Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD ), Ekiti State, and the International Society for Neurochemistry have called for increased investment in neuroscience and cerebrovascular research across African tertiary institutions.

The call was contained in a communiqué issued by Chairman local organising Committee, Dr. Edem Edem at the end of the ISN–ABUAD Advanced School on Stroke Neurochemistry and Cerebrovascular Resilience held at the university campus from August 3 to 11, 2026.

The nine-day programme brought together postgraduate students, early-career researchers, academics, clinicians and other professionals from Nigeria and other African countries, as well as resource persons from Brazil, Germany, South Africa, Canada and the United States.

The participants said the growing burden of stroke and dementia in Africa required stronger neurochemical, neuroscience and translational research capable of addressing the continent’s peculiar biological, environmental and healthcare challenges.

They stressed the need for greater generation and utilisation of African -specific data in neuroscience and stroke research, noting that locally generated evidence was essential to developing interventions that would effectively respond to the realities of African populations.

The participants also called for stronger collaboration among African institutions and international research partners, saying multidisciplinary and multicentre research collaborations were critical to sustainable scientific advancement.

They urged governments and relevant institutions to strengthen laboratory and research infrastructure to support advanced investigations into neurochemistry and cerebrovascular diseases.

The participants further advocated stronger integration of basic, translational and clinical research to ensure that discoveries made in laboratories could be converted into practical approaches to stroke prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and recovery.

The school, organised on an approximately 50 per cent didactic and 50 per cent practical format, exposed participants to lectures, seminars, laboratory sessions, student presentations, clinical rotations and research proposal development.

The scientific programme covered areas including neurochemical biomarkers in stroke and dementia, neurovascular coupling, oxidative stress, inflammation, blood-brain barrier disruption, excitotoxicity, neuroimmune signalling and vascular cognitive impairment.

As part of the practical component, participants undertook clinical rotations at the Afe Babalola University Multi-System Hospital, including the Physiotherapy, Stroke, Radiology, Chemical Pathology and Clinical Physiology units.

The rotations, according to the communiqué, provided practical insight into the complementary roles of laboratory investigations, diagnostic imaging, physiological assessment, rehabilitation and specialised stroke care.

The school also called for expanded mentorship and capacity-building programmes for postgraduate students and early-career researchers across Africa.

It recommended continued training in research methodology, statistical reasoning, scientific writing, grant development and responsible interpretation of scientific evidence.

The participants urged stakeholders to develop research programmes addressing environmental, metabolic, inflammatory, infectious and lifestyle-related contributors to cerebrovascular disease.

They also advocated increased opportunities for scientific exchange between African researchers and international collaborators.

The participants expressed appreciation to the International Society for Neurochemistry for awarding $25,000 to the Director of the School, Dr Edem Edem, for the organisation of the programme.

They also acknowledged the support of ABUAD and the Company of Biologists, which supported the Co-Director of the School, Dr Gladys Adeoluwa.