The Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) has awarded the 2023 NAS Gold Medal Prize for Life Sciences to Rufus Olusola Akinyemi, a Professor of Geriatric Neurology and Translational Neuroscience at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
A statement by Dr. Sonny Folorunso Kuku FAS, OFR, Chairman, NAS Science Prize Committee, said that “Akinyemi’s research, over the last decade, has focused on stroke, post-stroke vascular cognitive impairment, and dementia (PSVCID), and stroke biobanking. This has yielded novel outputs of potential impact on millions of African and global populations in this era of precision medicine.”
The statement said further that “the work of Professor Akinyemi, and his collaborators, has significantly improved knowledge on the molecular mechanisms underlying vascular cognitive impairment and dementia, especially the role of neuroinflammation in the pathobiology of these disorders whose prevalence is increasing at an alarming rate globally. The work also furthered the understanding of the genetic epidemiology of strokes among people with African ancestry, unmasking novel targets for prevention and showing the feasibility of precision treatment.
“Akinyemi has improved understanding of the epidemiology of dementia in Africa and molecular mechanisms of vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). The largest neurobiobank in Africa was established under his leadership, and now houses over 170,000 blood fractions (including extracted DNA) from stroke patients and control subjects.”
The statement stressed that “Professor Rufus Olusola Akinyemi, a Professor of Geriatric Neurology and Translational Neuroscience at the University of Ibadan, is announced winner of the 2023 NAS Gold Medal, and would receive the Award from the Academy during the Fifth NAS Annual Scientific Conference on the 24th of January, 2024 in Lagos, Nigeria.”
According to the Academy, the NAS Gold Medal was instituted in 2016, “to be awarded to deserving Nigerian scientists who have made significant achievements in science, of national relevance and global resonance.”
The award, the statement noted, is made annually, alternating between the Life and Physical Sciences, and consists of a medal, a certificate, and a purse and the 2023 award is in the Life Sciences.
