Biography of Professor (Mrs.) Chinedum Peace BABALOLA (nee ANYABUIKE)
[B.Pharm, PhD, FAS, FAAS, FPSN, FPCPharm, NAPharm]
Professor Chinedum Peace Babalola (nee Anyabuike) is a Pharmacist and Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry/Pharmacokinetics, University of Ibadan (UI). She is the immediate past and first female Dean of Faculty of Pharmacy, UI (2013-2017). She was appointed the Vice-Chancellor, Chrisland University, Abeokuta in November, 2017.
Babalola obtained B.Pharm, MSc. and PhD. degrees from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife between 1983 and 1997. She completed pre-doctoral fellowship at University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada (1994-1995). She completed Postgraduate Diploma in Industrial Pharmacy (IPAT) jointly from Kilimanjaro School of Pharmacy, Tanzania & Purdue University, USA (2012).
She started her academic career in Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, OAU, Ile-Ife in 1985 as a Junior Trainee Fellow, rose to lecturer I and transferred to UI in 1998 as a Senior Lecturer. She was promoted a Reader in 2003 and a Professor in 2006 (first female Pharmacist Professor in UI). She has served as Head of Department and Director of General Studies Programme where she introduced ‘Drugs and Mankind’ as a course component for all undergraduate students. She is as adjunct Professor in College of Medicine and in 2015, UCH Ibadan appointed her as a Specialist/Consultant, making her the first pharmacist to be so appointed in any tertiary hospital in Nigeria.
Babalola’s research focuses on pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, pharmaceutical analysis, pharmacogenetics and bioethics as tools for studying drug disposition in Nigerians in order to guide therapeutic optimization in Blacks. Her research has revealed significant drug-drug interactions between antimalarials and antibiotics with significant reduction in antibiotic levels, which calls for dose adjustment. She and co-authors reported the first pharmacogenetic study in Nigerians (healthy and sickle cell patients). She and co-workers conducted one of the largest pharmacogenetic/pharmacovigilance studies on sulpha drugs in >1,000 healthy and HIV/AIDs Nigerians.
In 2011, she led a multinational/interdisciplinary team that won MacArthur Foundation grant (approx. $1 million) to set up Centre for Drug Discovery, Development and Production (CDDDP), UI – first of its kind in Africa, for building capacity for Africans to make their own medicines and improve access to quality medicines. CDDDP is one of the 11 designated centres of excellence in Africa by NEPAD/AMRH. CDDDP has a number of medicinal/herbal products ready for NAFDAC registration.
Babalola is a recipient of over 25 fellowships, awards and grants world over including World Bank/NUC, Canada; DAAD, Germany; Hartford Hospital fellowship, USA; MacArthur Fellowships, USA; TWAS; WHO; UNIDO, NIH etc. She has travelled widely to other nations of the world for her research and as a resource person. She consults for some pharmaceutical industries in the area of drug quality assessment, bioequivalence and clinical trials.
Babalola has received several recognitions. She is the first female Pharmacist in Nigeria inducted Fellow, Academy of Science (FAS); the highest scientific award in Nigeria and first female Nigerian inducted Fellow, African Academy of Sciences (FAAS). Others are Fellow, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (FPSN), Fellow, West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacy (FPCPharm) and Fellow, Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (FNAPharm). Her recent appointment made her the first female pharmacist Vice-Chancellor in Nigeria.
Professor Babalola is a member of many international/national organisations such ISSX, IATDM-CT, AORTIC, PSN, NAPA, ALPS, SCHAF, IPAN among others.
In 2016, Babalola was selected as one of 10 most influential female scientists in Nigeria. She was also selected as the only African member, Strategy Working Group (SWG), joint Committee of International Council for Science (ICSU) and International Social Science Council (ISSC) in France. Just recently (2018) she was named by Silverbird TV as one of the 16 Prominent Nigerian Women that excel in Science and Research and also received a merit award from Association of Lady Pharmacists (ALPS) of Nigeria due to her achievements and contributions. She won 2018 May & Baker Service Professional award.
She has over 75 publications (peer-reviewed) in reputable outlets. She has taught and mentored many students and has supervised over 50 Masters and PhD projects.
For Chinedum Babalola, there is no dichotomy between the secular and the spiritual. Babalola loves God and devotes all achievements to Him. She loves music and loves to worship God. She is a guest speaker at many religious, secular and empowerment programmes.
She is married to a very supportive husband and charismatic Minister of God, Venerable Collins Olufemi Babalola of Ibadan Anglican diocese and the marriage is blessed with three wonderful children.