INTRODUCTION

The increase in food production in Africa has not been able to address the problem of malnutrition and food insecurity. About half of African population are living below the poverty line and suffers from chronic hunger and malnourishment due to inadequate food supply and contamination by food borne diseases. This threat is more in West and Central Africa. The threat on food by mycotoxins has been a major constraint to food security leading to losses in crops yield, human productivity and various health challenges on man. Other threats, such as salmonellosis, entero-haemorrhagic, hepatitis A, acute and chronic aflatoxicosis, cholera, heavy metal poisoning, antibiotic resistance arising from improper use of veterinary drugs, chronic pesticide and industrial chemical residue exposure, need urgent attention. These pervasive problems require transformative science, engineering and policy solutions brought about by a knowledgeable workforce. The PhD programme in Food Safety will come up with learning opportunities and research results that will address Africa’s shortage of expertise and ensure that applicable solutions for safe, controlled and sufficient food supply that will support economic growth and public health are established. The intervention strategies include development of early warning systems, fit-for-purpose good agricultural and food processing codes of practice, drought, pest and mycotoxin resistant cultivars, phytofungicides, bio-competitively eliminating mycotoxin producing antifungi at the farm using nanobased mycotoxin feed binder and detoxifiers, and portable detection systems to ensure food security in West and Central Africa sub- region.

PHILOSOPHY

PhD in Food Safety is a full time programme designed by the Africa Centre of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety for the purpose of encouraging cross-border collaboration to provide relevant human and material resources for the effective training of high-level independent minded, self-reliant and competent researchers and qualified personnels that will provide critical skills for effective food management system. It will also provide the skills that will adequately address the research and training needs of the region, to conduct regional survey of food borne pathogens and toxic chemical residues, assess their health and economic impacts and consequently set appropriate national and regional standards for effective prevention and control. It will also provide laboratory infrastructure of International standard for effective food control system to generate occurrence data, formulate and effectively enforce standards, account for the deplorable food safety situation of the Continent.

VISION

To produce skilled manpower with quality education and training in the use of modern functional equipment and innovative research for assessing impacts of food borne pathogens and toxic chemical residues on the health and economy of West and Central Africa Sub-region and consequently set appropriate national and regional standards for effective prevention and control of food borne pathogens and toxic chemicals that can guide policy formulation across the African region.

MISSION

To train skilled and innovative work-force that will transform Africa’s Natural Resources into goods and services, driven by entrepreneurship and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), to positively affect the economy and thus the quality of life of her people.

AIM: To train Food Safety graduates that will impact better food and feed safety culture and ensure safer foods for healthy living across Africa.

OBJECTIVES:

It will be carried out through the following broad themes:

(a)       To acquire knowledge required to create an interdisciplinary, experimential education model that will prepare students on the rapidly emerging need for innovations at the nexus of food security, food safety, agricultural productivity and economics from local to global scales.

(b)       To acquire skills and innovative ideas that would transform Africa’s natural resources into goods and services, driven by entrepreneurship and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), to positively affect the economy and thus the quality of life of her people.

(c)       To be able to foster impactful interdisciplinary research and implement solutions that will improve the quality of life of Africans through fit-for-purpose interventions fostering economic growth and access to sufficient safe food for all.

(d)       To be able to address Africa’s shortage of expertise and applicable solutions to ensure a safe, controlled and sufficient food supply that will support economic growth and public health.

Specific objectives are as follows:

1. To gain better understanding of effective food safety principles
2. To differentiate between a traditional food safety management system versus a
   science-based food safety approach.
3. To understand international food safety regulation and its subsidiaries bodies
4. To improve the effectiveness of training, education and communication efforts in
   creating smarter food safety goals
5. To acquire practical food safety knowledge and real-world applications that will help
   them become more effective in their current role and better equip them as food safety
             experts
6. To increase knowledge on how to handle and prevent food-borne disease outbreaks
7. To understand process of food production from farm to table.
8. To award PhD degree in Food Safety

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Admission into the PhD programme is TWICE a year (ie at the beginning of new academic session and commencement of second semester of every academic session).

Candidate for admission to the PhD programme in Food Safety of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety shall have the following requirements:

• Candidates applying for PhD must have minimum of five ‘O’ level credit passes in NECO/WAEC/NABTEB or its equivalent for international students which must include English/French, Mathematics and any other (three) relevant science subjects (Chemistry, Biology and Physics) at no more than two sittings.
• Nigerian applicants must have National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate or NYSC exemption certificate.
• Candidates should ensure their Academic Transcripts are received on time to allow for consideration of the application.
• Applicants for admission to PhD shall be Master’s Degree graduates and must have attained an average performance of ‘B’ grade or weighted average of 60% or a minimum CGPA of 3.50
• Applicants should ensure that their research proposals are received on time for consideration of the application.
• Candidates must provide three referees, one of whom must be his/her supervisor or an academic referee.

