Dr Adesola Olalekan
About me
Dr. Adesola O. Olalekan is a Senior Lecturer and Lead Researcher at the Genomic Epidemiology of Antimicrobial Resistance Pathogen (GEAP) Research Laboratory, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Lagos, Nigeria. Her research focuses on the molecular epidemiology of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, particularly the ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species), to unravel the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance. She has also investigated emerging pathogens such as Chromobacterium violaceum and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia within a One Health framework, exploring critical links between humans, animals, the environment, and the intersection of AMR with climate change.
Dr. Olalekan is a Fellow of the Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF) Research Development Fellowship, a DAAD alumna, and a DFG/TWAS awardee. She has received competitive research grants supporting her work on AMR and One Health. Leveraging advanced genomic tools, including long-read sequencing technologies, her studies have provided important insights into the genetic mechanisms driving resistance in bacterial pathogens.
Beyond research, she is actively involved in AMR awareness campaigns targeting schools, churches, abattoirs, and community groups, while also promoting infection prevention and control (IPC) strategies. She contributes to capacity building by training biomedical laboratory scientists and healthcare workers in IPC and molecular diagnostic practices.
Dr. Olalekan has published widely in peer-reviewed journals and presented her work at national and international conferences. She is also committed to mentoring postgraduate students and early-career researchers, fostering the next generation of scientists in Nigeria and across Africa.
Adesola Olalekan (PhD in Medical Microbiology) is a Senior Lecturer and passionate researcher in the Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Nigeria, and the Team Lead of the Genomic Epidemiology of Antimicrobial Resistant Pathogen (GEAP) study group. My research interests focus on the molecular epidemiology of bacteria, particularly the ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species), including Chromobacterium violaceum, and the intersection of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and climate change studies to unravel the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance.
Currently, I am exploring the entire genomes of these bacteria using bioinformatics tools to investigate the nature of resistance and their evolutionary dynamics in humans, the environment, and food animals. I am interested in mitigating AMR infections and involved in reducing the menace through ONE Health research approaches, genomic surveillance, stewardship programs, public enlightenment, community engagement, and other interventions to reduce and identify the drivers of AMR pathogens. Training and teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students and involving them in my research are key to my day-to-day activities. I serve as a mentor in the female academic network and other programs that offer formal mentoring to young female scientists in Nigeria.
Over the years, I have received several prestigious fellowships and travel awards, including the DAAD Fellowship (Germany, 2009–2011) and the Re-Invitation Fellowship (Germany, 2019), the Second Best Ph.D. Thesis Award (2012/2013 academic session, LAUTECH), a DFG/TWAS Collaborative Visit to Münster, Germany (2018), multiple global health travel awards, and the Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF) Research Development Fellowship Award in 2021, as well as the Seed Grant in 2023 and the Nigeria TetFund Institutional-based Research (IBR) 2025.
I am a Fellow of the West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science and the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria. I hold membership in several professional bodies, including the Association of Female Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Nigeria Women in Biosafety Association (NiBSA), the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID), the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC), the African Biological Safety Association (AfBSA), and the Africa Women in Climate change Research and Action (AWCRA).
Degrees:
2. Adesola Olalekan*, Sébastien Boutin, Christopher Mark Watson, Luiza Galarion, Solayide Adesida, Bamidele Iwalokun, Olayiwola Popoola, Seraphine Esemu, Richard Adegbola, Dennis Nurjadi, Molecular landscape of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains in clinical infections from hospitals in Lagos, Nigeria, JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance, Volume 7, Issue 5, October 2025, dlaf161, https://doi.org/10.1093/jacamr/dlaf161.
