Oluwadamilare Dauda, a final-year PhD student at Osun State University (UNIOSUN), has been awarded the Young Scientist Award by the National Veterinary School of Toulouse, France, for his pioneering research on the blackfly transmission of river blindness (onchocerciasis) in South-West Nigeria.
The announcement was made by the French Embassy in Nigeria via their official X page, where they highlighted Dauda’s outstanding contribution to infectious disease control through entomological research. The award, which celebrates promising researchers from low- and middle-income countries working in the field of entomology, also offered Dauda the opportunity to attend a summer course in Toulouse, deepening his knowledge of disease vectors while learning alongside global experts.
A public health parasitologist and medical entomologist, Oluwadamilare is part of the Tropical Diseases and Implementation Research Group at the Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, UNIOSUN. His research focuses on malaria and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), with a particular interest in the transmission dynamics of vector-borne illnesses in Nigeria. He is also a recipient of the Swissplexus Scholarship.
Reacting to the honour, Dauda took to X to express his gratitude:
“Sincere thanks to @FranceInNigeria for spotlighting Nigerian academic excellence on the global stage. I am grateful to Dr @EBouhsira, the summer school organiser, for this incredible opportunity. I’m also thankful to @Uniosune for giving me a platform to excel.”
The French Embassy also acknowledged its role in facilitating Dauda’s swift visa process, describing it as part of its ongoing commitment to strengthening scientific exchange and collaboration between France and Nigeria.
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