Professor Uwemedimo Friday Ekpo is Professor of Parasitology & Epidemiology at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta and holds an appointment as Adjunct Professor at Akwa Ibom State University, Nigeria. He began his public health career as a Zonal Assistant with the Nigerian Guinea Worm Eradication Programme (1991–1999), contributing to the eradication of the disease. His PhD work pioneered geospatial mapping of urinary schistosomiasis in Ogun State, producing risk maps that guided evidence-based interventions. Between 2009 and 2015, he was awarded both junior and senior postdoctoral fellowships by the Volkswagen Foundation (Germany), enabling the development of Bayesian geostatistical models and high-resolution maps of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) across Nigeria. These models integrated remotely sensed environmental and socio-economic data to support national planning for preventive chemotherapy. His academic research has significantly influenced the control of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). He has published 101 peer-reviewed articles, two technical reports, and one book. He is the first/corresponding author of 28% of his journal publications. He has attracted 11 research grants. His Google Citation Score and h-index are 2825 and 28, respectively. Notably, his research produced the first clinical evidence of female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) in Nigeria, spotlighting a neglected health burden among women and adolescent girls in endemic areas. Currently, He leads work on schistosome hybridisation, snail vector mapping, and health education through African board game adaptations. He is a member of key expert bodies, including the WHO/AFRO Regional Programme Review Group for NTDs, WHO-TAG on SCH/STH Control, Nigeria’s National Onchocerciasis Elimination Committee, and the National Technical Working Group for SCH/STH. He serves as Editor or Editor-in-Chief for five scientific journals. He has supervised to completion of 23 MSc and 12 PhD postgraduate students. His career demonstrates a strong blend of scientific leadership, public health impact, and mentoring excellence.