3. Hassan Bawa, Kabiru Mohammed, Abdulrazak Nuhu, Abdulmalik Shuaibu, Farhan Rhidor Akorede, Olalekan Adesola, Muhammad Bashir Bello, Abdurrahman Hassan Jibril, Carbapenemase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from patients exhibited multidrug resistance in Sokoto, Nigeria, Medicine in Microecology, Volume 25, 2025, 100134, ISSN 2590-0978, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medmic.2025.100134
4. Aguwa, M., Olalekan, A.,* Ojurongbe, T., Busari-Akinbode, S., Adegbite, A., Adesola, S., Ogunleye, A., Olaniyan, A., Iwalokun, B., Ogunleye, O. (2024): Fortitude in the face of crisis: Unraveling the nexus of grit, motivation, and self-esteem among health workers in COVID-19 treatment and diagnostic centres in Nigeria. Babcock Univ. Med. J. 7(1): https://doi.org/10.38029/babcockuniv.med.j..v7i1.
5. Olalekan, A.,* Akinsanya-Sanusi, M., Shakunle, R., Okoye, C., Offiong, J., Popoola, O., Oyedeji, O, Mutiu, B., (2024): Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based detection of Streptococcus agalactiae Colonisation among Parturients at Public Hospitals in Lagos, Nigeria Journal of Basic Medical Sciences Vol 2; No1&2 pages1-8 https://jbms.unilag.ng/index.php/jbms/article/view
6. Olalekan, A.,* Bader, B., Iwalokun, B., Wolf, S., Lalremruata, A., Dike, A., Mannie-Udoh, M., Lo Presti, L., Liese, J., Guther, J., D'alvise, P., Peter, S. (2023): High incidence of carbapenemase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates from Lagos, Nigeria. JAC Antimicrob Resist. 10;5(2): pages 1-10, dlad038. doi: 10.1093/jacamr/dlad038. PMID: 37051191; PMCID: PMC10084947.
7. Olalekan, A*., Igweike, V., Ekun, O., Adegbite, A. and Ogunleye, O. (2023): Assessment of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia health commodities’ supply chains in selected hospitals of Lagos State during COVID-19 pandemic", Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Vol. 14 (1) pages 71-81. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHLSCM-05-2022-0055
8. Ogunleye, O., Oyawole, M., Odunuga, P., Kalejaye, F., Yinka-Ogunleye, A., Olalekan, A., Ogundele, S., Ebruke, B., Richard, A., Anand Paramadhas, B., Kurdi, A., Sneddon, J., Seaton, A., Godman, B. (2022): A multicentre point prevalence study of antibiotics utilization in hospitalized patients in an urban secondary and a tertiary healthcare facility in Nigeria: findings and implications Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 20(2): pages 297-306.
9. Adekunle OC, Bolaji OS, Olalekan AO, Oyakeye TO, (2021). Identification of Methicillin Resistance Staphylococcus aureus From Clinical Samples and Environments of a General Hospital in Osogbo- Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Vol. 25 (8) page 1409-1414 available https://www.ajol.info/index.php/jasem.
10. Ekun, O., Okunola, O., Adebayo, A., Olalekan, A., Oshikoya, M., Shehu, A., Esan, D., Oshundun, M., (2021): Haematological and Haemostatic Changes Associated with Major Depressive Disorder among Nigerians. Pan African Journal of Life Sciences 10.36108/pajols/1202.50.0210 Vol 5 (2) pages. 238-245
11. Ogunyemi, B., Ogunyemi, K., Odetunde, K., Olumuyiwa, E., Olalekan, A., Akinyemi, O., and Iwalokun, B. (2021): Microbiological, Physicochemical, Nutritional and Anti-nutritional Evaluation of locally made non-alcoholic Kunun zaki beverage sold in Lagos State, Nigeria. Food and Environment Safety Journal, 20(4) pages 392-402. http://fia old.usv.ro/fiajournal/index.php/FENS/article/view/852.
