Organisms in Osun Osogbo River exhibit antibiotic properties – Female researcher
You recently ventured into the Osun Osogbo Grove research. Why did you choose to do this despite the fact that your university is faith based and Osun Osogbo could be regarded as an idol?
I am a molecular biologist with over a decade experience in academic research. I have broad-based inter disciplinary training with particular expertise in protein biochemistry, computational biology (Bioinformatics), recombinant DNA engineering, plant genetic engineering, post-transformational analysis and biochemical pharmacology. My research interests revolve around glycoprotein from natural sources. Exclusive specificity of these has been exploited for analysis and discovery of novel bioactivity.
I’m guided by three things; First, I feel I have a personal obligation to prepare and conduct courses that are intellectually engaging, informative, and rigorous. Secondly, I encourage astimulating, safe learning environment to ensure that students are eager and comfortable about their participation. And lastly but most importantly, I help students understand how education prepares them for the future and assists them in planning their careers, inspiring them to “think outside the box” and consider a more innovative or novel path.
I am a Muslim and my religion preaches that we must seek knowledge, hence the Osun Osogbo Grove, been a creation of Almighty Allah, is a site for knowledge exploration. As a researcher who is interested in Clinical Biochemistry which is my area of training, the search for scientific basis of the various ailments is of utmost concern. It is this search for knowledge that attracted me to the grove.
Getting to the grove, I realized that there are various aspects. The spiritual or ritual aspect is just one department while there is also research and education department. My interest is mainly with the research and education department. My research Kwara State-born Dr. Nusrah BolatitoAfolabi-Balogun obtained a Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 2012 and is a seniorBiochemistry lecturer in the Department of Chemical Science, Fountain UniversityOsogbo.She said her on-going research on the Osun Osogbo Grove promises great revelations. has nothing to do with the Osun Osogbo shrine, the devotees or their ways of worship.
Are you convinced that your areas of research focus will enable you achieve far-reaching results on the Osun Osogbo Grove?
Putting into consideration the conservative nature and biodiversity of the Osun Osogbo Grove, the site is being studied for several therapeutically and industrially significant bioactive compounds using a wide variety of screening tools. To this extent, preliminary analytical and molecular studies were carried out to identify viable strain of clinical potentials. The research is designed to leverage on the conservative nature of the grove and explore the enriched natural herbal environment for new drug.
The goal is to explore the Osun Osogbo Grove for novel natural bioactive compounds with clinical significance against resistant microorganisms and some human pathogens. Also, considering the belief and practice of people living around the grove, the research is also set to verify the safety of the inhabitants of the grove and its environment against toxin producing organisms such as Aspergillus species.
What are your findings or discoveries so far?
The preliminary studies had shown that organisms from the soil in the grove and the Osun Osogbo River sponge exhibit antibiotic properties. The works are still going on and the research findings would be forwarded to scientific bodies for proper recognition and documentation. Members of my research team have been going into the grove to collect research samples prior to this moment but it became necessary to do things the proper way so as to bring all parties to the same level. That was what necessitated the MoU between Fountain University and National Commission for Museum and Monuments and this is to enhance sense of belonging on both sides and allow the exchange of both human and research resources.
The two parties were said to have evaluated the benefits to be derived from the MoU. What are these benefits?
The MoU is like an automatic ticket, at this point, researchers from the university can access the grove when needed. Though we had partial access to the grove previously but the MoU with the commission has now given us unrestricted access. Aside this, this MoU would improve the quality of researches in the university because there is a lot to learn from nature.
Does this initiative have the support and approval of the devotees and custodians of the Osun Osogbo Grove?
The work has mainly been with the administrative arm of management, however the devotees have been very corporative and we don’t exceed our limit in the grove. There are restricted zones such as shrines and we don’t go there.
The research would lead to the discovery of new drug against some of the resistant pathogens, cancer as well as vectors of neglected tropical diseases and these would be of great interest to the world at large.
Apart from you, is there any other researcher conducting similar research on the Osun Osogbo Grove?
A tree does not make a forest. Three research groups are currently working on the various samples from the grove and more people have indicated interest. There is a junior colleague, Mr. S.O Osineye, working with me on the neglected tropical disease vectors. The toxicology group is led by Dr. A.K Salau, a colleague in the Department of Chemical Sciences, we have another group led by Dr. Muse Oke and the Economic Department is led by Prof. Abdul-Lateef Usman, the Dean College of Management Sciences. Another research group is led by Dr. A.J.K Shittu of Computer Sciences. I sincerely hope and pray that these efforts would bring positive results that would take our university to greater heights. Fountain University is an institution with lots of professionals and I believe that kind of efforts would surely bring out our hidden potentials. The name of the Vice Chancellor of Bayero University Kano (BUK) is Professor Muhammad Yahuza Bello not Professor Abubakar A. Rasheed as erroneously mentioned in our story "BUK spends N500m on faculty upgrade on Thursday May 26. The error is regretted.