Note:

1. Graduates with Master degree from the following specialization/areas: Food Safety, Food Toxicology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, Microbiology, Veterinary Medicine, Medicine & Surgery, Pharmacy, Chemistry, Food Science, Animal Science, Crop Science, Plant Pathology are qualified to apply for the PhD programme in Food Safety.

1. Candidates without relevant background in food safety (M.Sc/M.Tech Food Safety) will be required to audit core courses from our Masters programme on assessment of their academic transcript by Academic Board of the Centre.

1. Candidates from non-English speaking countries (Francophone Countries) are to undergo proficiency training in English Language (maximum of six months). The waiting period for the training is not counted as part of candidate’s academic programme duration.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

To be awarded a PhD degree in Food safety, a student is expected to have satisfied the following conditions:

• Must have presented and passed seminar of 4 credit units
• A group of supervisors shall be nominated by the centre, presented and approved by the postgraduate board for the candidates.
• Present oral proposal, two progress report and final internal oral examination.
• At least TWO paper publications from the dissertation in impact factor journals and TWO conference presentations before final examination can take place.
• Final oral examination
• The final corrected version of the PhD dissertation must be re-submitted within three months from the date of final oral defense.

DURATION

The duration for the programme are: 

Full-time        Minimum         6 Semesters or 36 months

                       Maximum       10 Semesters or 60 months

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION

The PhD in Food safety will be based purely on research, except for those candidates that were recommended to audit courses.

.CAREER/JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Doctoral degree holders in Food Safety have job opportunities in Agriculture and Food industries, regulatory organizations, Standards bureau/organizations, National Drug Administration and Food Control, Quarantine services, Veterinary Centres, Hospitals, Food and Chemical Industries and lots more.

INTRODUCTION

This programme will balance the molecular biology, engineering, computing and modeling necessary for career in food safety and security. It connects research with application and integrates molecular genetics that explains the information in the gene expressed that give rise to abnormalities traits in an organism. .Modern molecular biology depends on computational data analysis refers to as Bioinformatics. The emphasis will be placed on the genetic mechanisms underlying diseases, mapping and diagnosis such as salmonellosis, entero-haemorrhagic, hepatitis A, acute and chronic aflatoxicosis, cholera, heavy metal poisoning, and the threat of antibiotic resistance arising from improper use of veterinary drugs, and chronic pesticide and industrial chemical residue exposure. This programme combines concepts and techniques of molecular biology with hands on bioinformatics as a necessary skill gap career to address Africa’s shortage of expertise and applicable solutions to ensure a safe, controlled and sufficient food supply that will support economic growth and public health. Also, the centre focus on training in innovation process, entrepreneurship and commercialization of biotechnology products. The knowledge and skills gain from this programme open doors to employment within many sectors in industry, academia and agencies concerned with patent and legal issues, education or research funding.

PHILOSOPHY

The graduate program (M.Tech) in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics is a full time designed by the Africa Centre of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety for the purpose of advanced research based education with the goal of encouraging cross-border collaboration for the effective training of high-level independent minded, self-reliant and competent researchers that is capable of providing critical skills in effective food system

VISION

To be the leading Centre recognized nationally and internationally for teaching and research to produce leaders with capacity in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics in Sub-Africa that will solve the development challenges confronting Africa in the area of food safety and security.

MISSION

To restore quality education and training in innovative research that address food safety and security for improve well-being and economy of West and Central Africa Sub-region.

AIM:  To provide educational and research training to postgraduate students to produce new generation African scientists as workforce for addressing mycotoxin problem for safer food and sustainable and secure health as well as wellbeing of Humanity.

OBJECTIVES: It will be carried out through the following broad themes:

• Acquired a knowledge required to create an interdisciplinary, experiential education model that will prepare them on the rapidly emerging need for innovations at the nexus of food security, food safety, agricultural productivity and economics from local to global scales.
• Acquired skilled and innovative ideas that would transform Africa’s natural resources into goods and services, driven by entrepreneurship and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), to positively affect the economy and thus the quality of life of her people.
• Be able to foster impactful interdisciplinary research and implement solutions that will improve the quality of life of Africans through fit-for-purpose interventions fostering economic growth and access to sufficient safe food for all.
• Be able to address Africa’s shortage of expertise and applicable solutions to ensure a safe, controlled and sufficient food supply that will support economic growth and public health.

