Gone are the days when Africans were swindled to believe that only whites are making contributions to cutting-edge science discoveries. Today we have witnessed a brave and dogged African scientist who
has demystified this belief in various fields of science. One of such scientist is Prof. Andrew Jonathan Nok.
Prof. Nok clinged a prestigious science award in 2009 sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited, for his seminal work in discovering the gene responsible for the creation of Sialidase (SD), an enzyme which causes sleeping sickness (Trypano-somiasis). His research breakthrough is significant in forming the baseline for developing DNA based vaccines against Trypanos-oma.
"Trypanosomiasis", popularly known as sleeping sickness in human beings and animals, is a disease that is resurgent in Africa.
He is a brilliant scientist and scholar whose work is recognized in Nigeria and around the World. His seminal work on the causative pathogen for sleeping sickness, which is one of the scourges of Tropical Africa, culminated in an effort to develop a vaccine. The impact of having a vaccine for Tropanosomiasis will be felt throughout Tropical Africa and the potential economic effect will likely be immeasurable.
A Fellow of The Nigerian Academy of Science, Nok, whose effort outclassed 25 other entries in wide-ranging fields such as engineering, agriculture, biology and chemistry, is a professor of biochemistry and dean of the Faculty Science at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and has supervised over 35 post-graduate theses.
A scientist with over 80 research publications in national and international journals, Nok has won a number of international research grants and is the first African to win a grant from the Japan-based Mizutani Foundation for Glycoscience for which he received ¥3,000,000 (three million yen) in 2004.
In one of his interviews, Prof Nok said, "I would like to see my fellow Africans in the Diaspora pressure their leaders in Africa in this subject and create awareness in the Media on this vital chapter. Without immediate aid, many our valuable researchers will either drop their research or emigrate overseas... a classic brain drain dilemma.
"Let me add one more. Some of those leaders will say we don't have money but that is not true. Africa is rich, very rich. They just need to be accountable to their respective citizens, not to overseas accounts," he added.
Awards
Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship (AvH) Humboldtainer • Institute of Biochemistry Universitat Tuebingen Germany. (Visiting Professor), 2005
Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowship. Institute of Tropical Medicine Nagasaki University Japan (Visiting Professor), 2003
Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowship Institute of Tropical Medicine Nagasaki University Japan (Visiting Associate Professor), 1998
Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship (AvH) Humboldtainer Biochemisches Institute Christian Albretch Universitat Kiel, Germany, 1997
UNESCO Fellowship/Sabbatical Tokyo Institute of Technology, 1993
Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship (AvH) Humboldtainer Aug-Oct 2002 Kekule Institute of Organisches Chemie Und Biochemie Universitat Bonn Germany (Visiting Professor), 0000
In 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan conferred a Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) Award on Professor Andrew Jonathan Nok for his research works on Trypanosoma congolense.
Prof. Nok clinged a prestigious science award in 2009 sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited, for his seminal work in discovering the gene responsible for the creation of Sialidase (SD), an enzyme which causes sleeping sickness (Trypano-somiasis). His research breakthrough is significant in forming the baseline for developing DNA based vaccines against Trypanos-oma.
"Trypanosomiasis", popularly known as sleeping sickness in human beings and animals, is a disease that is resurgent in Africa.
He is a brilliant scientist and scholar whose work is recognized in Nigeria and around the World. His seminal work on the causative pathogen for sleeping sickness, which is one of the scourges of Tropical Africa, culminated in an effort to develop a vaccine. The impact of having a vaccine for Tropanosomiasis will be felt throughout Tropical Africa and the potential economic effect will likely be immeasurable.
A Fellow of The Nigerian Academy of Science, Nok, whose effort outclassed 25 other entries in wide-ranging fields such as engineering, agriculture, biology and chemistry, is a professor of biochemistry and dean of the Faculty Science at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and has supervised over 35 post-graduate theses.
A scientist with over 80 research publications in national and international journals, Nok has won a number of international research grants and is the first African to win a grant from the Japan-based Mizutani Foundation for Glycoscience for which he received ¥3,000,000 (three million yen) in 2004.
In one of his interviews, Prof Nok said, "I would like to see my fellow Africans in the Diaspora pressure their leaders in Africa in this subject and create awareness in the Media on this vital chapter. Without immediate aid, many our valuable researchers will either drop their research or emigrate overseas... a classic brain drain dilemma.
"Let me add one more. Some of those leaders will say we don't have money but that is not true. Africa is rich, very rich. They just need to be accountable to their respective citizens, not to overseas accounts," he added.
Awards
Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship (AvH) Humboldtainer • Institute of Biochemistry Universitat Tuebingen Germany. (Visiting Professor), 2005
Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowship. Institute of Tropical Medicine Nagasaki University Japan (Visiting Professor), 2003
Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowship Institute of Tropical Medicine Nagasaki University Japan (Visiting Associate Professor), 1998
Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship (AvH) Humboldtainer Biochemisches Institute Christian Albretch Universitat Kiel, Germany, 1997
UNESCO Fellowship/Sabbatical Tokyo Institute of Technology, 1993
Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship (AvH) Humboldtainer Aug-Oct 2002 Kekule Institute of Organisches Chemie Und Biochemie Universitat Bonn Germany (Visiting Professor), 0000
In 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan conferred a Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) Award on Professor Andrew Jonathan Nok for his research works on Trypanosoma congolense.
Awards
Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship (AvH) Humboldtainer • Institute of Biochemistry Universitat Tuebingen Germany. (Visiting Professor), 2005
Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowship. Institute of Tropical Medicine Nagasaki University Japan (Visiting Professor), 2003
Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowship Institute of Tropical Medicine Nagasaki University Japan (Visiting Associate Professor), 1998
Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship (AvH) Humboldtainer Biochemisches Institute Christian Albretch Universitat Kiel, Germany, 1997
UNESCO Fellowship/Sabbatical Tokyo Institute of Technology, 1993
Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship (AvH) Humboldtainer Aug-Oct 2002 Kekule Institute of Organisches Chemie Und Biochemie Universitat Bonn Germany (Visiting Professor), 0000
Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship (AvH) Humboldtainer • Institute of Biochemistry Universitat Tuebingen Germany. (Visiting Professor), 2005
Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowship. Institute of Tropical Medicine Nagasaki University Japan (Visiting Professor), 2003
Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowship Institute of Tropical Medicine Nagasaki University Japan (Visiting Associate Professor), 1998
Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship (AvH) Humboldtainer Biochemisches Institute Christian Albretch Universitat Kiel, Germany, 1997
UNESCO Fellowship/Sabbatical Tokyo Institute of Technology, 1993
Alexander Von Humboldt Fellowship (AvH) Humboldtainer Aug-Oct 2002 Kekule Institute of Organisches Chemie Und Biochemie Universitat Bonn Germany (Visiting Professor), 0000
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