Immunological Research In Nigeria: Varsity Don Calls For More Funds

Prof. Matthew Folaranmi Olaniyan of the Edo State University Uzairue, has called on the federal government to allocate more funds for the immunological research for the production of plasma-derived immunoglobulins and vaccines.

Prof. Olaniyan, made the call while delivering the university’s 5th lecture series titled “Exposition Of Systemic Response To Foreign Agents For Preventive Health Care: A Source Of Potent Information For Human Longevity”, held under the Chairmanship of the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Emmanuel Aluyor.

Prof. Olaniyan, a Professor of Chemical Pathology and Immunology and Dean, school of Postgraduate Studies, also suggested the establishment of regional reference laboratories and one primary healthcare medical laboratory in each of the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.

The university Don, noted that due to his interest research, he was able to exposed systemic response to foreign agents for preventive healthcare as a source of potent information for human being to live up to 120 years and above.

“I discovered health promoting immunological and non-immunological responses such as anti-hypertensive, weight reduction, hypolipidemia/hypocholesterolemia response, anti-diabetic response, antimicrobial response, reversal of toxicity, detection of microbial antigen and antibody for early diagnosis”, he said.

Prof. Olaniyan, said systemic response to blood donation for primary preventive healthcare of hyperlipidemia says blood donation seems to be beneficial to the health of donors in many ways as there’s evidence to suggest that blood donation lowers blood viscosity and alters lipid profile which is an acceptable parameter for assessing the risk of coronary heart disease.

According to him, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women being one of the leading causes of death among women adding that emerging evidence suggests the role of lipid in the development of breast cancer becomes a great concern for the modern man and medical curiosity to further investigate alteration in lipid profile and hormonesensitive lipases genes among breast cancer patients in Nigeria.

The university lecturer, however said his research focus is on novel contribution to preventive healthcare for longevity through medical laboratory science with a special research interests in the responses immunological and non-immunological of the different body system to intruders aimed at making laboratory data generated through research work available and accessible to the least person in the world for life longevity.

The Dean explained that preventive healthcare as a measures used to prevent infection, injury, insults, disease and possible complications which according to him are mostly affected by environmental factors and are also preventable if we have potent information for guidance.

He stated that a medical laboratory scientist is a highly skilled professional who works to analyze a variety of biological specimens and are responsible for performing scientific testing on samples and reporting results to physicians for patients’ care and public health consumption.

Prof. Olaniyan however recommended that people should eat plenty healthy plant based foods with anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities to prevent acute and chronic diseases and promote healthy living and longevity; optimization of immunity with plant based diet or health promoting plant extract to prevent infection and infectious diseases.

He urged the government to establish an agency for herbal practices with specialized medical laboratories for confirmation of the efficacy of herbal therapy and their possible toxic effect; inclusion of a comprehensive medical laboratory services in the primary healthcare in Nigeria to fortify preventive medical practice.

He further tasked the federal government to be more committed to preventive healthcare of infectious diseases through regular laboratory screening; upgrade of in-vitro diagnostic center of medical laboratory science council of Nigeria for the production of laboratory materials for diagnostic services and research.

Also, Prof. Olaniyan urged the individuals to cultivate the habit of undergoing regular medical laboratory checkup for preventive healthcare for longevity and review of the length of training of medical laboratory scientist and the training curriculum to provide more practical approach to solve emerging and re-emerging health problems.

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