Distinguished Professor of Molecular Biology and Genomics;
Founder & Director, World Bank-funded African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID)
With expertise in molecular biology and genomics applied to infectious diseases like malaria, Lassa fever, Ebola virus disease, and HIV, Prof Happi has demonstrated significant leadership and motivation to contribute as a faculty and mentor. Notably, he utilized genomics technologies for the early diagnosis and confirmation of Ebola virus disease (EVD) within six hours in Nigeria, which played a crucial role in containing the outbreak and saving millions of lives in Africa. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he led laboratory testing and metagenomic sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in Nigeria and other African countries, overseeing the first reported sequencing of the virus on the continent.
Prof Happi’s career includes pioneering collaborations in Nigeria, which has high burdens of malaria and Lassa fever, after years of research at Harvard University. He established the African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID) at Redeemer’s University, Nigeria, with World Bank and NIH H3Africa funding. This centre has significantly impacted health research in Africa, empowering young Africans to use genomics technologies to address major health challenges.
Prof Happi co-led a team that uncovered the ancient origins of the Lassa fever virus in West Africa and led an international team that discovered two new rhabdoviruses in Nigerian patients using microbial metagenomics. As a principal researcher, he has led numerous international research consortia funded by prominent organizations like the World Bank, NIH-USA, NIAID-USA, WHO/TDR, the European Union, and the Wellcome Trust. These efforts have established clinical and genomics laboratory infrastructures in West Africa, demonstrating the potential for groundbreaking infectious disease research through North-South and South-South partnerships.
