Professor Idowu Adewumi Taiwo while delivering the eighteenth (18th) Inaugural Lecture of the University of Lagos in the 2023/2024 Academic Session titled: “PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS OR THE GENE: WHICH IS TO BLAME?” on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, debunked common myths that health challenges are due to principalities and powers rather than genetic factors.
In his lecture, the Professor of Human Genetics and Bioinformatics took the audience through fundamental principles of genetics and explained how gene and chromosome mutations cause genetic diseases.
According to him, “genetic diseases, once inherited cannot be cured but can be managed. The only hope of curing genetic diseases currently is by gene manipulation through therapeutic cloning, transgenic recombinant DNA technology, and gene editing procedures such as CRISPR-Cas9”.
He averred that although there are rapid developments in these technologies, their applications to solving human genetic problems are still under serious ethical considerations.
Professor Taiwo identified several medicinal plants that are useful in the management of some genetic diseases but also cautioned on indiscriminate use of these plants in view of their genotoxic potential.
A monogenic disorder that has captured Professor Taiwo’s interest is sickle cell anaemia, a disease caused by mutation in the beta globin gene, which then leads to the production of haemolglobin molecules with reduced oxygen carrying capacity. He noted that this disorder also causes other complications associated with sickle cell anaemia.
According to the Human Genetics and Bioinformatics specialist, any serious attempt to eradicate sickle cell disorder in Nigeria must first consider eradication of malaria and intensification of the awareness campaign on sickle cell disorder.
Regarding complex genetic diseases, Professor Taiwo elucidated that interaction between several genes and some environmental determinants is crucial for the development of complex genetic disorders like diabetes mellitus, pre-eclampsia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), prostate cancer, metabolic syndrome, and hypertension.
He stressed the importance of seeking appropriate scientific and medical intervention instead of searching for help from inappropriate places when affected with genetic diseases..
Professor Taiwo further recommended that:
- A complete review of the University curriculum should be done. Noting the implementation of CCMAS as a good step in the right direction, he that:
- Genetics, Molecular Biology, Genomics, and bioinformatics should be made compulsory for all biological and medical programmes in this era of genomics and bioinformatics.
- A course in Forensic Genetics should be made compulsory for law students. He asserted that Forensic DNA evidence is taking a centre stage in personal identification and criminal legal system of many advanced countries in the world and thus UNILAG law products should be properly armed with the right tools to excel when an occasion for such knowledge arises.
- The government should legislate for compulsory newborn screening programs to ensure that doctors test for not less than 7 genetic disorders when every baby is born. He informed that many of the genetic conditions, if detected early, can be prevented or ameliorated.
- Government should establish Genetic Counselling Centres for premarital and marital counselling in many parts of Nigeria because intending couples need to be aware of their odds of giving birth to a baby affected with a genetic condition. An informed couple is a better prepared couple.
Ultimately, Professor Idowu Taiwo’s message was that “in disease or in health, we should ask the genes”.
Born on Friday, April 23, 1965 to Deacon Samuel Adeniyi Taiwo and Mrs. Eunice Oyedamola Morawo Taiwo in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria, Professor Idowu Adewumi Taiwo is an esteemed alumnus of the prestigious University of Lagos (UNILAG), Nigeria. He obtained his B.Sc. in Biology in 1984, finishing as the best graduating student of his set, and then obtained his M.Phil and Ph.D. in Cell Biology and Genetics with specialisation in Genetics in 1991 and 2004 respectively.
In 1985, Professor Taiwo joined the services of the UNILAG as Graduate Assistant and rose through the ranks to Lecturer II in 2005; Lecturer I in 2009; Senior Lecturer in 2011; Associate Professor in 2016 and then Professor in 2020.
Author: Nike Ogunshakin
Photographer: Islamist Akanni
Article Editor: Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem
Photo Editor: Nike Ogunshakin
