By Ijeoma Olorunfemi
Prof. Stephen Adefegha has received the Gold Medalist Life Sciences, 2025 for his research on brain-protective foods from the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS).
Prof. Jonathan Babalola, Chairman, NAS Science Prize Committee, announced this in a statement he issued in Abuja.
Adefegha is a professor of Biochemistry at the Federal University of Technology, Akure.
The NAS Gold Medal was instituted by the academy in 2016 and targeted at awarding deserving Nigerian scientists who had carried out specific research of national relevance and global resonance in science.
The award, an annual event, alternates between Life and Physical Sciences and consists of a medal, a certificate and a cash reward.
Adefegha’s research looked at how the food eaten by humans and certain natural substances found in foods called bioactives could help protect the brain.
The foods and bioactive compounds may help slow down or prevent damage to the brain that could lead to memory loss, dementia or other problems as human beings age.
“Professor Adefegha is being awarded the prize for his work on functional foods and nutraceuticals, for exploring and exploiting the neuroprotective properties of some bioactive food components such as phenolic acid, flavonoids, alkaloids, essential oils.
“His research provides biochemical, molecular basis for neuroprotection.
“The research also focused on the critical roles of food and food bioactives in the management and prevention of neuro-degeneration,” he said.
He explained that neuro-degeneration was a condition characterised by the progressive impairment of neuronal functions, structural damage and could lead to cell death.
“Adefegha showed that Moringa spp alkaloid extracts mitigated paraquat-induced neurotoxicity in Drosophila melanogaster also known as fruit flies.”
Babalola said that Adefegha would receive the Gold Medal from the academy during its seventh NAS annual scientific conference early 2026.
NAS, established 1977, was set up to promote the growth, acquisition, dissemination of scientific knowledge and to facilitate its use in solving problems of national interest and chatting the nation’s scientific policy path. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Uche Anunne
