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Special thanks to Olufunsho Awodele for reviewing and contributing to this blog. I also acknowledge Margaret Khaitsa for reviewing the blog and contributing some of the photographs.

In June 2024, I had an excellent opportunity to visit Nigeria, the giant of Africa, on a trip sponsored by SOT as part of the SOT Global Senior Scholar Exchange Program (GSSEP). The goal of this SOT program, which is currently paused, is to create opportunities for senior toxicologists in select countries to meet and collaborate with toxicologists in other countries. My trip was in reciprocation to Professor Olufunsho Awodele’s initial visit to my laboratory in 2019 and was delayed because of restrictions in travel surrounding COVID-19. Prof. Awodele is a Professor and Consultant Toxicologist in the Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics, and Toxicology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos. The University of Lagos is nested in the center of Lagos, Africa’s most populated city. This was my first visit to West Africa, and I was warmly received as a son of the soil.

During my visit, I met and held discussions with individual faculty and senior administrators in the Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics, and Toxicology, the College of Medicine, and the entire university in company of Prof. Awodele. In all meetings, I stressed that I was travelling thanks to SOT, pointing out that SOT is interested in promoting toxicology globally and creating opportunities for international collaborations in research and education. Prof. Awodele’s primary interest is to establish a forensic toxicology laboratory, and his secondary interest is in food safety research and education. In my discussions with senior university administrators, I amplified Prof. Awodele’s voice on the need for establishing a forensic toxicology laboratory. Professor Matthew Olusoji Ilori, Director of the Academic Planning Unit and member of the Governing Council, was very receptive to the idea. He pointed out that there is a forensic biology program in one of the departments and forensic toxicology would be complimentary to that program. He also pointed out that establishing the program requires capacity development, including training Prof. Awodele to provide leadership for the program. I pointed out that I had reached out to Dr. Ashley Hall, Director of the Forensic Biology Program at University of California Davis (UC Davis), who had shared information with Prof. Awodele about the training program she leads.

I also had the privilege to meet with Professor David Adewale Oke, Provost, College of Medicine, and his administrative team. Prof. Oke is a cardiologist by specialty, and he revealed that cardiovascular diseases are a major health issue in Nigeria; he attributed this largely to diet. He was also very receptive and supportive of the idea of establishing a forensic toxicology laboratory. This sentiment was also shared by Professor Abidemi James Akindele, Chair of the Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics, and Toxicology. Prof. Akindele reaffirmed potential areas of collaboration that Prof. Awodele and I identified. These areas include research on alternative herbal medicines for treatment of dementia and neurodegeneration and environmental toxicology research.

During my visit, I delivered two seminars. The first was titled “Unravelling Mechanisms of Acute Hydrogen Sulfide–Induced Neurotoxicity” and was delivered to the faculty, students, and staff of the Department of Pharmacology, Therapeutics, and Toxicology. Following the seminar, Prof. Awodele and I met with the Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Professor Oluyemi Akinloye. Together, we discussed the goal of my reciprocal visit, and he was incredibly supportive of the collaborations.

The second seminar was titled "Selected Examples of One Environmental Health Toxicology Research” and was delivered to the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences. I used this seminar to showcase examples of interdisciplinary One Health Toxicology research, and the seminar was very well received.

Among individual faculty who approached me to explore areas of potential collaboration was Dr. Ismail Ishola whose research is focused on investigating natural herbs for treatment of memory impairment. Dementia is a growing problem worldwide, and he shared his publications to explore potential collaborations, including testing the efficacy of the herbs in a hydrogen sulfide–induced model of neurodegeneration. I also met with Dr. Oluwakemi Oyelowo who expressed interest in collaborating in the area of intrauterine toxicology. Prof. Awodele and I also met with Dr. Tariwari Angaye, lecturer, Niger Delta University, who has published on ambient hydrogen sulfide concentrations near toxic dumpsites in the Niger Delta. Toxic dumpsites are a major menace in major cities in Nigeria and are potential Superfund study sites. Hydrogen sulfide concentrations near toxic dumpsites in the Niger Delta reach five ppm. We agreed to explore the possibility of writing a joint review manuscript as a basis for future collaborations.

