The African Journal of Laboratory Medicine, ASLM’s scholarly journal, announces new Editor-in-Chief
Dr-Iruka N Okeke
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 17 March 2017 – The African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) congratulates Dr. Iruka N. Okeke on her recent appointment as the Editor-in-Chief of its scholarly publication, the African Journal of Laboratory Medicine (AJLM). Dr. Okeke joins AJLM for an initial three-year term as its third Editor-in-Chief, succeeding Dr. John Nkengasong.
“Dr. Okeke is a brilliant scientist who has committed herself to finding solutions to strengthening laboratory medicine in Africa,” said Dr. Nkengasong, who departed AJLM in December 2016 to head the new Africa CDC. “Her book entitled ‘Divining without seeds: the case to strengthen laboratory medicine in Africa’ is a masterpiece and a must-read for all those interested in laboratory medicine in Africa. Her vast experience in research and extensive publication skills in high impact journals will be of tremendous value to AJLM.”
Dr. Okeke will lead the AJLM editorial team from her position as a Professor at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria, where she is also supported by the UK Medical Research Council and UK Department for International Development as an African Research Leader. She holds B.Pharm., M.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees from Obafemi Awolowo University in Ife, Nigeria, and completed post-doctoral training at the University of Maryland in the United States and Uppsala Universitet in Sweden. Her research focuses on diarrhoeal pathogens, bacterial drug resistance, and laboratory practice in Africa, with a specific interest in the molecular epidemiology and pathogenesis of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli, other diarrhoeagenic E. coli and Salmonella
“I am a teacher-scholar with the aspiration to extend knowledge through my own research, as well as to advocate for better laboratory practice in Africa,” said Dr. Okeke. “AJLM is one of the best fledgling journals I know, and I wish to continue it along its path to excellence. It is really exciting to be part of the journal’s initial success and to have the opportunity to take it to the next level.”
AJLM readers can expect to see the introduction of new article types and sections in the coming year. Dr. Okeke wants AJLM to provide “Africa-relevant, real-world examples for students and practitioners” and plans to expand the contributions of developing scientists to peer review and authorship and to encourage constructive peer reviews. In addition, she wants to ensure that AJLM is accessible in many formats, including via social media.
“Prof. Okeke is an outstanding African scientist and an excellent writer with expertise in different medical laboratory disciplines,” said ASLM’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ali Elbireer. “She is enthusiastic and excited about joining the ASLM family, and I believe in her role as Editor-in-Chief of the AJLM she will help elevate both the journal’s significance and circulation in the medical community both within Africa and worldwide.”
For more information about ASLM, please visit: http://www.ASLM.org.
For more information about AJLM, please visit: http://ajlmonline.org/.
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Established in 2011, the African Society for Laboratory Medicine is a pan-African professional body endorsed by the African Union with support from the World Health Organization, the African Union, the United States (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the World Bank, the Clinton Foundation, UNAIDS, and others. ASLM is focused on improving healthcare by strengthening diagnostic testing. Laboratory testing is pivotal in disease diagnosis, epidemiological surveillance, outbreak investigations, initiation and monitoring of treatment, as well as research and development. ASLM will address these challenges by working collaboratively with governments, national, regional and international organizations, implementing partners, the private sector and other agencies to achieve its Strategic Vision goals by 2020.
The African Journal of Laboratory Medicine (AJLM) is the official scholarly journal of the African Society for Laboratory Medicine. As an international, peer-reviewed journal, AJLM takes a broad perspective on the role of the laboratory and laboratorians in clinical care and public health efforts. AJLM provides a much-needed forum — with a specifically African frame of reference — for laboratory professionals to communicate with each other and with other biomedical scientists and clinicians.