Specific objectives are as follows:

1. To provide theoretical and practical knowledge in general and microbial biochemistry, molecular biology and bioinformatics related to food contaminant control and safer food among postgraduate students from West and Central African region.
2. To position the postgraduate students for successful grant writing and becoming independent researchers in mycotoxin and food safety
3. To provide linkages for industrial experience acquisition among the postgraduate students.
4. To help the postgraduate students understand research ethics and use of intellectual property for innovative research products for wealth creation and addressing mycotoxin control needs in West and Central African region.
5. To award PhD degree in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Admission into the PhD programme is TWICE a year (ie at the beginning of new academic session and commencement of second semester of every academic session).

Candidate for admission to the PhD programme in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety shall have the following requirements:

• Candidates applying for PhD must have minimum of five credit passes at ‘O’ level or its equivalent for international students which must include English/French, Mathematics and any other (three) relevant science subjects (Chemistry, Biology and Physics) at no more than two sittings.
• Nigerian applicants must have National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate or NYSC exemption certificate.
• PhD candidates should ensure their Academic Transcripts are received on time to allow for consideration of the application.
• Applicants for admission to PhD shall be Master’s Degree graduates and must have attained an average performance of ‘B’ grade or weighted average of 60% or a minimum CGPA of 3.50. The related courses are: Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, Microbiology, Veterinary Medicine, Bachelor of Medicine & Surgery, Pharmacy, Chemistry, Food Science, Animal Science, Crop Science, Plant Pathology and related subjects.
• Applicants should ensure that their research proposals are received on time for consideration of the application.
• Candidates must provide three referees, one of whom must be his/her supervisor or an academic referee.

Note:

1. Graduates with Master degree from the following specialization/areas: Food Safety, Food Toxicology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, Microbiology, Veterinary Medicine, Medicine & Surgery, Pharmacy, Chemistry, Food Science, Animal Science, Crop Science, Plant Pathology are qualified to apply for the PhD programme in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics.

1. Candidates without relevant background in food safety (M.Sc/M.Tech Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics) will be required to audit core courses from our Masters programme on assessment of their academic transcript by Academic Board of the Centre. 

1. Candidates from non-English speaking countries (Francophone Countries) are to undergo proficiency training in English Language (maximum of six months). The waiting period for the training is not counted as part of candidate’s academic programme duration.

 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Doctoral Programme

To be awarded a PhD degree in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, a candidate is expected to satisfy the following conditions before graduation;

• All PhD candidates must pass seminar of 4 credit unit
• A group of supervisors shall be nominated by the Centre, presented and approved by the postgraduate board for the candidates.
• Present oral proposal, two progress report and final internal oral examination.
• At least TWO paper publications from the dissertation in Impact Factor Journals and TWO conference presentations before final examination can take place.
• Final oral examination
• The final corrected version of the PhD dissertation must be re-submitted within three months from the date of final oral defense.

Registration and Duration

PhD candidates will be required to register as full time at the beginning of any semester.

Full-time               Full-time        Minimum         6 Semesters or 36 months

                                                    Maximum       10 Semesters or 60 months

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION

The PhD in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics will be based purely on research, except for those candidates that were recommended to audit courses.

CAREER/JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Doctoral degree holders in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics have job opportunities in Agriculture and Food industries and regulatory organizations ; Standards bureau/organizations, National drug administration and food control, Quarantine services, Veterinary Centres, Hospitals, Food and Chemical Industries and as Bioinformatician, Drug Discovery scientist, Molecular Mycologist, Data Scientist, Computational Scientist, Modeling expert, Nanotechnologist, Food borne infection control expert, Biochemistry Food industry, Animal feed Quarantine Institution, Universities, Research Institute.

INTRODUCTION

Toxicology is a scientific discipline, overlapping with biology, chemistry, pharmacology and medicine,that involve the study of the adverse effects of chemical substances on living organisms and the practice of diagnosing and treating exposures to toxins and toxicants. The chemical toxicants include inorganic substances such as lead, mercury, cadmium, hydrofluoric acid, chlorine gas and organic compounds such as methyl alcohol, most medications and poisons from living things.

The Africa Centre of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety intends to train toxicologist in the areas of analytical toxicology, applied toxicology, clinical toxicology, veterinary toxicology, forensic toxicology, environmental toxicology, and industrial toxicology.  These toxicologists will have expertise to investigate, interpret, and communicate the nature and the adverse effects of the toxicants, thereby providing the necessary basis for protection measures. In doing these, toxic genomics that involves applying molecular profiling approaches to the study of toxicology would be employed.

The toxicology course would help in the development of new effective and safe chemicals monitor the effect of chemicals on environment, ensures that food and water are free from chemical and microbial contamination and safe for consumption. It will also assist in the diagnosis and treatment of chemical poisoning in humans and animals, provides specialized expert opinion in legal cases where medicines, food borne pathogens/poisons, drugs of abuse may be implicated, provide guidance for the safe use of chemicals in farms/farm produce and the ecosystems.

