AGWU Ezera, Professor in Medical Microbiology and Immunology

Professor AGWU Ezera is a renowned University Don in Microbiology and Immunology, Infectious diseases of Public Health Importance. He is also a Medical Educationist with strong Diagnostic Background. He is affiliated with East, West, and Southern African Universities where he provides his official professional services.

However Special Pathogens Research Network Limited is a forum through which Prof Agwu Ezera wants to give back to the community, country, and continent which has given him a lot to date.

AGWU Ezera is an experienced Medical Microbiologist, Immunologist, Medical Educationist, and Molecular Biologist, with a very strong medical laboratory diagnostic background. I am highly talented in the initiation of new programs and strengthening of existing ones, provision of strategic leadership in research, academics, and admin protocols.

Also competent in making professionals out of the disadvantaged populations. For Special Pathogens I direct the operations and chair the director’s committees. I also provide strategic leadership ensuring that many volunteers pride certain levels of services before being recognized.

AGWU Ezera Skills

AGWU Ezera is skilled in Medical Education with an emphasis in Health Sciences Education, Educational principles, Research scholarship & leadership.

AGWU Ezera is skilled in Molecular Biology and PCR: Genomic Cloning and DNA Sequencing, Genome Analysis, Gene Expression, cDNA Cloning & PCR Library, DNA Fingerprint & RNA Interference.

AGWU Ezera is skilled in Protein profiling: 2-D gel electrophoresis, multidimensional liquid chromatography, and affinity purification of protein complexes; MALDI and ESI high-sensitivity mass spectrometry peptide mass mapping and tandem mass spec, quantification, and phosphor-proteomics.

AGWU Ezera is skilled in Functional proteomics: recombination cloning, high-throughput protein isolation, protein microarrays, use of robots to execute high-throughput methods including expression, purification, and characterization of proteins, use of several bioinformatics tools in data analysis.

AGWU Ezera is skilled in Molecular Approaches to Clinical Microbiology skills include: understanding microbial diversity at the species level: (16sRNA) and diversity at the subspecies level: (MLST); indexing diversity of genetically monomorphic bacteria: (VNTR and SNPs), identifying the diversity in the laboratory: (Real-time PCR), cataloging and understanding diversity: (Bioinformatics).

AGWU Ezera is skilled in The use of FEDENA and GIBBION academic management software’s and Eztalks Webinar, Wiziq, or Cross-platform software’s respectively for online teaching and Speciotemtoral Epidemiologic Modeler (STEM), Voxviewer, and Hiscite software’s in my research skills

For knowledge and skills acquisition, Prof Agwu Ezera through this network is actively involved in workshops, seminars and scientific conference aimed at giving the researchers based in Africa or who loves Africa and are willing to participate in helping solve Africa’s urgent health problem.

Workshops deal with the ability to training diagnostic scientists from diverse geographical locations who will join forces to mount effective intervention during outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging tropical disease of Public health Importance

Increasing the diagnostic critical mass is good for effective intervention, Seminars and scientific conferences are designed to provide the enabling fora which allow researchers to disseminate their scientific findings in a locally organized international conference. There are two such conferences which take place in the last week of April and the first week of November.

Special Pathogens and Associated Diseases Scientific (SPADS) conferences are scheduled to take place annually every 3rd or 4th week of April while the Endemic noninfectious diseases scientific (ENIDS) conference takes place every 1st or 2nd week of November yearly. Prof AGWU Ezera is the Chair of conferences and workshops organized by the network. The two events were successfully organized in 2017 as scheduled.

For SPADS Conferences 52 abstracts from 9 countries in 3 continents were approved and accepted for presentation and publication whereas the Endemic  Nin Infectious Diseases [ENIDS] conference received 22 abstracts from 6 countries 2 continents. There will be a pre-conference workshop attached to these two main events.

