Abimbola Aro

Hello, my name is Abimbola Aro, from Johannesburg South Africa. I am currently a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of South Africa and also has an affiliation with the University of Pretoria, South Africa.

I graduated in 2016 with a PhD in Paraclinical Science from the University of Pretoria. My research interest has been on assessing natural products including plants and isolated compounds for their antimycobacterial activities. Evaluating the cytotoxic effect as well as the immune modulatory activities of compounds are some of projects that I have been involved in. I have utilised techniques ranging from microbiology, microscopy, tissue culture and immunology to carry out my research studies.

My career aspiration was to move from basic science to translational science as well as understanding drug discovery processes in an ideal setting. I heard about WCAIR training from one of the WCAIR staffs at a conference and took advantage of that opportunity. I was so excited to have been granted this prestigious fellowship. Over the period of my training in WCAIR, I started with the mode of action group on phenotypic screening of compounds against Leishmania spps and Trypanosoma spp. I am also grateful for the opportunity to learn how to analysis preclinical DMPK data for predicted human DMPK. Having the privileged to be exposed to the use of software to have insight about the physicochemical and DMPK parameters of compounds is an added knowledge for me.

All that I have learnt during my short time as a trainee have added to my repertoire of knowledge. I believe that all of these will enhance my career advancement. I found it so fascinating to witness 4 seasons in a day! typical for a Scottish weather. I enjoyed the quiet ambience of Dundee, the friendly and warm reception from the WCAIR staffs as well as the staffs of Drug Discovery Unit.