Angela Eni Obiageli is the first AWARD Fellow to undertake her Advanced Science Training with the John Innes Centre in Norwich, United Kingdom, following a recent partnership between AWARD and the institution. The John Innes Centre is an independent international centre of excellence in plant science and microbiology.

Obiageli, a senior lecturer on virology at Covenant University, Ogun State, Nigeria and a 2015 AWARD Fellow, said she was excited by the opportunity that will give her a chance to study under an award winning scientist, Professor George Lomonossoff. ” Professor George Lomonossoff has developed an innovative technique for expressing and purifying proteins in plants. I am eager to apply this new innovation to my research study that focuses on protecting cassava plants from viruses thereby improving their productivity,” she explains.

The Advanced Science Training (AST) Program is a unique feature of the AWARD Fellowship and is offered to Fellows who have obtained their Masters and Doctoral degrees. The program offers researchers a three to nine month attachment to enhance their skills at renown research centres under the supervision of leading scientists in their fields. The Fellows also have the option of taking short AST (one to three weeks) courses. So far, this year, 26 fellows from the 2014 and 2015 groups have been attached to various science research institutions.

Obiageli’s placement at the John Innes Centre is a significant milestone for AWARD as we grow our partnerships with leading research institutions in the continent and across the globe.

(Source: https://awardfellowships.org/news/the-john-innes-centre-receives-its-first-award-fellow/)