Kayode Raheem Urges Nigerian Government to Invest in Bioinformatics to Fight Cancer

By Tosin Clegg

In a bold call to action, Nigerian bioinformatics researcher Kayode Raheem has urged the federal government to prioritise investment in bioinformatics research and infrastructure to tackle the rising burden of cancer in the country. Speaking at a recent health technology seminar in Abuja, Raheem described bioinformatics as the future of precision medicine and a critical tool for developing personalised cancer therapies.

“Cancer cases are increasing in Nigeria, but our research capacity is still limited,” Raheem told journalists after his presentation. “Bioinformatics offers the unique ability to identify specific genetic mutations in patients, helping us design therapies that target cancer at its root.”

Raheem, currently pursuing a PhD in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in the United States, has been at the forefront of cancer research for nearly a decade. He is particularly focused on triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease that is more common among African women and often resistant to standard treatments.

His research includes the design of personalised neoantigen mRNA vaccines based on next-generation sequencing data—an innovation that could revolutionise cancer treatment in low- and middle-income countries. This pioneering project was supported by the 2023–2024 Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarship Research Support Grant (RSG), which awarded $2,995.72 for his study titled: “Design of Personalized Neoantigen mRNA Vaccines Against Breast Cancer Based on Next-Generation Sequencing Data.” The project, which he led, combined high-throughput sequencing data with computational algorithms to predict effective vaccine targets in breast cancer patients.

In addition to his vaccine research, Raheem has contributed to machine learning innovations in cancer diagnostics. He co-authored a study that enhanced transformer-based image segmentation models for breast cancer diagnosis using auto-augmentation and hyperparameter optimization, which led to improved diagnostic accuracy. “Machine learning allows us to identify patterns in complex datasets that would be nearly impossible to detect manually,” he said. “Combining AI with genomics is a game-changer for early detection and treatment planning.”

Raheem began his scientific career at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, where he served as a research associate in the Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology Lab. There, he led projects targeting cancer-linked enzymes using compounds derived from carrots and other medicinal plants. His findings were published in respected journals such as ESMO Open and Advances in Biomarker Sciences and Technology.

“Nigeria cannot continue to import every form of medical innovation,” Raheem said during the seminar. “We need to start building home-grown expertise, and bioinformatics provides the bridge between clinical medicine and data science that makes this possible.”

His call comes at a time when the Nigerian healthcare system is under pressure from increasing cancer diagnoses, limited treatment options, and brain drain among healthcare professionals. Raheem believes investing in bioinformatics centres of excellence in Nigerian universities can reduce dependency on foreign diagnostics and treatments.

In addition to his academic achievements, Raheem is a seasoned mentor and advocate for diversity in STEM. He served as an academic mentor for underrepresented minority students in Pakistan and volunteered with the Open Door Mission in Nebraska, providing support to vulnerable populations.

He also heads the Drug Repurposing Group at CaresAI, an Australian-based cancer research initiative, where he leads a global team analysing large-scale biological data to find new uses for existing drugs in cancer therapy.

“We must encourage collaboration between our universities, health institutions, and international partners,” he emphasised. “Bioinformatics can bring Nigeria to the table of global health innovation if we are ready to invest in training, research grants, and data infrastructure.”

Raheem concluded his seminar address by appealing to policymakers and private sector leaders. “This is not just a scientific issue—it’s a matter of public health and national development. If we invest wisely now, we can save millions of lives in the future.”