Date: 2019-09-24

The University of Ilorin says its Department of Chemistry has secured a Seeding Labs Equipment grant worth over N120 million.

According to the University of Ilorin Bulletin issued on Monday, the department submitted two research proposals on Cancer and Cosmeceuticals that eventually won the grant for the institution.

According to the publication, the principal investigator, Ezekiel Odebunmi, said Seeding Labs is a US-based non-governmental organisation dedicated to helping scientists make discoveries that improve life and the planet.

He said the NGO is dedicated to removing a key barrier to research and science teaching by making laboratory equipment available to universities in low-and middle-income countries.

According to the report, the Seeding Labs equipment includes Mass Spectrometer, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), and other consumables among others.

It said that this will improve the Department's research productivity while enhancing the training of both its undergraduate and postgraduate students.

It explained that the Department won the grant after an unsuccessful first attempt in 2016.

"The experiences garnered in the first attempt and the other previous research acumen, as well as the commitment and support of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, assisted the team in pursuing the grant."

According to the report, the equipment, which has already arrived the Lagos Sea Port, would put the University of Ilorin on the global map because more quality research outcomes would emanate from the University.

"With the equipment, studies by the staff researchers, postgraduate and undergraduate students would take a new dimension.

"Samples that were usually being sent outside for analysis would now be done at the University with little cost. "The University would train capable individuals on how best to operate the equipment," it said. (NAN)