Dr. Joy Odimegwu
Specialization: Phytochemistry And Nanomedicine
Personal Statement
I am a herbal medicine conservation and development Expert. Currently, I merge ancestral herbal remedies with modern technology through polymeric nanoparticles drug formulations loaded with Cytotoxic natural products from plants which are effective against cancers. I do botanical drugs bio-prospecting for Pharmaceutical Leads for cancers and pain. I work on biological drug discovery for solutions to drug resistance and metastases in cancer therapy.
I am a product owner of the Start-up; Gaudium Natural Health Limited initiated from my solution-oriented research and have two main products; CITRUTOX®an all-natural hand and surface sanitizer and PAINOMO® Essential oils infused painkiller for moderate to severe muscular and joint pains
Education / Training
| institution | degree | completion date | field of study |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Nigeria | B.Sc. | 08/1996 | Botany |
| University of Lagos | M.Sc. | 12/2007 | Pharmacognosy |
| CIMAP INDIA and University of Lagos | Ph.D. | 01/2014 | Pharmacognosy |
| ICS-UNIDO | Trainee | 04/2012 | Extraction and modification of bioactive components and specialty chemicals from plants |
| International Centre of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) | Trainee | 04/2014 | Structure and functions of RNAs |
| University of Buenos Aires | TWAS-UNESCO Associate | 05/2019 | Cancer Tumor Immunopharmacology |
| University of Castilla La Mancha | Mujeres por Africa Fellow | 08/2024 | Nanotechnology/Nanomedicine |
Positions, Scientific Appointments and Honours
- Chairperson, Herbal Medicine Annual Symposium of Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Lagos, Nigeria. 2021
- Head of Herbarium Committee, Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos. Nigeria 2015- 2020
- Department of Pharmacognosy Model Herbal Clinic Coordinator, University of Lagos. Nigeria 2011-2016
- Examination Officer, Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy. University of Lagos 2015-2023
- Steering Committee member, Nigerian Women in Agricultural Research for Development 2015- 2020.
- Member of Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos Time table and student results collation committee 2013-2015
- Fellow: African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) fellowship from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
- PhD Fellow: Organization of Women in Science in the Developing World (OWSD)
- Postdoctoral Fellow: TWAS-UNESCO ASSOCIATESHIP at the College of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Early Careers Researcher Training Grant Awardee: Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)
- Mentor: New York Academy of Science (NYAS) 1000 Girls 1000 Futures Mentoring Program
- Mentor: West African Virus Epidemiology (WAVE) for Food Security Program
Selected Most recent Publications/Contributions to knowledge
- Odimegwu Joy (Apr. 2024). PAIN KILLER PLANTS. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0D2P4DWDW
- Odimegwu Joy Ifunanya (2020). FOODS AND HORMONES: Phytoestrogens in Edible Plants and Human Reproductive Health. https://com/Foods-Hormones-Phytoestrogens-Reproductive-Health-ebook/dp/B084RXL5NX.
- Rajeev K. Singla…..Odimegwu, Joy Ifunanya et al., (2025). Exploring Nutritional Supplement Use for Countering Respiratory Tract Infections Through an X (formerly Twitter)-Based Survey. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100282
- Odimegwu, J.I., Nkemehule, F.E., Eke, Jane-Sharon E. E, Okunnuga J , Buhari AO , Okwuegbuna SN and Duru, Chidinma R (2021). Pharmaco-Chemical Analysis and In vivotoxicity assays of edible clays mined in Nigeria and Consumed Globally. Clays Clay Miner. 69, 155–166.https://doi.org/10.1007/s42860-021-00111-2
- Odimegwu, Joy I. Olukemi Odukoya, Alejandro Español, Maria Elena Sales (2020) Human Breast Tumour Cells Viability Effect of African Dioscorea rotundatatuber extracts in MCF-7 and MDA-MB231 cell lines. DOI: 10.4172/Rep cancer Treat.6.2.001
Collaborations/ Networks
- Richardson Okechukwu, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture IITA, Ibadan. Nigeria
- Maria Elena Sales Center for Pharmacological and Botanical Studies (CEFYBO) -CONICET. School of Medicine. University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Jürg Gertsch Deputy Managing Director Infrastructure and Research, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine. University of Bern. Switzerland
- KEMAL HÜSNÜ CAN BAŞER; Faculty of Pharmacy, Near East University Turkey\
- Ester Vázquez Fernández-Pacheco, Director of IRICA. MSOC NanoChemistry Group Head. University of Castilla La Mancha. Ciudad Real. Spain