My Unique Selling Proposition

I am an experienced Medical Microbiologist, Immunologist, Medical Educationist and Molecular Biologist, with very strong medical laboratory diagnostic background. I am highly talented in the initiation of new programs and strengthening of existing ones, provision of strategic leadership in research, academics and administrative protocols and competent in making professionals out of generally disadvantaged population. For Special Pathogens I direct the operations and chair the directors committees. I also provide strategic leadership ensuring that many volunteers pride certain levels of services before being recognized.

Statement of my teaching philosophy

Good teaching is the ability to capture students’ attention and interest, clarify difficult topics, guide the student through complex areas, and put knowledge into context so that its relevance becomes clear. It is also the ability to inspire curiosity in any subject or topic with the ultimate goal of providing effective and practical ways to satisfy their curiosity. I desire to achieve this by the following approaches:

1. I encourage students to think rationally or learn to think about the logic behind every argument not routine memorization of facts. I encourage them to always ask the “how” and “why” questions in every topic so that when the answer is provided it will induce a sense of amazement in them leading to more questions.
2. I teach them by example and not just by dictating a set of rules. Thus I teach them my principles of life which have worked for me such as small group reading; dedication and love for courses even if they do not like the lecturers; contentment with what they have to avoid distraction; personal sacrifice of time and resources to get knowledge; patients because there is time for everything; emotional stability mainly over issues they cannot change; courage and optimism about success because short cut does not pay…
3. I help my students to learn by providing the right atmosphere and necessary information needed to learn in a problem-based approach so that they do not see me as an expert who just delivers information to students. Using a feedback mechanism, I can know their different preferred learning styles and rates, what they have already acquired and what they need to know in the future, and how best I can help them learn in small groups.
4. I emphasize the need for students to see me at a designated time for students in my office or library and during working hours for any questions about the topics we have discussed in class or topics in Microbiology which is of interest to them. This is because I know personal contact with students has a significant impact to slow curious learners for which classroom teaching may not be enough.

Their fascination lies in my ability to demystify Microbiology by linking the microbial world with human activities in a country or state. Thus each student leaving the class knows that there is another population of unseen living things like humans which inhabit the world, struggling for existence, fighting each other, and with the human race, with names, tribes, races, families like in the human world.

They understand how microorganisms study: science likes us to provide resistance to our antibiotics; humanities and arts to understand how to spread, Anatomy, Physiology, and biochemistry to be able to establish infection in healthy host and so on. From my feedback, while 10% comes to my class to laugh, 70% comes to learn and smile, and another 20% comes to smile and later learn by asking me questions and studying in a small group. The above approaches probably increased the student’s desire for my opinion in different aspect of Microbiology.

Awards

1. Institutional award: Former Chairman Community Based Education, Research, Management and Services [COBERMS] sub-committee and former chairman, Medical Education sub-committee for 2 years during the on-going NIH five years Medical Education Partnership Initiative [MEPI] Institutional Award to establish Medical Education equitable services for All Ugandans [MESAU].
2. Name of award: Financial Assistance to attend a one-week Course/Workshop on Molecular Approaches to Clinical Microbiology in Africa @ College of the Medicine University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi. Awarding Body: The Wellcome Trust, UK.  
3. Name of award: Financial Assistance to attend a two weeks Course/Workshop on Proteomics @ Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York State, USA. Awarding Body: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.  
4. Name of Award: Five weeks Travelling Fellowship. Awarding Body: Journal of Cell Science, the Company of Biologists Ltd. Cambridge, CB40DL, UK.  
5. Name of award: Five weeks Development Traveling Fellowship. Awarding Body: The Company of Biologists Ltd (Development), Well-come Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, and Cambridge, UK.  
6. Name of award: Financial Assistance to attend two weeks Molecular Biology Summer Workshop, Smith College, Northampton MA, USA. Awarding Body: New England Baobabs, Northampton, MA, USA.  
7. Name of award: Five weeks Collaborative Research Assistance. Awarding Body: Division of Oral Bioscience, Dublin Dental School and Hospital, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Republic of Ireland.  
8. The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) gave me the return ticket to and from Dublin for five weeks during the analysis of oral yeast isolates for this investigation
9. Name of Award: Six months Research Assistance (2006). Awarding Body: Kampala International University, Western Campus, Uganda.
10. Best poster presenter during the 7^th Annual Scientific conference MAK-CHS and 19^th UNACOH scientific conference, Speke Resort Munyonyo Kampala, Uganda 2011.
11. Institutional award to recognize my publication strength for both full-length papers and books. The awarding body is Kampala International University Western C Hacekampus Research, Innovation, and Extension office. Amount: 210,000/= Uganda shillings.Date: December 21, 2019.

