Host organisation: Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norway
Project title: Vulnerability of metabolic and energy homeostasis to environmental contaminants: Comparative animal model approaches in Oreochromis niloticus and Rattus norvegicus.
Dr Oju Ibor is an ecological physiologist. For his PhD he developed molecular, cellular and physiological biomarkers for evaluating the presence of endocrine disrupting chemicals in tropical species and their habitats. This study provided integrated approach in characterizing the prevalence and severity of endocrine disruption, and contributed significantly in the establishment of biomarker responses, environmental and human risk assessment protocols and valuable scientific basis for sustainable environmental management and human health risks in many developing countries, including Nigeria.
AREF Fellowship research project:
Dr Ibor’s placement with Prof. Augustine Arukwe at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway provided him with new skills in molecular, cellular, analytic methodologies and statistics including computational modelling which are key tools in the genomics that will close some gaps in his current research portfolio and enhance transferable skills. The new skills and data from the AREF Fellowship will be used to strengthen the design of his intended project towards unveiling the environmental obesogen phenomenon, from a tropical ecosystem standpoint.