Oyewale Tomori

Professor Oyewale Tomori is a past president of the Nigerian Academy of Science. He was pioneer Vice-Chancellor at the Redeemer’s University, Nigeria. He is a recipient of the Nigerian National Order of Merit, Nigeria’s highest award for academic and intellectual attainment.

At the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, as professor of virology, he led research into viral infections and elucidated the properties of Orungo virus, registered with the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. In 1981, he received the USPHS Certificate for his contribution to lassa fever research.

At the WHO Africa Region, as Regional Virologist from 1994-2004, he set up the African Regional Polio Laboratory Network, which provided laboratory diagnostic support for polio eradication, and became the forerunner of regional diagnostic laboratory networks for other diseases. He has been involved in the investigations of outbreaks of viral hemorrhagic fever (yellow fever, Ebola virus disease, etc) infections in many African countries.

Tomori serves on several national and international advisory bodies including, Nigeria expert review committee on poliomyelitis eradication and routine immunisation; and as member of the US-IOM committee on sustainable global surveillance of zoonotic diseases; US-IOM committee on identifying and prioritising new preventive vaccines for development; WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE); co-chairman, ASADI/USNAS/NASAC study team on country ownership of Africa’s development, SAGE working group on Ebola. Chairman, ministerial expert advisory committee of the health sector COVID-19 response, member of WHO technical advisory group on COVID-19 vaccine composition, member of GAVI independent review committee.

He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists (UK), Nigeria Academy of Science and Nigeria College of Veterinary Surgeons and an international member of the US National Academy of Medicine.