Adijat Jimoh (33), from Nigeria, is conducting her PhD studies in clinical science and immunology at the University of Cape Town. She possesses a strong background in genomics and bioinformatics, honed during her role as a research scientist at the Nigerian National Biotechnology Development Agency.
Her research focuses on describing vaginal bacterial and viral communities in pregnant women living with HIV and those without. Additionally, she is investigating the impact of antiretrovirals, birth-control drugs, and antibiotics on the reactivation of dormant or “sleeping” viruses integrated into vaginal bacteria. Fueled by a drive to address challenges of women’s reproductive health in Africa, she envisions that her findings will underpin innovative therapeutics for enhancing women’s vaginal health, and consequently benefiting their infants.
Beyond her laboratory work, Adijat is passionate about social outreach. She regularly volunteers to train young scientists, mostly women, for example via short bioinformatics courses hosted by H3ABioNet or through her involvement in departmental initiatives to teach underprivileged children basic math and English. She is committed to effective science communication to the public, evident in her achievement as regional semi-finalist in the 2023 FameLab Science Communication Competition, and by supporting female scientists at the engaging SoapBox Science Event in Cape Town, bringing science to the public.
Adijat’s goal is to someday build a strong inter-African network of scientists, especially women, through training and mentorship in the use of viral metagenomics and computational tools. Her ultimate dream is to create a self-sustaining cycle whereby these women evolve to become future trainers/mentors.
