The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has commenced a 3-day hands-on capacity building workshop on DNA Barcoding techniques, at the Forensic Laboratory, D.K. Olukoya Central Research and Reference Laboratories, Main Campus, Akoka, Lagos.
An initiative of the UNILAG-TETFund Project Team on DNA Barcoding of Endangered Tree Species in Nigeria, the 3-day intensive workshop will feature practical sessions and modules on:
- Sample collection, identification, and preservation techniques
- Pipetting Techniques
- DNA Extraction
- DNA Purification
- Amplification of gene regions
- Electrophoresis
- Spectrophotometry
- Analysis of PCR Data
- DNA Sequencing & Barcoding
- Bioinformatics and analysis of DNA sequence data
Flagging off the workshop on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services), Professor Lucian Obinna Chukwu who represented the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade T. Ogunsola, FAS underscored the importance of capacity building training as a thrust of the university administration.
The Professor of Marine Science described UNILAG’s research output in the past years as an enviable one, noting that the university has won several research grants from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) as a result of the quality of its research projects.
Welcoming participants drawn from fifteen (15) tertiary institutions across Nigeria, Professor Chukwu highlighted the importance of DNA Barcoding as a technique that is not limited to the study of plants alone but to all living organisms in the environment.
His words “You have come to understand the intricate part of the research work and other content of this workshop which is coming at an appropriate time. I am confident that you all will be going back with so much in terms of cross-fertilization of ideas.”
The Principal Investigator of the UNILAG-TETFund Project Team on DNA Barcoding of Endangered Trees in Nigeria, Dr. Temitope Onuminya spoke extensively on the project status plan, findings, and constraints.
According to her, a total of one hundred and seventy-eight (178) plant species were collected during the research project with eighteen (18) identified as vulnerable, seventy-two (72) tagged as endangered and eighty-eight (88) were tagged least concerned species.
In her presentation which lasted over thirty (30) minutes, Dr. Onuminya posited that a major impact of the project is the ongoing capacity training workshop with over 50 participants from 15 different institutions in Nigeria as attendees. She noted that four publications have also been written from the research work in peer-reviewed journals.
Earlier, the Director of D. K Olukoya Central Research Laboratory, Professor Wellington Oyibo commended the research team for their diligence and hard work on the project. He charged early-career participants to get involved in more research-driven workshop to enhance their knowledge base.
The workshop, according to him, will help promote the accessibility to and applicability of Biodiversity Data in critical areas of national development as well as enhance the visibility of UNILAG as a powerhouse in research and innovation.
Similarly, the Acting-Head of Department of Botany, Dr. Bolanle Ade-Ademilua during her welcome remarks urged participants to maximize the opportunity provided by the workshop. She encouraged them to take a tour of the campus as well as neighbouring popular Yaba market as part of their Lagos experience.
The UNILAG-TETFund Project Team on DNA Barcoding of Endangered Tree Species in Nigeria includes the immediate Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Professor Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe; Dr. Dolapo Igbari, Dr. A B Kadiri, Dr. Nadza George, Mr. EzeTochukwu and Miss Inioluwa Akinsola.
