By Nnasom David

Young Nigerian pharmacist have been advised to explore research beyond traditional practice.

The call was made in a statement cited by Vanguard, noting that for decades, pharmacy  graduates have largely navigated three well-defined career paths- community, hospital, and industrial pharmacy.

It further noted that while these fields are undeniably essential, there remains an overlooked yet critical avenue: research.

 As one of a pharmacist’s seven-star roles, research is fundamental to advancing pharmaceutical sciences, drug discovery, and healthcare policy.

Yet, many young pharmacists shy away from this path, often due to limited exposure or misconceptions about its viability.

Pharmacist Tobilola O. Akingbade, a passionate advocate for research, is changing that narrative. She graduated with a first-class degree in Pharmacy from the University of Ibadan.

 This achievement opened doors to competitive opportunities for her and set the foundation for her pursuit of excellence in research. She continued her academic journey at North Carolina Central University as a master’s student in Pharmaceutical Sciences and is set to graduate this May.

Her exceptional academic performance earned her the Academic Excellence Award from the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the 76th Honors Convocation for Academic Achievement on April 4, 2025.

Beyond her coursework, Tobilola’s experience as a research assistant under the mentorship of her supervisor has strengthened her dedication to biomarker discovery in neurodegenerative diseases, with a focus on advancing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Her contributions to the field, guided by valuable mentorship, have not gone unnoticed. In July 2024, she was honored with the Young Investigator Award by the Global Association for the Study of Neurodegenerative Diseases at the 4th International Research Conference on Neurodegenerative Disease (IRCND 2024), recognizing her innovative ideas.

She attributes this achievement to the rigorous training and support she has received from her school and family, and her unwavering dedication, resilience, and focused determination.

She has now reached a new milestone, having been selected as a speaker for the DCNN & ADRC Research Symposium on Advancing Brain Health at Duke University Medical Campus on April 8, 2025. Her talk, titled “Novel Biomarker Discovery for Limbic-Predominant Age-Related TDP-43 Encephalopathy (LATE) Diagnosis,” focuses on a neurodegenerative disease that was recognized as a distinct entity in 2019, which is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease due to their similar memory-related symptoms and can only be definitively diagnosed after death.

Tobilola highlighted the critical need for biomarker discovery to facilitate early detection and potential therapeutic advancements.

Through her research, she aims to fill this gap by contributing to discovering biofluid biomarkers to differentiate these two disease conditions that can cause dementia in older adults.

Beyond personal achievements, Tobilola is among a growing number of Nigerian scientists making significant contributions on the international stage.

By embracing research, she is also paving the way for other young pharmacists to follow suit. She believes that pharmacists are not limited to dispensing medications or working in hospitals—they can also be at the forefront of groundbreaking discoveries that shape the future of medicine.

When asked about her future goals, Tobilola said, “For now, I see myself becoming a global leader in Neuroscience recording groundbreaking discovery that will improve the diagnosis and management of neurodegenerative diseases.

 I hope to be nominated to prestigious organizations like the National Academy of Sciences in the near future.”

 Her long-term vision is clear—she intends to continue along this research career path, contributing to science through innovation, mentorship, and global impact.

As she continues to break barriers, Tobilola encourages young Nigeria pharmacy graduates to look beyond the conventional and explore the world of research. The field is vast, the opportunities are limitless, and the impact is immeasurable.