ITD Group
Located in Yobe State—a region significantly affected by climate change, seasonal malaria outbreaks, and sporadic epidemics like cholera and diphtheria—our team bridges the gap between patient care and basic research. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical importance of bolstering health infrastructure and enhancing the synergy between basic sciences and clinical research, particularly in low and middle-income countries. Our work seeks to understand the genetic and environmental factors driving infectious diseases in our local communities, especially in North Eastern Nigeria and how this influences immune responses, drug resistance, and the efficacy of diagnostic tools. Comprising dedicated clinicians and scientists, the Infectious and Tropical Diseases Group (ITDG) is driven to provide evidence-based interventions targeting the root causes of high morbidity and mortality.
Dr Baba Goni Waru
Dr. Baba Waru Goni serves as the Chief Medical Director at the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital Damaturu and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at both the University of Maiduguri and Yobe State University. At BioRTC, he is a Principal Investigator with a primary focus on Infectious Diseases, Tropical Medicine, and Immunology. His role at BioRTC extends to collaborations on the intersection of basic science research and clinical patient care. Dr. Goni earned his MBBS from the University of Maiduguri in 1998 and specialized in Infectious Diseases, Tropical Medicine, and Immunology. He was awarded the Fellowship of the West African College of Physicians (FWACP) in 2008 and the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (FMCP) in 2009. Furthering his education, he pursued an MSc in Tropical Medicine and International Health at the LSHTM UK and obtained a DTM&H from the Royal College of Physicians of London in 2012. In his current capacity, he contributes to health administration and system strengthening as the head of the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital.
Prof. Kida
Ibrahim Musa Kida is a Professor of Medicine and the Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Immunology at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. He also serves as a visiting infectious disease consultant at the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital. Professor Kida has earned a master’s degree in Tropical and Infectious Disease as well as a diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom. His primary research areas include Tropical Infectious diseases, with a specific focus on HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria. Currently, he is examining the spatial distribution of soil-transmitted helminths in Northeastern Nigeria. As a member of the Infectious and Tropical Disease Group, his broad interest is to contribute to curtailing the ongoing research in putting a grip on the spread of infectious diseases
Dr Hatoon Abdullah Niyazi
Dr. Hatoon Abdullah Niyazi is an Assistant Professor at King Abdul-Aziz University’s Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology. She holds a BSc in Medicine and Surgery from King Abdul-Aziz University, followed by an MSc in Tropical Medicine and International Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK and a PhD from the Institute for Infection and Immunity at St. George’s, University of London. Dr. Niyazi’s research interest is on malaria, particularly the microscopic diagnosis of Plasmodium ovale spp. and understanding antimalarial resistance mechanisms. She is passionate about enhancing treatments of microbial infections, with an emphasis on antimalarials. Her goal is to advance the field of Infection and Immunity, bridging the gap between laboratory findings and patient care.
Dr Murtala Isah Bindawa
Murtala Bindawa Isah holds a PhD degree in Biochemistry from the University of Kwazulu Natal South Africa (2019). At BioRTC he is a research lead on malaria and other infectious diseases as well as in the prospective area of antibody technology. He is also a Senior Lecturer at Umaru Musa Yar’adua University. Dr Murtala is a co-beneficiary of TETFUND-NRF grant to develop malaria diagnostics. He hold numerous collaborations with researchers across the world, specifically at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, University of Johannesburg South Africa and Shaanxi University of Technology in China. In 2021 he participated in the Young Scientist Programme of the Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists. He is also a member of the Nigerian Young Academy, an affiliate of the Nigerian Academy of Sciences, which specifically targets Nigerian early career researchers. He has published numerous papers in the field of infectious diseases, diabetes and IgY-antibody technology.
Dr Abdulmalik Abdullahi Salma
Abdulmalik is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and a collaborator in the infectious disease research group. He earned his PhD from the University of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa. His research interest in malaria is on the biology of the parasite as well as the diagnosis of the disease. He has had experience working on trypanosomiasis and some tropical diseases. Currently, he is involved in the malaria research team working on molecular patterns involved with the disease diagnosis.