Engaging Policy Makers in Health Research II Webinar
Aug 19 2024 | 3 - 4pm CAT

Professor Julie Makani

Professor Julie Makani is a Physician Scientist in the Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) www.muhas.ac.tz and Provost Visiting Professor at Imperial College London https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/j.makani. Tanzania established, in 2003, one of the world’s largest single-center cohorts for sickle cell disease at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) https://www.mnh.or.tz, in a programme, CHARTA, that integrates coordination, health, advocacy, research and training in Africa. Prof Makani serves as Principal Investigator of the Sickle Cell programme in MUHAS and Sickle Pan African Research Consortium (SPARCO) Clinical Coordinating Centre (CCC) within the SicklelnAfrica network http://www.sickleinafrica.org/. She is the Site Principal Investigator for MUHAS for H3ABioNet https://www.h3abionet.org/ Co-Principal Investigator SickleGenAfrica. Her work aims to use sickle cell disease as a model to establish scientific and healthcare solutions in Africa, that are locally relevant and globally significant. The approach integrates public health interventions with genomics including gene therapy to improve health and cure sickle cell disease.

Professor Makani (MD, PhD, FRCP, FTAAS) trained in Medicine (Tanzania), specialized in Internal Medicine (UK), and completed her PhD in clinical epidemiology of sickle cell disease (UK). She was a Wellcome Trust Research Fellow [Training 2003 – 2009; Intermediate 2012 - 2017], Tutu Leadership Fellow (2009) www.alinstitute.org and Honorary Visiting Research Fellow, University of Oxford (2003 - 2016). She received the 2011 Royal Society Africa Award http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd17odE1YLs on the application of genomic research to improve health and find a cure for sickle cell disease. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of UK and Fellow of the Tanzania Academy of Sciences.

Professor Babatunde Lawal Salako

Babatunde Lawal Salako is a seasoned physician, teacher, researcher, and administrator. He is a Professor of Medicine at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan and currently the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba Lagos. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) from the University of Ibadan in 1986. Further, he became a West African College of Physicians Fellow in 1994. He has been involved with medicine academically and professionally, he was at various times the Head of the Department of Medicine, and Provost of the College of Medicine, at the University of Ibadan. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and London. His research interest is chronic kidney diseases and hypertension.

Professor Salako represents Nigeria on the General Assembly of the European and Developing Country Clinical Trial Partnership (EDCTP) and was a member of the WHO/TDR Joint Coordinating Board/TDR Standing Committee. He chaired the Disease Endemic Country Committee of the TDR Joint Coordinating Board for 2 years and he is currently a member of the WHO Editorial Board on Strengthening R&D System in local vaccine production. He has also been a Temporary Adviser to the WHO on several occasions.

Professor Salako was appointed Foundation Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Medicine (FNAMed) in 2019, Fellow Nigerian Academy of Science (FAS) in February 2020 and Fellow of the Nigerian Association of Nephrology in February 2022. He was the Chairman National Health Research Committee and Chairman National COVID-19 Research Coalition for two years. He is a member of the Tetfund Research and Development Standing Committee and the Board of Experts of the CBN Health Sector Research and Development Innovation Scheme. He has to his credit over 200 journal articles in both local and international journals including two books, one on nephrology for laypersons and the other his autobiography.