Expert Partners

Dr. Nsikan works at Imperial College London and the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Medical Sciences (MRC LMS), where he uses Drosophila to study how ageing-related changes influence tumour development. In October 2024, he was awarded a prestigious Career Development Fellowship from the Royal Society to support this research. He obtained his PhD in Neuro-oncology from the University of Plymouth, where he investigated genes and mechanisms involved in the initiation and progression of glioblastomas and low-grade gliomas.

Nsikan holds a BSc in Biomedical Science and an MSc in Cancer Biology from the University of Kent. Beyond the laboratory, he is passionate about science communication and public outreach, and has a keen interest in art, travelling, food, and languages. Through his involvement with BloSTEMEI, he is eager to contribute to inspiring the next generation, sharing knowledge, and strengthening STEM capacity across Africa.

Dr. Priscilla is a biomedical scientist by training, with research interests in evolution, immunity, and infection, particularly host adaptations driven by immune-mediated diseases at the population level. Her PhD focused on unravelling the evolutionary dynamics of host immune responses during encounters with pathogens, using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism.

She is currently a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the laboratory of Dr Pedro Vale at the University of Edinburgh, where they study how host heterogeneity during infections can influence disease transmission outcomes. By once again leveraging the powerful Drosophila model, her work aims to generate insights with important implications for public health, especially for vulnerable communities during disease outbreaks.

Beyond experimental research, she is a member of the DrosEU consortium, an international collaboration advancing Drosophila population genetics. She has also been actively involved in science volunteering within her local community, introducing research to the public and inspiring school students. Through BloSTEMEI, she is excited to continue sharing knowledge and fostering curiosity in communities where Drosophila biology and genetics are still emerging.

Eniola is a PhD student at the University of Essex, where she investigates the effects of diet on development using Drosophila as a model system. A two-time recipient of the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship, she is deeply passionate about education, personal development, academic success, and holistic growth. She holds a BSc in Microbiology from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, and an MSc in Biotechnology from the University of Chester, United Kingdom.

Beyond her laboratory-based research, Eniola has a strong interest in science policy and looks forward to contributing to this field in the near future. Her involvement in BloSTEMEI is driven by a genuine desire to give back, positively impact lives, and inspire others by sharing knowledge, experiences, and networks. When she is not in the lab setting up experiments or collecting data, she enjoys sleeping, singing, or watching a good movie.

Dr. Osarenkhoe is a Royal Society Career Development Fellow and Junior Research Fellow at Churchill College, University of Cambridge, where he also holds the William and Barbara Hawthorne Fellowship and the Sydney Harvey Research Fellowship in Engineering. He completed his PhD in Engineering at the University of Cambridge with support from the EPSRC and industrial sponsorship from Alphasense Ltd.

During his doctoral research, Osarenkhoe led pioneering work on next-generation printed gas sensors based on two-dimensional nanomaterials, producing an authoritative review in the field and developing a predictive gas-sensing platform for complex real-world environments. His current research focuses on advancing nanoengineered sensing technologies into robust, low-cost, and scalable systems for environmental, industrial, and health applications.

Beyond academia, he is the founder of New Africa Comics, a creative platform using visual storytelling to explore culture, mythology, science, and African futures. Through BloSTEMEI, he is passionate about inspiring young people and widening participation in STEM across Africa.