The Immunology in Africa Podcast Wealth Okete

Dr. Gatien Lokossou leads the Human Biology Engineering Department at the University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin, where he also doubles as a lecturer in Immunology and Cell Biology. His current research involves elucidating the microbiota composition of human breast milk and evaluating the protective function of immune cells and antibodies in breast milk against malaria in infants.



Prior to joining the University of Abomey-Calavi, Dr. Lokossou earned a PhD in Immunology at Paris Descartes University, France, where his work focused on genetic control of immune responses in malaria. During his post-doc at the University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM), Canada, he studied immunosuppression during pregnancy. His research explored the immune-related molecules, exosomes, and cells that contributed to the onset of preeclampsia in pregnant women in Canada and Benin. The overall goal of this project was to save lives and improve health outcomes by developing a diagnostic test for early detection of preeclampsia in at-risk pregnant women.




In this episode, Dr. Lokossou talks about his decision to return to his home country, Benin, after training in France and Canada. Most of his work, which has focused largely on pregnant women and infants, explore preeclampsia - a pregnancy-associated disease that can be fatal - and breast milk.

Connect with him/learn more about his work via LinkedIn and ⁠⁠⁠⁠ResearchGate⁠⁠⁠⁠.

The Immunology in Africa Podcast is on ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow/Subscribe to keep track of new episodes and other immunology updates.



Time stamps:

00:00 - intro
01:30 - overview of educational and research background 
04:00 - on relocating to Benin after foreign education and training

06:15 - why immunology research

07:52 - highlights of key research projects (epithelial cell response to pathogenic bacteria; genetic control of malaria immune responses; pregnancy and preeclampsia)

14:32 - [preeclampsia] the roles of syncytin (immunosuppression and placenta development); potential impact of the project

22:12 - [breastmilk] the why; ongoing projects; when it's (un)safe; - vs. formula food; preserving its composition/integrity

38:34 - comment: strengthening local research capacity in Africa through funding

40:16 - a most important career-related piece of advice or decision

42:00 - closing remarks
45:05 - outro

Dr. Rebecca Chukwuanukwu is an Associate Professor of Immunology at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria, where she researches host immune responses to diseases. Her educational background is in biomedical sciences, with a specialty in haematology and blood transfusion. She obtained two master's degrees: first, in Haematology at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and then, in Immunology and Allergy at the University of Nottingham, UK, before proceeding to pursue a PhD in Immunology at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University.

In addition to serving in various academic and administrative roles, Dr. Chukwuanukwu has also won numerous grants and prizes, including the UNESCO-Merck Africa Research Award. She is currently a Senior Experienced Research Fellow at the Friedrich-Alexander-University, Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany, courtesy of a fellowship award by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

In this episode, she takes us on her journey and experience exploring the immune system in different contexts, from co-infections involving malaria, HIV, and tuberculosis to pregnancy and malaria. She also talks about her commitment to advancing the field of immunology by training, mentoring, and supporting next-generation scientists.


Connect with her/learn more about her work ⁠here⁠ and across ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠and ⁠⁠⁠ResearchGate⁠⁠⁠.

The Immunology in Africa Podcast is on ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠. Follow/Subscribe to keep track of new episodes and other immunology updates.

Time stamps:

00:00 - intro
01:23 - background, academic and research journey 
07:11 - highlights of key research projects and awards from PhD research 
18:55 - on training, mentoring, and supporting younger scientists 
26:41 - research fellowship at Friedrich Alexander University, Germany 
33:11 - what's the most fulfilling part of your work 
41:17 - closing remarks 
44:20 - outro

Prof. Samuel Essien-Baidoo is an Associate Professor in Laboratory Medicine at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, and a Fellow of the West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science. His research is dedicated to exploring the intricate interplay between natural and artificial determinants of adverse health outcomes, particularly in the context of infectious and non-infectious diseases.



Away from research, Prof. Essien-Baidoo has a wealth of administrative experience, having served as the founding Head of the Department of Medical Laboratory Science and held many other positions at UCC, Ghana. He has also shown deep commitment to community service and mentorship by supporting and guiding student volunteers engaged in various initiatives, spanning livelihood empowerment, environmental sanitation, and reproductive health.





In this episode, Prof. Essien-Baidoo shares highlights of his research exploring the link between vaginal microbes, the immune system, and the onset of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) in Ghanaian women. Findings from this study will inform cervical cancer screening and management in at-risk women.



Connect with him/learn more about his work here and across ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, ⁠⁠X⁠⁠, ⁠and ⁠⁠ResearchGate⁠⁠.



The Immunology in Africa Podcast is on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, ⁠⁠X⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. Follow/Subscribe to keep track of new episodes and other immunology updates.

Time stamps:


00:00 - intro
01:20 - overview of academic and research journey
05:11 - findings from PhD research
07:44 - growing up and developing interest in immunology, infectious diseases, and non-communicable diseases
11:48 - highlights of research on vaginal microbiota and cervical cancer risk (findings, implications, next steps, etc.)
27:28 - interest and work in health and research ethics
33:30 - challenges and how he's dealt with them
42:18 - updates from IUIS Cape Town 2023
46:10 - final words
49:00 - outro

