Dr Iheanyi Omezuruike Okonko
Teaching & Research Virologist, Immunologist & Molecular Epidemiologist (Genomics), Virus & Genomics Research Unit, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science · University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Research Interests
HIV-1 Genetic Diversity, Viral diversities and evolutions, HIV-1 P24 antigens, coinfections, drug resistance and tropism Global emergence of recombinant HIV and its impact on vaccine design Longitudinal multi-cohort study to compare the global emergence of HIV...
Biography
Presently, I am a Senior Lecturer (Teaching & Research Medical Virologist, Immunologist and Molecular Epidemiologist in the Virus Research Unit of the Department of Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. I specialized in Medical Virology, Immunology, Vaccinology and Molecular Epidemiology. I have 11 active years as a Teaching and Research Virologist in University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. I have demonstrated over the recent years my strong impact on Virology research and education through my array of publications and my involvement in teaching of trainees from our resource-limited settings. My primary areas of interest are studies on HIV-1 Genetic Diversity, Viral diversities and evolutions, HIV-1 P24 antigens, coinfections, drug resistance and tropism, all of which are highly understudied in Nigeria. I have successfully supervised several BSc projects, 16 MSc Dissertations, 5 Ph.D. Theses in Virology and currently supervising 16 PhD Theses in Virology.
Education
Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria Ph.D. in Virology 2017 American Association of Immunology (AAI), Boston, United States Certificate in Advanced Immunology 2015 West African Bioethics Training Program (WABTP) in collaboration with Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI), University of Miami, Florida, USA Certificate in Nigerian National Code for Health Research Ethics (NNCHRE) Stage I Course 2012 Triune Biblical University, Brooklyn, United States Ph.D. in Christian Education 2011 Triune Biblical University, Brooklyn, United States Masters in Christian Education 2008 W...
Recent Scopus Publications
- Multidrug-Resistant and Extremely Drug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Clinical Samples From a Tertiary Healthcare Facility in Nigeria
- Determination of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus type 1&2&O and P24–antigen in pregnant women in port harcourt Nigeria
- Immunological and epidemiological evaluation of EBV infections among HIV-1 infected individuals in Abakaliki, Nigeria supports the potential use of neutrophils as a marker of EBV in HIV disease progression and as useful markers of immune activation
- Potential public health risks associated with suya spice mix in Port Harcourt, Nigeria
- HIV coinfections with tuberculosis among HIV-1 infected individuals in old cross river state, Nigeria
Grants / Consultancy
2021 Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Institution-Based Research (IBR) Grant (TETF/UPH/IBR/2019/7/009).
Links
- ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3053-253X
- Google Scholar https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=SiA8MHoAAAAJ
- Scopus https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=34880520200