One of the highlights of my visit was a tour of a major toxic waste dumpsite in Ojota, Lagos. This dumpsite, which receives garbage from most of Lagos, is within the city and is surrounded by residential housing. The dumpsite is ideal for One Health community-based research in toxicology to understand the health impact of the dumpsite to people, animals, and the ecosystem. Beside toxic gases generated, streams of leachates from the dumpsite pour into watersheds of the surrounding communities.

During my visit, I shared contacts within my network with Prof. Awodele. These are contacts I believe will be helpful to him and other University of Lagos College of Medicine faculty to grow their collaborations. Through a Zoom meeting, I introduced Prof. Awodele to three epidemiology professors from Mississippi State University: David Smith, Margaret Khaitsa, and Kimberly Woodruff, who had just returned from a reciprocal visit to Nigeria (May 6–10, 2024) under a Scientific Exchanges Program to harmonize sanitary and phytosanitary rules across the eight Regional Economic Communities of the African Union. This trip was supported by the United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA-FAS). The team had visited the University of Ibadan (Faculties of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and the USDA-FAS office in Lagos, Nigeria. In the course of discussions, a new theme of potential collaboration—food safety and antimicrobial stewardship—emerged as an area of common interest between Prof. Awodele and the Mississippi State University team. They agreed to explore joint resource mobilization, research, and publication in that area.

In addition, the Mississippi team indicated willingness to support the development of a forensic toxicology program. So, there is a possibility of multi-institutional collaboration on this theme. We mutually indicated willingness to engage in epidemiological research in the fields of toxicology, pharmacoepidemiology, and herbal medicines in Nigeria as part of a multi-institutional collaboration (UC Davis, University of Lagos, Niger Delta University, Mississippi State University, University of Ibadan, and NAFDAC). This area of research also aligns well with Prof. Awodele’s current role as a member of NAFDAC committee on verification of safety and efficacy of herbal medicines in Nigeria.

Furthermore, considering Prof. Awodele’s interest in food safety in relation to antimicrobial stewardship, I introduced Prof. Awodele to Dr. James Sasanya, Food Safety Specialist and Acting Section Head, Food Safety and Control Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Center, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria. Periodically, Dr. Sasanya has access to funding to support food safety research in developing countries like Nigeria of which Prof. Awodele could take advantage. In particular, the IAEA supports purchase of analytical laboratory equipment and use of nuclear technologies to advance food safety (Atoms4food). Dr. Sasanya enrolled Prof. Awodele in the Afro Food Safety Network, a continental platform for sharing information and knowledge about a wide range of food safety issues impacting the African continent.

Toward the end of my visit, I held a Zoom meeting with Dr. Hall, Director of the Forensic Program at UC Davis, in which I introduced Prof. Awodele to her. Dr. Hall shared that the master’s program in forensic science has three tracks and is a two-year program. The criminalistic track is where forensic toxicology is offered. Among various topics discussed was whether it would be possible to offer shorter training options like one- to two-week workshops in forensic toxicology, which would be ideal for individuals who are not interested in taking the entire two-year program. Dr. Hall promised to look into this.

In summary, I am incredibly grateful to SOT for the opportunity provided to Prof. Awodele and myself to grow and expand our professional networks. Nigeria, indeed, is a field of opportunities for international collaborative research in toxicology. The faculty at the University of Lagos are very engaged professionals as indicated by their attendance at my seminars and through their eagerness to meet with me to discuss potential collaborations. The entire leadership team, from Head of Department, Dean, and Provost in the medical school are all supportive and eager to see the budding collaborations take off. There is unanimous support for introducing a forensic toxicology program. The need is acute. However, it was apparent to me that funding, both for human capacity and infrastructure development, was lacking. Prof. Awodele is eager to learn of funding mechanisms, including donations of surplus analytical equipment, to get the lab infrastructure started. In addition, several areas of research collaboration were identified. One Health toxicology research on vulnerable communities who live and work in areas of toxic dumpsites was identified as one potential area of multi-institutional research involving University of Lagos, UC Davis, Niger Delta University, and Mississippi State University. Mississippi State University is interested in lending their epidemiology expertise for joint collaborations in toxicology with UC Davis, University of Lagos, Niger Delta University, and other institutions in Nigeria.

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