Research interest/Plan

1. Public Health Microbiology: To outline the population genomics and transmission dynamics of microbial agents of tropical infections in: HIV/AIDS; Febrile Illness; diabetes and ulcerative soft tissues. Disease diagnosis, prevention and control remain a health challenge in developing county settings partly because of changing disease etiology in different health conditions. Understanding the dynamics of changing disease etiology will impact on our capacity to diagnose, prevent and control infections
2. Microbial-Host Interaction: To outline the faith of a host cell under the onslaught of special pathogenic microorganisms. For host cell response, antibody titration and complement assays are done to demonstrate the baseline response capacity of cells in disease endemic regions including Uganda. For Microbial attack, magnitude of virulence by special pathogens are determined using the powerful tools of multiplex/nested PCR, selected loop mediated isothermal amplification and multi-locus sequence typing protocols, for the ultimate goal of isolating and characterize the pathogenic principles of these identified special pathogens
3. Molecular microbial epidemiology: To study: the changes in the oral/ skin/soft microbiota and their contribution to the complications associated with diabetes and HIV disease. I want to understand the host and/or environmental factors that will facilitate infection of human epithelial cells with special microbial pathogens including the conditions associated with the prolonged use of medication in diabetes and HIV/AIDS. Examining the effects of HAART on the human mucosal milieu is likely to elucidate the conditions that are protective to the mucosal lesions.

Research Output

The overall research output can be summarized as book chapters, books, peer reviewed publications and contribution to knowledge in the form of publish research abstracts presented at scientific conferences.

1. First, to showcase the application of my skills in Health Sciences Education, Educational principles, student mentorship and lecture of selected contemporary topics, I have authored selected specific topics (such as gangrene and would healing in diabetes), in internationally recognized 3 book chapters’.
2. Second, the idea behind six (6) book published is centered around the need to demystify the science of Microbiology and research so that students will read books written with real time illustrations in line with harmonized school medical curricula of most African Universities.
3. Third, information generation and dissemination remain the core in special pathogens associated disease epidemiology leading to publication of about 60 full length papers with over 52 of them being peer published in peer reviewed international journals.
4. Fourth, I have attended many scientific conferences where I impacted global knowledge by presenting about 30 research papers now in many verifiable conference proceedings
5. Finally, I have also successfully organized over 8 training workshops in PCR, Mol Biology, Malaria, MTB genotyping because of my skills and belief in research capacity building in collaboration with a private research group

Papers presented at scientific conference with dates

1. Alkali B, Iliyasu G, Aliero AA, Ntulume I, Sarkinfada F and Agwu E. Invitro Antibiotics resistance pattern of Acinetobacter species isolated from clinical samples of patients in three hospitals of Kano Metropolis Northwestern Nigeria, The MAKCHS, JASH, GDC, AMR, WHO, UNACO joint scientific conference 2019, on 6^th to 8^th November 2019 at Hotel Africana Kampala Uganda 
2. Alkali B, Aliero AA, Idris AM, TakalmawaHU, Sarkinfada F, Agwu E. Molecular Characterization of Acinetobacter baumannii from patients with prolonged hospital stay in North-Western Nigeria, by @ the 35^th Annual National conference and Scientific Workshop, November 19^th -23^rd 2019 at Delta State Polytechnic Ozoro, Delta State Nigeria. Organized by Association of Science Laboratory Technologists of Nigeria (ASLTON) together with the Nigeria Institute of Science Laboratory Technology (NISLT). 

