Marycelin Baba
Marycelin Baba | |
|---|---|
| Alma mater | Ahmadu Bello University; University of Ibadan |
| Occupation(s) | Virologist, Professor of Medical Virology, Lecturer |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Employer(s) | University of Maiduguri; WHO Polio Laboratory |
| Known for | Research leading to near extinction of wild polio in Nigeria; COVID-19 surveillance; arbovirus research |
Marycelin Baba is a distinguished Nigerian virologist who holds the positions of Laboratory Director, Professor of Medical Virology, and lecturer at the University of Maiduguri. As an alumna of the IIE Scholar Rescue Fund, she is acclaimed for her pivotal research that played a crucial role in bringing wild polio in Nigeria to near extinction, leading to the country's certification as polio-free.
Education
Baba obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. She pursued her Master of Science in Virology, completed in 1992, followed by a PhD in Virology awarded in 2005 at the University of Ibadan. Her doctoral studies spanned eight years (1996–2004) due to challenges such as limited reagent availability and financial constraints; however, assistance from the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World was instrumental in finalizing her research.
Career
Following her PhD, Baba assumed leadership of the Medical Laboratory Science department at the University of Maiduguri. Between 2006 and 2016, she served as Director of the WHO Polio Laboratory located in Maiduguri and was promoted to Professor of Medical Virology in 2009. Security concerns arising from Boko Haram activities compelled her to relocate to South Africa and Kenya in 2012, where she continued her research under two fellowships from the Institute of International Education Scholar Rescue Fund. During this time, she expanded her investigations into enteroviruses and arboviruses. Upon returning to Nigeria in 2017, Baba resumed her role at the WHO polio laboratory within the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, contributing significantly to Nigeria’s near-total polio eradication.
Research
Currently, Baba’s research concentrates on arbovirus infections affecting febrile patients and mosquito vectors across Nigeria. She has also played an active role in Nigeria’s COVID-19 surveillance efforts by utilizing the capabilities of her WHO-accredited laboratory. She notes that RNA extraction methods developed for polio research have enhanced the efficiency of COVID-19 testing nationwide. Furthermore, Baba has provided expert analysis on COVID-19 transmission patterns throughout the pandemic.
Recently, she was appointed by WHO as Technical Officer for Environmental Surveillance within the Polio Eradication Program in Congo Brazzaville. Despite Nigeria’s official polio-free status, she stresses the importance of continuous monitoring to prevent any resurgence.
Selected publications
- Jenkins, Helen E., et al. "Implications of a Circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus in Nigeria." New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 362, no. 25, 2010, pp. 2360–2369.
- Baba, Marycelin, et al. "Has Rift Valley fever virus evolved with increasing severity in human populations in East Africa?" Emerging Microbes & Infections, vol. 5, no. 1, 2016, e58.
- Baba, Marycelin M., et al. "Assessment of immunity against Yellow Fever virus infections in northeastern Nigeria using three serological assays." Journal of Medical Virology, vol. 93, no. 8, 2021, pp. 4856–4864.
Honors and awards
On June 19, 2023, Baba was honored with a Special Tribute from the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Awards in recognition of her instrumental contributions toward nearly eradicating polio.