Prof. Anthony O. Uwaifo Annual Memorial Prize and Scholarship Fund for Support of Biochemistry students in training in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Professor A.O. Uwaifo (Ph.D) was Professor Emeritus at the University of Ibadan Biochemistry Department of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Oyo State Nigeria. He served as academic faculty there from 1971 when he obtained his Ph.D till his retirement in 2008 (37 years).

Professor Anthony O.Osaigbovo UWAIFO (03 August 1943 - 31 December 2020).

He was the first Nigerian to be elected both as a corresponding member of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and member of the Environmental Mutagen Society (EMS). He was a fellow of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). In 1990, he received the prestigious Eleanor-Roosevelt Fellowship, a highly competitive global prize awarded annually to ten distinguished researchers, for his contribution on Cancer Biology Research. He is the second Nigerian and ninth African to be thus awarded, since its inception in 1961. He is also one of the seven non-US resident scientists to have received the Holland Prize. He served in the panel constituted by the Federal Government of Nigeria to draw up ‘standards’ for the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) for beverages and drinks imported into the country. Professor Uwaifo was also a fellow in the prestigious Heidelberger laboratory at the University of California, Los Angeles. He was the last Sub-Dean (Pre-Clinical) of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ibadan before the emergence of the College of Medicine, and he later became the Sub-Dean (Postgraduate) of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences. He served as the Head of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan twice (1989-1991 & 1999-2002) and in 1993 delivered an inaugural lecture titled: “Cancer, the Consequences of Cellular Breakdown of Law and Order”.

He retired from the active services of the University of Ibadan at the age of 65 years on 30 September 2008 having served the institution meritoriously. He however continued to be actively involved in the education and research activities of the Department of Biochemistry as Professor Emeritus of the Biochemistry Department of the University of Ibadan until his passing on December 31, 2020.

He was a rigorous scholar, researcher and teacher who had a deep investment in imparting knowledge to the next generation of scientists both in Biochemistry and allied biomedical and clinical sciences.

This prize and scholarship fund is in honor of his memory and to promote and support ongoing scholarship and excellence at the undergraduate level in the domain of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with particular emphasis on Cancer Research which his particular area of expertise and interest.

The scholarship/prize program has been endowed with a principal initiating start-up fund which is housed in an investment fund account, and the accruing annual returns from this shall be awarded as the annual prize to the adjudged best undergraduate students in Biochemistry in Ibadan, Nigeria where his greatest educational influence and passion was.

The annual recipient of the prize award shall receive a designated cash prize, a plaque and a certificate for the award. It is hoped that this award will help continue to foster a drive for excellence and support young keen minds who may not be financially blessed because of their family circumstances but who with such assistance and support can aspire to become trailblazers in advancing the science and knowledge base of biochemistry, molecular biology and clinical chemistry especially as related to cancer research and treatment.

We would request that all likeminded persons who would like to contribute to this vision can contact us via the provided links and/or send any financial donations they see fit to the “Professor Anthony O. Uwaifo Annual Memorial Prize and Scholarship Fund”. Such donations can be sent via Zelle with a tag “Professor Anthony O. Uwaifo Annual Memorial Prize and Scholarship Fund” to guwaifo@aol.com

Thank you very much. The Board and Trustees.