3. Alkali B, Agwu E, Sarkinfada F, Idris AM, Munir HM. Bacterial Agents associated with Healthcare infections, in some selected hospitals of Kano State Metropolis Northwest Nigeria, by First National Conference and exhibition of Science and Technology @ Kano State Polytechnics Kano State Nigeria on 14^th to 17^th April 2019 

4. Alkali B, Agwu E, Sarkinfada F, Idris AM, Munir HM. Incidence of Nosocomial infections due to prolonged hospital stay in some selected hospitals of Kano State Metropolis Northwest Nigeria, by First National Conference and exhibition of Science and Technology @ Kano State Polytechnics Kano State Nigeria on 14^th to 17^th April 2019. 

5. Alkali B, Takalmawa HU, Agwu E and Sarkinfada Faruk. Nigeria Institute of Science Laboratory Technology Annual National Conference and Scientific Workshop, @ Federal Polytechnic (North Campus) Ede, Osun State Nigeria, on November 6^th to 10^th Paper presented: Prevalence of Healthcare associated infections and potential risk factors in a tertiary hospital in Kano State Nigeria.by

6. Alkali B, Agwu E, SarkinFada F, Iliyasu G (2017). Prevalence and antibiogram of bacterial isolates from patients with delayed hospital admission at Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital Kano state Nigeria Special Bacterial Pathogens Journal Vol 2, numbers 1&2. Supplement from SPRNL/SPADS/SBPJ/2017/Abstract/013 presented at the special pathogens and associated diseases scientific conference at Mothers Union Conference Center Bushenyi, Uganda

7. Alkali B, Agwu E, SarkinFada F, Iliyasu G (2017). Nosocomial Acinetobacter infection in Medical and Surgical ward of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano State Nigeria Special Bacterial Pathogens Journal Vol 2, numbers 1&2. Supplement from SPRNL/SPADS/SBPJ/2017/Abstract/017 presented at the special pathogens and associated diseases scientific conference at Mothers Union Conference Center Bushenyi, Uganda

8. Agwu E. (2017). Review of Antimicrobial Medicinal plants with the potential of improving Health condition in developing countries Special Pathogens Review Journal Vol 2, numbers 1&2. Supplement from SPRNL/SPADS/SPRJ/2017/Abstract/020 presented at the special pathogens & associated dis scientific conf at Mothers Union Conf Center Bushenyi, Uganda

9. Clemence J and Agwu E. (2017). Assessment of Locally raised antisera of Corynebacterium species as a candidate Vaccine agent and alternative to imported diagnostic antisera in Ishaka Bushenyi, Uganda Special Bacterial Pathogens Journal Vol 2, numbers 1&2. Supplement from SPRNL/SPADS/SBPJ/2017/Abstract/022, presented at the special pathogens and associated diseases scientific conference at Mothers Union Conf Center Bushenyi, Uganda

10. Bunu UO and Agwu E. (2017). Factors contributing to puerperal sepsis and its complications in Masaka regional referral hospital, in Central Uganda Special Pathogens Review Journal Vol 2, numbers 1&2. Supplement from SPRNL/SPADS/SPRJ/2017/Abstract/024, presented at the special pathogens and associated diseases scientific conference at Mothers Union Conference Center Bushenyi, Uganda

11. Muganzi Y, Okelo P and Agwu E. (2017). Prevalence of Syphilis and Hepatitis B, co-infection of syphilis and hepatitis B among HIV infected and AIDS military personnel living in Uganda Special Viral Pathogens Journal Vol 2, numbers 1&2. Supplement from SPRNL/SPADS/SVPJ/2017/Abstract/026, presented at the special pathogens and associated diseases scientific conference at Mothers Union Conference Center Bushenyi, Uganda

