Dr. Oluwadamilola Oshin, Senior Lecturer at Covenant University, is advancing research in biomedical engineering with a focus on non-invasive diagnostic tools designed to improve child health outcomes in Africa.

With over eleven years of experience in Information and Communication Engineering — including eight years dedicated to biomedical innovations — Dr. Oshin has developed a graphene transistor biosensor capable of detecting iron deficiency by measuring salivary ferritin concentrations. The device offers an alternative to blood tests, particularly for malnourished children.

Speaking in an interview with *The Guardian*, she linked her research motivation to personal experience. “It was from my son’s picky eating and food allergies that I delved into all things nutrition,” she said, explaining how her early exposure to child nutritional challenges led her to create a tool for child-friendly, non-invasive testing.

Her work in saliva-based biosensors has expanded into research on artificial intelligence-driven data processing for global health applications. The technology is aimed at low-resource settings, where UNICEF reports that malnutrition is a factor in nearly half of child deaths under age five worldwide.

Dr. Oshin is also working towards supporting the World Health Organisation’s Global Malaria Programme, developing non-invasive diagnostics for a disease that accounts for 94 per cent of cases in Africa and remains a leading cause of mortality in children under five. “Health solutions must not only be effective but also accessible to those most vulnerable, especially children in resource-constrained environments,” she said.

Her focus on biosensors, AI applications, and data ethics reflects a growing movement in biomedical research toward accessible, data-driven solutions. Dr. Oshin’s approach combines scientific innovation with practical design to address healthcare gaps affecting children across the continent.