The African Academy of Sciences (AAS) is deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Idowu Aimola, an accomplished molecular biologist, medical genomics researcher, and recipient of the African Postdoctoral Training Initiative (APTI) fellowship. His passing is a profound loss to the scientific community in Nigeria, the AAS, and the entire Africa.

Dr. Aimola was a passionate scientist whose research focused on sickle cell disease and blood-related disorders. He believed that blood is central to understanding the pathogenesis of many communicable and non-communicable diseases and dedicated his career to uncovering the molecular mechanisms that underpin these conditions. His work sought to understand how fetal hemoglobin-containing red cells, known as F-cells, are formed and maintained. He contended that since increasing F-cells in individuals with sickle cell disease can reduce the severity of disease, the same mechanism can be  to proposed a pathway toward a cure. Dr Aimola’s research carried tremendous promise to improve the lives of millions affected by sickle cell anaemia in Africa and beyond.

Dr. Aimola exemplified the vision of the APTI programme: to nurture African scientific leaders who can drive research excellence while building enduring scientific capacity on the continent. His passion for discovery, commitment to mentorship, and determination to develop African-led solutions to health challenges leave an enduring legacy.

The AAS remembers Dr. Idowu Aimola for his remarkable contributions to genomics research and his great efforts to build scientific capacity in Africa. We join the scientific community, especially his colleagues at the Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria, in mourning this great loss and extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, students, and all those whose lives he touched.

May Dr. Idowu Aimola rest in peace, and may his legacy continue to inspire future generations of African scientists.