School of Basic Medical Sciences

The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA , Professor Adenike Oladiji ,has approved the appointment of Professor Akeem Olalekan Lawal as the new Dean of the School of Basic Medical Sciences of the University’s College of Health Sciences for a two-year term with effect from 1st August 2024. The appointment followed his emergence at an election conducted by the Board of the School of Basic Medical Sciences on Wednesday, 24th July 2024.

Professor Akeem Olalekan Lawal is a distinguished academic and researcher in the field of Biochemistry and Environmental Cardiology. He began his academic journey with a First-Class Honors degree in Biochemistry from the University of Ibadan in 1997, followed by a master’s degree from the same institution in 2003. He was awarded the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship to pursue his PhD at the University of Strathclyde, UK, which he completed in 2010. Prof. Lawal furthered his research as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, Los Angeles, USA, and later at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in South Africa, where he was awarded the Claude Leon Fellowship.

Prof. Lawal's outstanding contributions to research have earned him numerous accolades, including the Best Graduating Student Award at the University of Ibadan, the Gordon Research Award in the USA, and recognition as one of the World Top 2% Best Scientists by Stratford University in 2023. His research accomplishments include pioneering the development of novel heme oxygenase-1 knockout mice and contributing to over 50 publications in high-impact journals. He has supervised and mentored numerous PhD and master’s students, many of whom have become professors.

In his professional career, Prof. Lawal has held significant academic and administrative positions at various institutions, including acting headships at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) and Lagos State University College of Medicine. He is also a member of several esteemed professional bodies, such as the American Heart Association and the British Toxicological Society. Prof. Lawal continues to contribute to the academic community as a reviewer for prestigious journals and as an external examiner for various Universities.