Sikiru Olaitan Balogun

I am a disciplined and a well-groomed Scientist and Teacher. I possess bachelors (B.Sc. hons.) and masters (M.Sc.) degrees in Biochemistry and a PhD in Medical Sciences (Pharmacology). Likewise, I am highly familiar with teaching biochemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology and toxicology, at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Furthermore, I am highly competent in the design and implementation of research in life sciences, particularly in the use of experimental animal models of diseases and bioprospecting of medicinal plants. I am also highly competent in the evaluation of antimicrobial resistance mechanisms from clinical and environmental bacterial isolates, among others. I had coordinated and managed teaching and research activities in diverse University environments. Not only that, but I have experience in the use of diverse in vitro and in vivo toxicological and pharmacological techniques. And more than 15 years of experience in both teaching and research laboratory settings. I have an excellent team spirit and relates well with colleagues and senior fellows.

• In vivo evaluations of potential toxicity of medicinal agents in experimental rodents
• In vitro cytotoxicity evaluation of medicinal plants (Comet assay and micronucleus test, among others)
• Isolation and characterization of bacterial isolates
• Isolation and characterization of plasmids from the bacterial isolates
• Transfer experiments involving conjugation and transformation studies on purified plasmids from bacterial isolates
• Western Blotting
• 3-D culture of organoids from primary cells
• Flow-cytometry
• Cloning and gene expression
• Collaborated in the Internalization policy of the UFMT by facilitating acceptance of two foreign candidates for Post-Doc fellowships (1 Nigerian and 1 Indian) and one sandwich doctoral fellow (Nigerian).
• Contributed to the Internalization policy of UFGD by facillating the process of signing MoU between Northwestern -University, South Africa and UFGD.
• Contributed to the upgrading of the Faculty of Health Sciences courses by introducing 2 key courses: Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology and Nanotechnology in Bioprospecting of natural products.

Inflammation Research Association (IRA)

I love reading not just on my area of expertise but also from different fields such as religion and education. I love bicycling as it is a form of giving energy back to the body after long period of sitting writing, reading or teaching! Table tennis is one of my favorite game as it give you room to run here and there while fixing your gaze on the ping-pong!