• To create a proactive and active platform for solution-based research on public health issues and people’s well-being.
• To employ interdisciplinary research approach in tackling public health issues confronting rural and urban communities.
• To use research findings on public health and well-being to the benefit of communities in Africa and humanity.
• To promote capacity building and community development in the area of public health.
• To support the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on healthcare.

• To stimulate interdisciplinary research in public health related issues.
• To foster a deeper understanding of public health challenges with the view of proffering effective solutions.
• To attract funding for community development through public health-related
• To improve the health and general well-being of communities through effective interventions in public health challenges.
• To provide a forum for collaboration between Covenant University and relevant organisations for community development.
• To impact communities through enlightenment, training and services on health-related issues.
• To develop products relevant to good health and well-being.

There are ten (10) functional sub-clusters of Covenant University Public Health & Well-being Research Cluster, each carrying out research activities in specific health-related areas. Every member of CUPHWERC belongs to one or more of the sub-clusters, depending on his/her research interest. The sub-clusters are led by eminent Professors of Covenant University as shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Sub-Clusters of the Covenant University Public Health & Well-Being Research Cluster and their Leaders

Membership of Covenant University Public Health & Well-being Research Cluster cuts across the Medical Centre (CUMC) and three Colleges in Covenant University – the College of Science and Technology (CST), the College of Business and Social Sciences (CBSS) and the College of Engineering (CoE). Thirty-two (32) researchers from diverse disciplines, including medical fields, natural, applied and social sciences, architecture and engineering are registered members of the cluster (Table 2).

Table 2: List of Covenant University Public Health & Well-being Research Cluster members

^*CMO = Chief medical Officer; CNO⁺ = Chief Nursing Officer; PNO⁺⁺ = Principal Nursing Officer.

“To Tackle the Double Burden of Infectious and Non-Communicable Diseases, and Food Insecurity in Africa through Research, Advocacy, and Intervention.”

The research agenda is hinged on the Sustainable Development Goals Nos. 2 and 3.

SDG Goal 2: Zero Hunger:

“End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture”

SDG Goal 3: Good health and Well-being for the people:

“Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages”

It is also in line with the African Aspiration for 2063 (No. 1:)

“A Prosperous Africa, based on inclusive growth and sustainable development”

The specific research agenda of the research cluster are as follows:

Obesity, Metabolic Disorders and Neglected Tropical Diseases

1. Focus: Studies on Selected Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases in African Local Communities.
2. Ongoing Research:

• Tuberculosis – Research on African medicinal plants for the treatment of tuberculosis;
• Sickle Cell Anaemia – Research on plants for the reduction of crisis associated with Sickle Cell Anaemia;
• Multidrug resistance – Research on local plants that revert the bacteria resistant to antibiotics back to susceptible strains;
• Metabolic disorders – Assessing the risk factors of metabolic syndrome – diabetes, obesity, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.

Primary health care (PHC), maternal, neonatal and child health

1. Focus: Research, Advocacy, Intervention: Determining factors in the survival of mothers and children
2. Ongoing Research:

• Assessment of PHC facilities, water, sanitation and hygiene;
• Determinants of infants and child morbidity and mortality;
• Maternal mortality and survival.

3. Oncology/Cancer Etiology and Prevention

• Focus: Cancer prevention research
• Ongoing Research:
•       Prostate cancer in black men of African descent;
•       Breast cancer amongst Nigerian women

4. Plant pathology and Food security:

• Focus: Plant viruses and food security: Diseases affecting African root crops
• Ongoing Research:
• The cluster is looking at addressing plant disease, which leads to poor yield and low food production.
• West African Virus Epidemiology (WAVE) project – Study on cassava virus in southwest and north-central Nigeria.

Food, nutrition and preventive medicine

• Focus: Use of Food and Medicinal plants for health and disease prevention

Malaria, Fever, and other infectious diseases

• Focus: Fevers, malaria and parasitic diseases

Built Environment and Health.

• Focus: Buildings and Biological agents affecting human and animal health

Pollution and Toxicology

• Focus: Environmental pollution and Toxicological studies

Medicinal plant and drug discovery

• Focus: Drug/food formulation for commercialization.

Marine Biogeochemistry Research

• Focus: Ocean/water pollution and monitoring

• A.O. Eni (PI): Research Grant: West African Virus Epidemiology (WAVE) for root and tuber crops. Project OPP1082413), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), 2015 – 2017.
• S.N. Chinedu (PI): Research grant: Thaumatococus danielli (Benn.) Benth: Biosystematic Studies for Optimized Production of Thaumatin and Valuable By-Products (CUCRID RG 007.11.141FS), 2015 –2018.
• The long-term goal is to optimize the production of thaumatin, a protein sweetener, from Thaumatococus danielli Benth to be used as dietary supplement for patients suffering from NCDs such as cancers and diabetes.
• D.E. Azuh (PI)/Prof. S.N. Chinedu (Co-PI): Research Grant: Determinants of Child Morbidity and Survival in Ogun State, South West Nigeria. (CUCRID RG 029.03.15FS), 2016 – 2017.
• Dr. S.O. Rotimi (PI): Analysis of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms of CYP3A4 in Nigerian Prostate Cancer Patients. CaPTC/University of Florida, Pilot Funding, 2015-2016.
• A.H. Adebayo: Award of Research Equipment/facilitated the establishment of Phytochemistry Laboratory in Covenant University.
• A.O. Eni: WAVE Award and Establishment of Screen House, Molecular Biology/Virology Laboratory in Covenant University.
• S.N. Chinedu/Dr. D.E. Azuh: Facilitated the establishment of cold chain for vaccine storage and ice baking in Covenant University.
• EEJ Iweala:
• Biochemical Society General Travel Award to attend the 1^st Biochemical Society and Against Breast Cancer Glyco Oncology Workshop, New College, Oxford, UK, 2017.
• CaPTC Travel award to attend the 4rd Science of Global Prostate Cancer Disparities (SGCaPD) Conference, Orlando, Florida, USA, 2016.
• AACR African Cancer Researchers Travel Award to attend the 107^th American Association of Cancer Research Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, 2016.
• O.A. Eni: AWARD Fellowship, African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD). 2015 –2016.