In this edition, our research article discusses Africa’s potential as a source for new microbial species. These microbes can make a significant contribution to our bio-economy and health, but we must focus our research efforts on identifying them accurately. We are also privileged to interview Dr Obadina, one of the mentors in our network. He shared his thoughts on his career journey so far as well as the challenges and future prospects of biotechnology research in Nigeria.
It’s not all ‘serious’ science stuff though, check out how well you do in our Food Microbiology trivia!
Download a copy of the newsletter here:
NIGERIAN-APPLIED-MICROBIOLOGISTS-NEWSLETTER-august-17.pdf (1578 downloads )
From the editorial team
joyce odimba, obabiyi ajao, amara anyogu
”There is no useful research coming out of Nigerian Higher Education Institutions!”
This comment on Twitter a few months ago served as a wake up call. I (Amara) have been involved in a number of successful collaborative research projects with Nigerian-based scientists. After our results and conclusions are published in scientific articles, I cannot help asking ‘What next? What impact will this have on the lives of ordinary Nigerians?’
We know our research matters. It can and does improve our lives. It has the solutions for feeding our growing population with safe, nutritious food; for diagnosing and treating infectious diseases; for decontaminating our polluted waters.
However if we are to achieve these laudable goals, we must improve the quality and quantity of our microbiological research output. We must also do a better job of communicating the ‘why, what and how’ of our research with the general public.
Welcome to the maiden edition of ‘Under The Microscope’, the periodic newsletter of the Nigerian Applied Microbiologists Network. Our mission is to showcase both our research and researchers. We know why #MicrobesMatter, we need everyone to know too!
Nigerian Applied Microbiologists
In July 2017 at the annual Society for Applied Microbiology conference, a group of researchers met to discuss the challenges and opportunities that face Nigerian based researchers. This conversation ended with the creation of the Nigerian Applied Microbiologist network.
We are a a dynamic network of scientists with a mission to advance applied microbiology research in Nigeria and beyond. We have set out to achieve this by; 1) fostering collaboration among our members 2) serving as a platform for mentoring early career researchers and 3) communicating science and engaging with the general public to raise awareness of the importance of applied microbiology in our every day lives.
The values that underpin our group are collaboration and contribution. We collaborate to maximise the impact of the work we do. We also contribute our resources to guarantee the sustainability of our network. To adapt President John F. Kennedy’s famous quote, our motto is – ‘Do not just ask what the network can do for you but think about what you can give to it’.
For more information about joining us, please contact our Communications Officer, Nneka Odimba – nam2utm@gmail.com .