12. Mutambi JA and Agwu E. (2017). Pattern of stigmatization and discrimination among HIV positive patients attending TASO clinics in Mbarara Uganda. Special Viral Pathogens Journal Vol 2, numbers 1&2. Supplement from SPRNL/SPADS/SVPJ/2017/Abstract/032, presented at the special pathogens and associated diseases scientific conference at Mothers Union Conference Center Bushenyi, Uganda

13. Agwu E and Kinobere J, (2017). Analysis of malaria prevalence and its associated co-morbidities among children attending clinics in Bushenyi District of Uganda. Special Parasites Pathogens Journal Vol 2, numbers 1&2. Supplement from SPRNL/SPADS/SPPJ/2017/Abstract/034, presented at the special pathogens and associated diseases scientific conference at Mothers Union Conference Center Bushenyi, Uganda

14. Agwu E and Pascal C, (2017). Evaluation of antimicrobial activities of Allium cepa (onion) aqueous extracts on Diphtheroids and Candida Special Fungal Pathogens Journal Vol 2, numbers 1&2. Supplement from SPRNL/SPADS/SFPJ/2017/Abstract/039, presented at the special pathogens and associated diseases scientific conference at Mothers Union Conference Center Bushenyi, Uganda

15. Mohamed MH and Agwu E (2017). The effect of low body weight on maternal morbidity and mortality in Hanno medical center in Hodan district, Mogadishu Somalia. Special Pathogens Review Journal Vol 2, numbers 1&2. Supplement from SPRNL/SPADS/SPRJ/2017/Abstract/044, presented at the special pathogens and associated diseases scientific conference at Mothers Union Conference Center Bushenyi, Uganda

16. Agwu E, Ihongbe JC, Inyang NJ. Gentian violet can be used as topical oral anti-fungi and anti-stigma agent by people living with HIV/AIDS” via Treatment strategies and economic aspects in invasive fungal infections P 859″ Poster , 31st March 2012 at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases [ECCMID]. London., presented at the special pathogens and associated diseases scientific conference at Mothers Union Conference Center Bushenyi, Uganda

17. Agwu E, Guarimpa M, Gulemye I, Abuse of antimalarial drugs in treatment of febrile patients clinically diagnosed of malaria in Bushenyi District Uganda” viaHighlights of parasitic Disease research 0 340″ 31st March and 1st April 2012 at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases [ECCMID], London., presented at the special pathogens and associated diseases scientific conference at Mothers Union Conference Center Bushenyi, Uganda

18. Agwu E., Ihongbe JC, Pazos V. Regional mapping of oropharyngeal carriage of yeast species associated with oral lesions of HIV/AIDS patients in South Western Uganda via infectious, re-emerging diseases PO1038_22 oral, September 22, 2011, at the 7^th Annual Scientific conference MAK-CHS and 19^th UNACOH annual scientific conference, Speke Resort Munyonyo Kampala, Uganda.

19. Agwu E. Distribution of community acquired typhoid fever among febrile patients attending clinics in Bushenyi, Uganda a case study of year 2005 PS1036_22 oral, September 37, 2011, at the 7^th Annual Scientific conference MAK-CHS and 19^th UNACOH annual scientific conference, Speke Resort Munyonyo Kampala, Uganda. 

20. Agwu E and Joram GO. Pattern of malaria prevalence among febrile patients treated with chloroqine, fansider, and quinine in South Western Uganda. PS1037_22 oral, September 22, 2011, at the 7^th Annual Scientific conference MAK-CHS and 19^th UNACOH annual scientific conference, Speke Resort Munyonyo Kampala, Uganda. 

21. Agwu E, Ekanem P, and Magithi MI. Sentinel survey of the prevalence of syphilis infection among patients clinics in Bushenyi district Uganda. PS1038_22 Poster, September 22, 2011, at the 7^th Annual Scientific conference MAK-CHS and 19^th UNACOH annual scientific conference, Speke Resort Munyonyo Kampala, Uganda. 

