery in West Africa.
3. Host and Pathogen Evolution in Lassa Fever.
Role: International project Director. Funding: National Institutes of Health (USA). Period: 2010-2015
The project has three specific efforts: 1) Support the field-site in Nigeria where we collect samples of both patients of Lassa virus and their contacts. 2) Sequence virus from patients with Lassa virus to study viral diversity and develop a diagnostic, 3) Genotype both human patients with Lassa virus and healthy contacts to identify genetic factors driving Lassa susceptibility, 4) work on computational methods to detect natural selection in humans and to carry out functional validation of candidate loci.
4. Host Genetic Factors in Resistance to Lassa Hemorrhagic Fever
Role: International Project Director. . Funding: NIAID (USA). Period: 2010-2015.
The goal of this Project is to replicate strong signals of natural selection found in Yorubas at genes critical for infection with Lassa virus (LASV) in four additional West African populations, and to localize and characterize the key functional mutations. Seventy (70) mother-father-child trios from 4 populations with high rates of Lassa Fever (Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea) will be recruited. We will also collect 500-1000 cases of severe Lassa fever (LF) and 1500-2000 controls at the Specialist Teaching Hospital in Irrua, Nigeria, perform Lassa Fever genome wide association study (GWAS)
in Nigeria and Sierra Leone, and localize causal variants in candidate regions.
Completed
1. Roles of protective or pathogenic B cell epitopes in human Lassa Fever
Role: International Project Director. Funding: NIAID (USA). Period: 2009-2014.
The goal of this program is to identify novel B cell epitopes on Lassa virus (LASV) proteins and elucidate novel mechanisms of antibody-mediated protection or pathogenesis in humans Lassa fever (LF).
2. Validation of New Biomarkers for Monitoring Plasmodium falciparum Reduced susceptibility/Tolerance or Resistance to Artemisinin Derivatives and Partner Drugs in Nigeria.
Role: Principal Investigator. Funding: EDCTP (EU). Period: 2009-2013.
Activities in this project aim at validating new biomarkers of
Plasmodium falciparum reduced susceptibility/tolerance/resistance to artemisinin derivatives and lumefantrine in clinical testing centers of Nigeria.
3. Genetic determinants of human susceptibility to Lassa Fever Virus.
Role: International Project Director. Funding: Harvard University (USA). Period: 2008- 2013.
This project has two major objectives. 1) use of the understanding of genetic variation in Lassa virus sequences for development of a rapid and reliable diagnostic for Lassa fever virus and 2) use a genome-wide sequencing approach to identify and validate genetic determinants of human susceptibility to Lassa fever virus.
4. Molecular determinants of P. falciparum resistance to ACTs in Nigeria.
Role: Principal Investigator. Funding: NIH/FIC (USA). Period: 2008-2011.
The major goal of this project is identify
new molecular determinants of P. falciparum resistance to artermisinin derivatives and partner drugs used for treatment of acute uncomplicated malaria in Nigeria and other African countries.
5. Molecular determinants of drug response and resistance in P. falciparum of Africa and South-America.
Role: Principal investigator. Funding: WHO/TDR. Period: 07/2005-09/2009.
The goal of this project is to explore the geographic differential expression profiles of P. falciparum genes in culture adapted isolates from Nigeria and Brazil.
6. Plasmodium Transfection Network: Nigeria Center.
Role: Co-Principal Investigator. Funding: WHO/TDR. Period: 2003-2012
This project aims at using the transfection technology to develop unique animals and human models of malaria parasites for antimalarial drugs screening
in vitro and
in vivo. This project also aims at building capacity in transfection technology among Young Nigerian scientists.
7. World-wide Plasmodium Genetic Diversity.
Role: Co-investigator. Funding: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Period: 2009-2012.
The aim of this project is to study and understand genome diversity in the Plasmodium specie from different endemic areas of the world.
8. Validation of a new fluoremetric method for determining Plasmodium falciparum susceptibility to antimalarial drugs in vitro in fresh patients’ samples.
Role: Principal Investigator. Funding: TurnerBiosciences, USA. Period: 12/2007-12/2009.
The goal of this project is to use a TBS-380 fluorescence detector to validate SYBR Green as an alternative colorimetric assay for determination of
Plasmodium falciparum susceptibility to antimalarial drugs
in vitro in Nigeria.