12. Olalekan, A.,* Babalola, A., Ogunleye, O., Opere, B., Ekun, O., Ajani, I., Iwalokun, B. (2021): Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profile and Frequency of ESBL Gene Determinants among Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates from Patients attending an Urban Secondary Health Facility in Nigeria. University of Lagos Journal of Basic Medical Sciences Vol 9, No 1 & 2 pages 8-14: https://jbms.unilag.ng/index.php/jbms/article/view/97/0
13. Brian, G., Egwuenu, A., Haque, M., Malande, O., Schellack, N., Kumar, S., Saleem, Z., Sneddon, J., Hoxha, I., Islam, S., Mwita, J., do Nascimento, R., Dias Godói, I., Niba, L., Amu, A., Acolatse, J., Incoom, R., Sefah, I., Opanga, S., Kurdi, A., Chikowe, I., Khuluza, F., Kibuule, D., Ogunleye, O., Olalekan, A., Markovic-Pekovic, V., Meyer, C., Alfadl, A., Phuong, T., Kalungia, A., Campbell, S., Pisana, A., Wale, J., and Seaton, R. (2021): Strategies to Improve Antimicrobial Utilization with a Special Focus on Developing Countries" Life 11 (6) pages 2-43. https://doi.org/10.3390/life11060528.
14. Raheem, T., Ojo, O., Adenipekun, E., Olalekan, A., Oluwadun A., & Iwalokun, B. (2021): Performance assessment of SD Bioline TB MPT64 assay for the diagnosis of Mycobacteriumtuberculosis complex in Lagos, Nigeria, Journal of Immunoassay and Immunochemistry, 43(1): pages 1-15 DOI: 10.1080/15321819.2021.1911812.
15. Mwita, J., Ogunleye, O., Olalekan, A., Kalungia, A., Kurdi, A., Saleem, Z., Sneddon, J., Godman, B. (2021): Key Issues Surrounding Appropriate Antibiotic Use for Prevention of Surgical Site Infections in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Narrative Review and the Implications. International Journal of General Medicine, 14: pages 515-530.
16. Taiwo, I., Iwalokun, B., Samuel, T., Olalekan, A., Adekoya, K., Akinloye, O., Amegatcher, G., Adenipekun, E., Adewuni, D., Anwoju, F., Popoola, O., Popoola, OP., Iranloye, B., Magbagbeola, O., and Akinloye, O. (2021): Genomic Diversity and Phylogenetic Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Circulating in Africa and Other Continents: Implications for Diagnosis, Transmission, and Prevention Pan African Journal of Life Sciences, 4 (3) pages 154-165 DOI: 10.36108/pajols/0202/40(0370).
17. Iwalokun. B., Olalekan, A., Adenipekun, E., Olabisi, O., Iwalokun, O., Bamidele, M., Orija, O., Adegbola, R., Babatunde, S., Akinloye, O. (2021) Improving the Understanding of Immunopathogenesis of Lymphopenia as a Correlate of SARS-COV-2 Infection Risk and Disease Progression in African Patients: UGLY SARS-COV-2 Study Protocol https://doi.org/10.2196/21242 2020, JMIR Research Protocol 4 (10) pages 1-11.
18. Olalekan, A., Iwalokun, B., Akinloye, O., Popoola, O., Samuel, T., Akinloye O. (2020): 'COVID-19 rapid diagnostic test could contain transmission in low- and middle-income countries', African Journal of Laboratory Medicine; Vol 9, No 1 page 1-8. DO - 10.4102/ajlm. v9i1.1255.
19. Olalekan, A., Onwugamba, F., Iwalokun, B., Mellmann, A., Becker, K., and Schaumburg, F. (2020): 'High proportion of carbapenemase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae among extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producers in Nigerian hospitals', J Glob Antimicrob Resist, 21: 8-12.
20. Olalekan, A.,* Onwugamba, F., Iwalokun, B. (2020): Phylogroup profiling and the genetic determinants of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli isolated from clinical samples in Lagos, Nigeria, Ife Journal of Science,22 (3) pages 159-166.
