Professor Augustine Nonso Odili has been appointed as the pioneer vice chancellor (VC) of the newly licensed Margaret Lawrence University, Galilee, Ika North-east Local Government Area, Delta State.
According to a statement from the orgnisation, Odili is a Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine in the department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Abuja. He is also a Consultant Cardiologist at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja and serves as the lead investigator at the Circulatory Health Research Laboratory of the same university. In addition to his research and academic roles in the university, he serves as the Acting Dean, Faculty of Clinical Sciences as well as a member of the University Research
Council,c the apex research governing body of the University.
He is a visiting Professor to the Department of Medicine, University of Calabar and a visiting external examiner to about six other Nigerian Universities. He is a visiting Bernard Lown Scholar in Cardiovascular Health at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston United States of America (USA).
The statement added that prior to his academic career, Odili’s educational training was decorated with excellence at each level.
He passed his First School Leaving Certificate with Distinction, West African School Certificate with distinction in all subjects, graduated from the prestigious University of Nigeria with distinction in Medical Physiology and at National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria as the Best part II and the best overall candidate in 2006.
Odili’s research interest is focused on hypertension epidemiology and understanding the circulatory system dysfunction in diabetes mellitus and hypertension. He is the principal investigator of various large scale research projects including: REMAH (REmoving the MAsk on Hypertension), NIPREGH (Nigerian Population Research on Environment Gene and Health), HERALD (Heart of an African Living with Diabetes) and NSS (Nigerian Salt Survey).
The statement said: “He is a member of a number of international research consortia including the International Database on HOme Blood Pressure in relation to Cardiovascular Outcome (IDHOCO) and the International Database on the Ambulatory Blood Pressure in relation to Cardiovascular Outcome (IDACO). He serves as a member of various technical committees on Non-communicable Diseases for the Federal Ministry of Health and has served as consultant to World Health Organization (WHO) for the development of the National Guidelines for the Management of Hypertension in Nigeria.
“He is a member of the editorial board of Journal of Clinical Hypertension, Journal of Hypertension and the Nigerian Journal of Cardiology. He is currently the President of the Nigerian Cardiac Society, Vice President of the Nigerian Hypertension Society and President Society for Public Health and Social Development. He is the chair of the International Society of Hypertension, African Regional Advisory Group. He is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the European Society of Cardiology and the Nigerian Cardiac Society. He has published over 50 academic papers in high impact local and international journals and has contributed to well over five chapters in refereed books. His research articles have been cited over 1000 times and have an h-index of 13 and i-10 index of 15.”
“Odili has translated his research findings into community development by initiating a number hypertension and other non-communicable disease control programmes at the community level. The Community Action Against Non-Communicable Diseases (COMAAND), the Hypertension Scholars Advocate Initiative (HASI), the Awkuzu Elderly Health Programme, and the Reducing Chronic Diseases in Adolescent Nigerians (RECODING); have yielded tremendous impact towards reduction of non- communicable diseases in Nigeria. In recognition of his contribution to the public health of his native community, the traditional ruler of Awkuzu, HRH Igwe Sir Prof Charles Anikweze, appointed him into his traditional cabinet as a Special Adviser on Health Matters (Akanechendu). Augustine is happily married with children.”
