MEET THE IRCE TEAM
Alash’le Abimiku MSc, PhD. (MON)
Executive Director, IRCE
Prof. Alash’le Abimiku is the Executive Director, International Research Center of Excellence (IRCE) of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN). She is a Professor at the Department of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Co-founder, IHVN and Executive Director, Laboratory Diagnostics and Research at IHVN.
Nadia A. Sam-Agudu, MD, CTropMed
Paediatric HIV, CPHI-IHVN
Prof. Nadia Sam-Agudu is a pediatric clinician-scientist who serves as the Senior Technical Advisor for Paediatric HIV and a senior research faculty at the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria. Prof. Sam-Agudu is a Professor of Pediatrics in Global Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases, and the Director of Global Pediatrics Program at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Minnesota, USA.
Evaezi Okpokoro, MBBS, MPH
Dr. Evaezi Okpokoro is an Assistant Director and Coordinator of the International Research Center of Excellence, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria. He provides oversight and strategic guidance to initiation and implementation of studies at the Center.
Ezenwa James Onyemata, PhD
Ezenwa James Onyemata is a research scientist at the International Research Center of Excellence (IREC), Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), where he doubles as a Research Manager and lead of Laboratory Unit.
Nnakelu Chukwudalu Eriobu MD, MPH
Senior Research Manager
Lead, Ethics & Regulatory Unit
Eriobu Nnakelu MD, MPH is a clinical scientist with the International Research Center of Excellence /Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN). He leads the Nigerian Site as the Principal investigator of collaborative, multisite randomized clinical trials in infectious diseases funded by the US NIAID, UNITAID, and other industry partners.
Sophia Osawe, PhD, MPH, AIMLS, EMBA
Senior Research Manager
Lead, Quality Assurance Unit
Sophia Osawe is the Unit Lead for the Quality Assurance Unit and a Senior Research Manager, with over 15 years of experience in diagnostics, research, system strengthening, project management and quality management systems implementation. Sophia has coordinated several observational studies (two large cohort studies) and clinical trials.
Nifarta Peingurta Andrew PhD
Research Manager/Data Unit Lead
Nifarta Andrew Peingurta is an experienced Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist and Public Health Data Scientist. She provides technical leadership in developing, managing, and maintaining health research databases including clinical trials databases and statistical modelling of public health data.