AMIR fund endows OAU with research grant in molecular biology and oncology

Keep up with the latest news and be part of our weekly giveaways and airtime sharing; follow our WhatsApp channel for more updates. Click to Follow us

The AMIR Fund for Education, Science, and Technology, in partnership with FirstBank Trustees, has established a dedicated research endowment at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) to advance studies in molecular biology and oncology.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed on August 22, aligns with AMIR’s mission to strengthen local scientific capacity and promote groundbreaking research.

According to the agreement, the fund will support biomedical and oncology research in Prof. Adebayo Shittu’s laboratory within the Department of Microbiology. It will also establish an annual postgraduate research fellowship for master’s and doctoral students working in molecular biology and oncology.

Founder of the AMIR Fund, Ridwan Sorunke, described the initiative as deeply personal, citing his time as a student at OAU and the mentorship of Prof. Shittu as key inspirations.

“This endowment is rooted in my gratitude for the education I received at this institution and the guidance I was given,” Sorunke said.

“This fund is designed to catalyse local finances and build a robust framework for scientific research, right here in Nigeria, ensuring that our brightest minds have the resources they need.

He further described the initiative as a starting point. “This is the first of many. With this template that has been designed, we would be able to sustain and continue it along the line.”

The Vice-Chancellor of OAU, Prof. Adebayo Bamire, commended the AMIR Fund for its foresight and generosity. He said the endowment would be “instrumental in helping to scale forward many innovations in the department as well as the school itself.”

Founder of the Molecular Bacteriology Laboratory, Prof. Adebayo Shittu, reflected on the impact the fund would have, noting that it would address the very challenges he faced during his PhD training.

“The fund is a bold commitment to nurturing excellence and rewarding dedication,” Shittu said.

“Every act of giving through AMIR FEST is Ridwan’s quiet, powerful way of saying, ‘I was once where you are and someone believed in me. Now, I believe in you.’”

The AMIR Fund for Education, Science, and Technology is an expandable endowment designed to promote excellence in education, science, and technology across Nigeria’s secondary and tertiary institutions. Through scholarships, awards, and grants, it supports both students and teachers in driving research and innovation

Please don’t forget to “Allow the notification” so you will be the first to get our gist when we publish it. 
Drop your comment in the section below, and don’t forget to share the post