Don urges funding support for science research, bioinformatics 

A university teacher, Prof. Olawale Adelowo has called for funding support for science research and bioinformatics for rapid national development. 

Adelowo of the department of microbiology at the University of Ibadan (UI) harped on the need to leverage on bioinformatics and big data in order to accelerate Nigeria’s development trajectory. 

He spoke at the opening ceremony of a training workshop on bioinformatics organised by Precious Cornerstone University (PCU), Ibadan.

While pointing out that most bioinformatics and research in Nigeria are supported by foreign donors, a development he described as dangerous, the university teacher pointed out that funding support for science research must be improved upon.

He also called for the development of bioinformatics and science infrastructure through public-private partnership initiatives and collaboration among stakeholders, noting that it is important to expand training and research facilities.
Earlier, the vice chancellor of PCU, Prof. Kola Oloke, maintained that bioinformatics was fundamental to the understanding of the nature of different types of diseases and their DNA.

He said, “We need to understand the nature of different diseases and know about their DNA. When we understand them, we can manipulate them.  People are labouring to generate data. We should show more concern for bioinformatics. We should encourage biotechnology and molecular biology. We should encourage bioinformatics so that we can generate what is needed to make progress.

“Bioinformatics is the computer-aided study of biological data. Data science and life science converge into computational biology, where computer-aided data-capture, storage, and processing methods are engaged to analyse complex biological data sets.

“Bioinformatics is the science that has provided a good blend between biological and physical sciences, making it possible for people from different disciplines to begin to reason in understandable language.”