9. Molecular determinants of drug resistant malaria in Nigeria
Role: Principal Investigator. Funding: NIH/Fogarty International Centre. 10/01/2003- 10/11/2007.
The major goal of this project is identify new molecular determinant of drug response in fresh field isolates of
P. falciparum from Nigeria.
10. Improving home management of malaria using the combination of artemether-lumefantrine in southwest Nigeria.
Role: Co-investigator. Funding: WHO/TDR. 04/2005-12/2007.
The main objective of the study is to produce evidence on the feasibility, acceptability and safety of the use of Artemether-lumefantrine in the context of Home Management of Malaria (HMM) in Nigeria.
11. Antimalarial Drug Resistant Network in Africa: Defining and Monitoring Drug Resistant P. falciparum In Southwest Nigeria.
Role: Co-Principal Investigator. Funding: WHO/MIM/TDR. 04/2002- 10/2006.
The aim of the project was to define the characteristics of
P. falciparum resistance to standard antimalarial drugs (chloroquine,
sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine, amodiaquine). Clinical outcome of patients were collated with parasitological and pharmacokinetics data in children treated with the first (Cchloroquine) and second line (Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine) antimalarial drugs in Nigeria.
12. MIM/TDR Antimalaria drug resistant network Analytical and Training Center for pharmacokinetics
Role: Co-principal Investigator. Funding:WHO/MIM/TDR. 04/2002-10/2006.
Efforts in this study were devoted to providing support and the protocols for drug analysis adopted by the MIM/TDR antimalarial drug resistance network. In addition, the project provided training on pharmacokinetic analysis and facilitated transfer of technology to the network sites.
13. A collaborative approach for monitoring the spread of resistant Plasmodium falciparum infections in Nigeria
Role: Principal investigator. Funding: IAEA /UNDP. 01/10/2003-31/06/2006.
The dot-blot technique was used for identification of markers of chloroquine and sulfadoxine pyrimethamine resistance in patients isolates of
P. falciparum in Nigeria, through a partnership between the Malaria Research Laboratories (MRL),
University of Ibadan, the International atomic energy Agency (IAEA) and WHO-Roll back malaria.
14. Identification of candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Plasmodium falciparum isolates showing false negative results using the parasight®-f dipstick.
Role: Co-Principal Investigator. Funding: International Society for Infectious Diseases. 10/2002-10/2005.
This study involves a multidisciplinary approach in ascertaining the existence of candidate SNPs in HRPII gene of
Plasmodium falciparum isolates in Ibadan, Nigeria.
15.
Microarrays analysis of fresh field isolates of drug resistant P. falciparum from Nigeria and Brazil.
Role: Principal Investigator. Funding: MR4/NIAD, USA. Period: 2004-2005.
The goal of this project was to use the microarrays technology for discerning temporal and geographical differential gene expression
profiles in field isolates of P. falciparum from Nigeria and Brazil. Clustering of specific drug resistance patterns and gene expression responses to therapy were used to evaluate the relationship between treatment modalities and the development of unique drug resistant phenotypes.
16. Studies of Plasmodium falciparum genetic diversity in Nigeria.
Role: Co- Investigator. Funding: Exxon Mobil Corporation, USA. Period: 2002- 2005.
Efforts in this project were devoted in understanding genetic diversity of
P. falciparum populations in various areas of Nigeria.
17. Validation of molecular markers, determinants and clinical relevance in chloroquine resistance P. falciparum infections in Benin Republic and Nigeria.
Role: Principal Investigator. Funding: WHO/TDR. 30/04/2001-30/10/2003.
The project focused on Identification and validation of mutations in targeted genes known to be associated with chloroquine resistance (
Pfmdr1 and
Pfcrt) and correlate the prevalence of these mutations with in vitro susceptibility of parasites to chloroquine and clinical response in patients in Nigeria and Benin Republic.
18. Intersectoral model for management, control and policy formulation on drug resistant malaria in Nigeria.
Role: Co-investigator. Funding: WHO/MIM/TDR. Period: 03/1998- 12/2002
Efforts in this study are devoted to improving the clinical management of drug resistant malaria. Part of the study includes validation of a new diagnostic kit based on a biological phenomenon in the malaria parasites for detecting and documenting drug resistant parasites. The study also involves a collaborative network between the malaria research group, the Oyo state ministry of health, the Oyo state hospital management board and the development policy center.