22. Alkali B, Isa IA, Agwu E, Fada FS: Antimicrobial activities of the ethanoloic extract of Gardenia erubescens on some clinical pathogenic bacterial isolates. Nine Annual conference of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria held at Royal Tropicana Hotel Kano state Nigeria from 21-25^th November 2011. 

23. Alkali B, Isa IA, Agwu E, Fada FS: Research on toxicity level [LD₅₀] and aphrodisiac activity of Gardenia erubescens in male albino rats. Nine Annual conference of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria held at Royal Tropicana Hotel Kano state Nigeria from 21-25^th November 2011. 

24. Agwu E, Wambua, L. Titus. Sentinel survey of typhoid prevalence among febrile patients attending clinics in Bushenyi Uganda; Abstract No: 965. 19^th ECCMID, Helsinki, 2009. 

25. Agwu E, Tananyen: Randomized health-point surveillance of human gastro-intestinal parasites among patients attending a teaching hospital in Ishaka, Uganda; Abstract No: 125119^th ECCMID, Helsinki, 2009

26. Agwu E, Ihongbe, N. Inyang, Prevalence of quinolone susceptible Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus in delayed-healing diabetic foot ulcers in Ekpoma, Nigeria; Abstract No: 1395, 19^th ECCMID, Helsinki, 2009

27. Agwu E., Ihongbe JC, Pazos V. High co-trimoxazole resistance by bacteria associated with oral lesions in a population of Ugandan HIV infected and AIDS patients. Abstract number: R2292, 18^th ECCMID, Barcelona, Spain, 2008.

28. Agwu E. Special Pathogens and Associated Diseases Epidemic: What’s up? A key-note address presented during the International Annual. Special Pathogens and Associated Diseases Scientific (SPADS) Conference April 27-29, 2017, at the Mothers Union Conference Centre, Bushenyi, District, Uganda

29. Agwu E. Situational review of non-infectious disease in sub-Saharan Africa. A key-note address presented during the International Annual Endemic Non-infectious Diseases Scientific (ENIDS) Conference November 24^th-25^th, 2017, at the Mothers Union Conference Centre, Bushenyi, District, Uganda 

30. Agwu E. Review of Molecular techniques used to detect fungal opportunistic infections associated with HIV/AIDS, at the 4^th National Scientific Conference, Mycology Society of Nigeria, 19-22 September 2010. (Invited Key-Note Speaker) 

31. Agwu E. Antimalaria drug resistance at the First National Scientific conference on Rational Drug use in developing countries, by Pharmacy students Association KIU, held at KIU-WC, between 26-27th, February 2010. 

32. Agwu E., Masters in Medical Microbiology is urgently needed by Uganda stakeholders, a poster presentation at the third annual scientific conference of South African Association of Health Educationist (SAAHE) held at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa between 22^nd and 24^th July 2010. 

33. Agwu E. Long term challenge of routine co-trimoxazole prophylaxis among a population of Ugandan HIV infected and AIDS patients; oral presentation at the 1^st Family Medicine National Scientific conference, held at the Grand Imperial Hotel, Kampala Uganda between 26^th and 27^th November, 2009. 

34. Inyang NJ, Enweani IB, Agwu E, Esumeh FI, Obiazi HAK, and Efedeyi RA. Molecular Typing of Yeasts from Symptomatic, Asymptomatic Women and Asymptomatic Pregnant Women in Ekpoma, Nigeria presented as poster at the 46th Annual Meeting of ICAAC/IDSA. Washington DC, 2008. C. Number: 3253. 

36. Agwu E., Isibor JO., Okogun G. R. A., Ekpoke J., Onyebuagu P. C., and Nwaopara A.O. Evaluation of the immunogenicity of locally prepared somatic antigens of Salmonella typhi. Third Biomedical Engineering Conf. Lagos 2002
37. Nwaopara AO., Agwu E., Onyebuagu, P.C., Umeni A.O. Mouth moistening of the finger during manual counting of naira notes as a habit among naira-notes users in Nigeria. Second Biomedical Engineering Conference: Umuahia Nigeria 2001