I Am Here: It Took a Global Village

Area of Science:

• Structural virology
• Gene therapy vectors
• Biophysics

Background:

• Autobiographical narrative spanning three continents: Africa, Europe, and North America.
• Early life in a Nigerian village, followed by education in London, UK, and postdoctoral work in the USA.
• Development of a passion for science, particularly chemistry, human biology, and biophysics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document a personal journey in science, emphasizing the role of mentors and diverse experiences.
• To illustrate the progression of a scientific career from student to independent researcher and professor.
• To highlight contributions to the field of structural virology, focusing on adeno-associated viruses.

Main Methods:

• Personal narrative and reflection on educational and research experiences.
• Mentorship under prominent scientists including Terence Jenkins, Stephen Neidle, Michael Rossmann, and Nick Muzyczka.
• Research in biophysics, anticancer agent design, and structural virology.

Main Results:

• Attained a PhD in biophysics with research on anticancer agents.
• Developed expertise in structural virology, focusing on pathogenic single-stranded DNA packaging viruses.
• Established a successful independent research career, culminating in a professorship and significant contributions to the field.

Conclusions:

• The journey underscores the importance of mentorship and global scientific collaboration.
• Significant advancements were made in structural virology, particularly concerning adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) as gene delivery vectors.
• The author transitioned from mentee to mentor, contributing to the field at national and international levels.