Dr. Oghenebrume Wariri is a Clinical Research Fellow in Vaccines and Immunity at the MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM. His research focuses on vaccine epidemiology, particularly examining the performance of country-level immunization systems and investigating how broader demand- and supply-side factors influence the delivery and uptake of routine childhood vaccination in West Africa.
Dr. Wariri received his Medical Degree (MBBS) from the University of Benin (Nigeria) and specialized as a Paediatrician after completing a six-year residency training program, earning a Fellowship of the West African College of Physicians. He obtained his MSc in Global Health as a fully-funded Chevening scholar from the University of Aberdeen, UK and has previously held a Wellcome Trust Global Health Clinical Research Training Fellowship at Imperial College London. His PhD at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) investigates the burden, spatial pattern, and drivers of untimely routine childhood vaccination in The Gambia.
Dr. Wariri sits on the five-member WHO National Verification Committee (NVC) for Measles and Rubella in The Gambia and is also a member of the Management Committee of the Vaccine Centre at LSHTM. He was the Principal Investigator of the recently concluded EDCTP-funded TIMELY study, which investigated the spatial pattern of untimely routine childhood vaccination in The Gambia and the 2023 African Visiting Fellow to the Office of Population Research (OPR) at Princeton University.
In July 2023, Dr. Wariri was awarded the five-year Fogarty Emerging Global Leader award (K43) from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) to map zero-dose prevalence, delayed measles vaccination, and the risk of measles outbreaks in The Gambia.


In this episode, we delve into his career journey, highlighting his contributions toward improving access to vaccines in children. Alongside providing updates on his recent award, Dr. Wariri also had a lot of nuggets to share with African scientists on collaborations and research translation.

Connect with him/learn more about his work via ⁠LinkedIn⁠, ⁠X⁠, ⁠LSHTM⁠, and ⁠ResearchGate⁠.



The Immunology in Africa Podcast is on ⁠LinkedIn⁠, ⁠X⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, and ⁠YouTube⁠. Follow/Subscribe to keep track of new episodes and other immunology updates.

Time stamps:


00:00 - intro
02:57 - overview of academic and research journey
07:33 - how interest in vaccine epidemiology developed
12:17 - highlights, findings, and implications of research projects
16:17 - comments on how the COVID-19 pandemic affected vaccination rates
20:46- factors influencing low/high vaccination rates/coverage in various countries
26:16 - on winning the Fogarty Emerging Global Leader Award
33:52 - fostering intra-continental research among African scientists
41:51 - comments on translation of research findings in Africa
46:43 - final words
50:00 - outro

Graduate Student Series (GSS) 1.0 (Episode 6 of 6)
Kumba Seddu started her PhD journey at Johns Hopkins University where she investigated male and female immune differences to viral vaccines and infections. Her research added to the growing evidence that vaccinated females have greater antibody responses than males. This increased vaccine-induced antibody response in females is due to hormonal
(estrogen) effects and sex chromosome (XX) effects. Now at Harvard Medical School, she is studying the gene expression and immune cell activation cascade upon interleukin-2 [IL-2] cytokine stimulation. IL-2 treatment has implications from infection to autoimmune diseases and cancer. She has won several awards including the U.S National Institute of Health Specialized Centers for Research Excellence award, the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health award, and the Paul Farmer Honorary award.
Kumba is passionate about equipping researchers and young leaders from low- and middle-income countries to end infectious diseases and solve global challenges. This goal drives her commitment to mentoring students around the world and to leading community solution-driven projects in her home country, Sierra Leone.

In this episode, she shares her inspiring journey from Sierra Leone to the United States, where she's currently pursuing her PhD in the field of immunology [Kumba's current research explores immune responses to the cytokine, interleukin-2 (IL-2)]. As usual, we also get to hear her thoughts on the current state of immunology in Africa as well as approaches for advancing research in the field.

Time stamps:
00:00 - intro
02:43 - overview of academic and research journey
04:50 - how interest in immunology developed
08:03 - updates from research on sex differences and immune responses (at Johns Hopkins University)
12:50 - updates from research on IL-2 and immune responses (at Harvard Medical School)
15:47 - implications of research findings on infectious diseases
23:22 - life in graduate school (managing failures and successes; most favourite & least favourite experiments)
31:25 - core guiding principles
38:20 - thoughts on promoting immunology and scientific research in Africa
45:40 - fun task (share a eureka moment from the lab)
48:32 - outro

Graduate Student Series (GSS) 1.0 (Ep. 5 of 6)

Ubong Ekperikpe is a Ph.D. candidate in the Experimental Therapeutics and Pharmacology program at the University of Mississippi Medical Center where he studies obesity and kidney diseases. He trained as a Pharmacist at the University of Jos, before earning a master's degree in Pharmacology at the University of Benin, both in Nigeria. He has also served as a Junior Research Fellow at the School of Pharmacy, University of the Western Cape, South Africa. 
Ubong’s current research is focused on understanding the role of macrophage inflammatory protein 3-alpha (MIP3α) and interactions between antigen-presenting cells and T-cells in the progression of kidney injuries in children with obesity. Findings from this research will not only enhance our understanding of how these immune cells contribute to the onset of kidney diseases but also inform the design of appropriate therapies.
Cooking is one of Ubong's most enjoyable things to do, and he's been honing his skills since he turned 9.

In this episode, Ubong shares findings from his PhD work exploring the immunology-link between obesity and kidney diseases in children. He also provides useful updates on his experience as a graduate student and thoughts on promoting immunology research in Africa.

Time stamps:
00:00 - intro
02:29 - overview of academic and research journey
06:54 - blending background in pharmacy and research in immunology
08:32 - current research intersecting obesity, kidney diseases, and immunology
22:00 - implications of research for Africa's childhood obesity burden
28:30 - BONUS: linking kidney diseases and sleeping sickness in Africa
32:25 - life in graduate school (a typical day in the lab; managing failures and successes; on cooking)
39:34 - thoughts on promoting immunology and scientific research in Africa
43:36 - core guiding principles
46:40 - fun task (what one advice would you give to your younger self?)
51:35 - outro