DIRECTOR'S PROFILE

Prof. (Mrs.) Folasade M. Olajuyigbe obtained her B.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Lagos, in 1991, M.Tech in Applied Biochemistry from the Federal Universiy of Technology, Akure in 2002 and PhD in Biochemistry in 2009 under a split-site programme between the Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Akure, (FUTA) Nigeria and the Centre of Excellence in Biocrystallography, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Trieste, Italy. Prof. Folasade Olajuyigbe, is a distinguished scientist at the Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology Akure, Nigeria with expertise in Structural Biology, Enzyme Biotechnology and Environmental Bioremediation. She teaches courses in Biochemistry and Applied Biochemistry. Prof. Olajuyigbe supervises graduate and undergraduate research projects and theses aimed at proffering solutions to global problems in health, biotechnology and environment. She has made significant contributions to research in structure-based drug design against HIV, biofuel production, and environmental bioremediation with about 800 citations of her work in high-impact factor international journals.

Prof. Olajuyigbe is a Principal Investigator on the International Centre for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (ICGEB) - Collaborative Research Project on Enhanced Biofuel Production (2021-2023) and on the TETFund National Research Fund Project on Environmental Bioremediation (2020 -2022) with international and national collaborations. Prof. Olajuyigbe is an alumna of the prestigious United States Fulbright Senior Research Scholarship at the Rutgers University, New Jersey, United States of America (2017-2018). She has an outstanding record of achievements in her field including several distinctions, national and international recognition / awards / fellowships, research grants, and 50 publications in international peer-reviewed journals.

Prof. Olajuyigbe was an associate of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy for eight years (2009 - 2016). She is a two-time winner of the prestigious Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Fellowship which she used for her Spit-site PhD in the University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy (2006 - 2008) and for Postdoctoral program in University of Florida, United States of America (2011 - 2012). Prof. Olajuyigbe is also a two-time winner of the highly competitive International Foundation for Science, Sweden research grant (2004 and 2011). In 2011, Prof. Olajuyigbe was awarded the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) Vice Chancellor’s Special Recognition for Research Award. During her PhD programme in Italy, she won several award including the Best Poster Award at an international conference on Trends in Enzymology Conference held in St. Malo, France (2008), Elsevier Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics Young Investigator Award (2008) and American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) Graduate Travel Award for Experimental Biology / ASBMB Annual Meeting in Washington DC, United States of America (2007). She organized an ICGEB Course titled Laboratory Techniques in Molecular Biology and Enzyme Engineering for Sustainable Bioenergy: From Theory to Bench for international early career researchers and graduate students in September, 2022 largely funded by ICGEB, Italy and supported by Company of Biologists, UK.

Prof. Folasade Olajuyigbe heads the Enzyme and Environmental Biotechnology Research Group with a modern laboratory equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and uninterrupted power supply for projects in Molecular Biology, Enzymology, Enzyme Biotechnology and Environmental Bioremediation. Prof. Olajuyigbe has successfully supervised and trained several B.Tech, 31 M.Tech and 6 PhD graduates on globally relevant projects with active national and international collaborations.

Prof. Folasad Olajuyigbe has received national and international recognitions including her recognition by Director, International Foundation for Science (IFS), Sweden as a role model for women in science on 2016 International Women’s Day published on IFS website. In addition, in November 2017, she was named as one of the 10 Nigerian Women pulling their weights in the Sciences in Nigerian Leadership Newspaper and in March 2018, she was also announced as one of the 16 prominent Nigerian women that excel in Science and Research on the 2018 International Day of Women and Girls in Science on Silverbird Television.

With passion for the girl child, Prof. Olajuyigbe is exceptionally active in fighting gender barriers and committed to mentoring many younger women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). She is the Founder and President of Women’s Dignity Initiative Inc. (WDII), a non-profit organization aimed at supporting brilliant girls from disadvantaged backgrounds in Nigeria to study STEM subjects through scholarships and empowerment programs. Prof. Olajuyigbe is the Chairperson, Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World, FUTA Branch, and Member, Board of Trustees cum National Project Team Leader, Network of Nigerian Women in STEM (NWiSTEM). Remarkably, In August, 2022, she was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award by fellow Alumni of her Alma mater, Federal Government College Idoani, Abuja Chapter.

Prof. Olajuyigbe serves as invited speaker, panelist and discussion facilitator on many international forums encouraging more participation and visibility of women in Science and Technology. She is a member of many professional bodies including the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), Network of Nigerian Women in STEM (NWiSTEM), Nigeria Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC).

Prof. Olajuyigbe is happily married to Revd. (Dr.) Ebenezer Olajuyigbe, Director, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, Nigeria, and their marriage is blessed with children.