Prof Aklillu has a PhD degree in molecular genetics from Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, where she became Associate Professor of Pharmacology in 2009 and full Professor of pharmacogenomics in 2016. She has a Bachelor of pharmacy (1987) and MSc degree in biochemistry (1996) from Addis Ababa University. She is currently serving at Karolinska Institutet as Senior Research Scientist and leader of her own research group. She has a well-documented scientific track record for initiation, planning, execution and leading several clinical research projects in the field of Pharmacology as principal investigator. Over the past 15 years Professor Aklillu has contributed to knowledge of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenetics of anti-malarial, anti-tuberculosis and antiretroviral drug-interactions in sub-Saharan Africa. She has supervised 12 completed PhDs.