21. Olalekan, A.,* Iwalokun, B., Adekunle, O., Makun, H., Mirabeau, T., Akinloye, O. (2020): Understanding the use of real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (Rrt-PCR) for COVID-19 Diagnosis. Pan African Journal of Life Sciences 4 (2) pages 86 – 97 DOI: 10.36108/pajols/0202/40(0270).
22. Egwuatu, T., Olalekan, A., Orkeh, G., Egwuatu, T., Rotimi, V., Ogunsola, F. (2019): Characterization of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus Isolated from Neonatal, Postnatal and Labour Wards in Lagos, Nigeria. Pan African Journal of Life Sciences Vol 2 Issue 1, pages 60-66.
23. Ekun, O., Adebayo, A., Okunola, T., Olalekan, A., Ogidi, N. (2019): haematological and haemostatic changes in adults on substance abuse in Lagos Metropolis Nigeria. Nig. Qt J. Hosp. Med. vol. 29 1&2 pages 072-080.
24. Olalekan A.,* Itua, F., Mutiu, B., Egwuatu, T., Akinloye, O., Iwalokun, B. (2019): Case Report on Pleural Empyema Thoracis and Urinary Tract Infection Caused by Chromobacterium violaceum from Lagos, Nigeria Hindawi Case Reports in Medicine Vol pages1-5, https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/532148
25. Oyedeji, K., Olalekan, A., Odeniyi, M., Adesanya, A., Atoyebi, O. (2017): Evaluation of Diagnostic Methods for detection and isolation of Helicobacter pylori in gastric biopsy and stool specimens of Dyspeptic Nigerians. Nigerian Journal of Clinical & Biomedical Research 7 (8): pages15-31.
26. Olalekan, A.,* Taiwo, S., Smith, S., Shittu, A., Kolawole, D., Schaumburg, F. (2016): Persistent Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization in ambulatory HIV infected patients in Nigeria: Risk factors and molecular features. Journal of Microbiology, Immunology and Infection 49 (6): pages 992-995.
27. Nurjadi, D., Olalekan, A., Layer, F., Shittu, A., Alabi, A., Ghebremedhin, B., Schaumburg, F., Hofmann-Eifler, J., Van Genderen, P., Caumes, E., Fleck, R., Mockenhaupt, F., Herrmann, M., Kern, W., Abdulla, S., Grobusch, M., Kremsner, P., Wolz, C., Zanger P. (2014): Emergence of Trimethoprim Resistance Gene dfrG in Staphylococcus aureus causing human infection and colonisation in sub-Saharan Africa and its Import to Europe. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 69 (9): pages 2361-2368.
28. Olalekan, O., Schaumburg, F., Nurjadi, D., Dike, A., Ojurongbe, O., Kolawole, D., Kun, J., Zanger, P. (2012): Clonal expansion accounts for an excess of antimicrobial resistance in Staphylococcus aureus colonising HIV-positive individuals in Lagos, Nigeria. Int J Antimicrob Agents. Sep; 40 (3): pages 268-72.
29. Owoeye, O., Adegbaju, D., Adeosun, O., Adegbokun, I., Durojaiye, A., Olalekan, A., Adewuja, M., (2014): Posttraumatic stress disorder among injured Road traffic accident victims in Lagos, Nigeria (2014), Nigerian journal of Psychiatry 06; 12(1): pages 39-43.
30. Olalekan, A.,* Okewole, A., IKedieze, O., Adebayo, A., Okunola, O., Ladapo, H., Lawal, R., & Dada, M. (2011): Pattern of Urine Toxicology Screening in a Lagos Psychiatric Hospital, African Journal of Drug and Alcohol Studies. Vol. 10 (2) pages. 89-93.
31. Tatfeng, M., Agbonlahor, D., Olalekan, A., Oviasogie, F., & Isibor, J. (2009): Chloroquine resistance molecular markers in Falciparum malaria in Edo State. The Japanese Society of Tropical Medicine and Health Vol. 37 (2) pp. 37- 41.