PHILOSOPHY

PhD Toxicology is a full time programme designed by the Africa Centre of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety for the purpose of encouraging cross-border collaboration to provide relevant human and material resources for the effective training of high-level independent minded, self-reliant and competent researchers that is capable of providing critical skills in effective food system.  Postgraduate programme in food safety, food toxicology and molecular biology will also provide the skills that will adequately address the research and training needs to conduct regional survey of food borne pathogens and toxic chemical residues, assess their health and economic impacts and consequently set appropriate national and regional standards for effective prevention and control.

VISION

To produce skilled Man power with quality education and training in the use of modern functional equipment and innovative research for assessing impacts of food borne pathogens and toxic chemical residues on the health and economic West and Central Africa Sub-region and consequently set appropriate national and regional standards for effective prevention and control of food poison that can guide policy formulation across the Africa region.

MISSION

To integrate the three components of the knowledge triangle – education, research and innovation – to solve the development challenges confronting Africa by creating enabling environment comprising of modern functional equipment and adequately motivated manpower to achieve quality Education, Research and Development in Food Toxicology and Safety.

AIM

The aim of the program is to expose students to an in depth knowledge of toxicology, mechanisms of toxicants, effects on living systems, effects on environment, detection, prevention and control.

OBJECTIVES: It will be carried out through the following broad themes:

• Acquisition of knowledge required to create an interdisciplinary, experimental education model that will create enablement for tackling the rapidly emerging need for innovations at the nexus of food security, food safety, agricultural productivity and economics from local to global scales.
• Acquired skilled and innovative ideas that would transform Africa’s natural resources into goods and services, driven by entrepreneurship and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), to positively affect the economy and thus the quality of life of her people.
• Be able to foster impactful interdisciplinary research and implement solutions that will improve the quality of life of Africans through fit-for-purpose interventions fostering economic growth and access to sufficient safe food for all.
• Be able to address Africa’s shortage of expertise and applicable solutions to ensure a safe, controlled and sufficient food supply that will support economic growth and public health.

Specific objectives are as follows:

1. To expose students to advanced toxicological activities
2. To describe various toxic actions and explain how they affect organs and systems
3. To expose students to instrumentation techniques and analytical procedure in
   toxicology
4. To impart knowledge on risk assessment, prevention and control of toxins
5. To expose the students to toxicological techniques for food, industrial and
   environmental applications.
6. To award PhD degree in Toxicology

PROGRAM NAME: DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PhD) IN TOXICOLOGY

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Admission into the PhD programme is TWICE a year (ie at the beginning of new academic session and commencement of second semester of every academic session).

Candidate for admission to the PhD programme in Toxicology of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety shall have the following requirements:

• Candidates applying for PhD must have minimum of five credit passes at ‘O’ level or its equivalent for international students which must include English/French, Mathematics and any other (three) relevant science subjects (Chemistry, Biology and Physics) at no more than two sittings.
• Nigerian applicants must have National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate or NYSC exemption certificate.
• PhD candidates should ensure their Academic Transcripts are received on time to allow for consideration of the application.
• Applicants for admission to PhD shall be Master’s Degree graduates and must have attained an average performance of ‘B’ grade or weighted average of 60% or a minimum CGPA of 3.50.
• Applicants should ensure that their research proposals are received on time for consideration of the application.
• Candidates must provide three referees, one of whom must be his/her supervisor or an academic referee.

Note:

1. Graduates with Master degree from the following specialization/areas: Food Safety, Food Toxicology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, Microbiology, Veterinary Medicine, Medicine & Surgery, Pharmacy, Chemistry, Food Science, Animal Science, Crop Science, Plant Pathology are qualified to apply for the PhD programme in Toxicology.

1. Candidates without relevant background in Food Safety (M.Sc/M.Tech Toxicology) will be required to audit core courses from our Masters programme on assessment of their academic transcript by Academic Board of the Centre.

1. Candidates from non-English speaking countries (Francophone Countries) are to undergo proficiency training in English Language (maximum of six smonths). The waiting period for the training is not counted as part of candidate’s academic programme duration.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Doctoral Programme

To be awarded a PhD degree in Toxicology, a candidate is expected to satisfy the following conditions before graduation;

• On the advice of academic board of the Centre, student without background in relevant programme (M.Sc Toxicology) may be required to offer core courses related to area of interest.
• All PhD candidates must pass seminar of 4 credit unit
• A group of supervisors shall be nominated by the Centre, presented and approved by the postgraduate board for the candidates.
• Present oral proposal, two progress report and final internal oral examination.
• At least TWO paper publications from the dissertation in impact factor journals and TWO conference presentations before final examination can take place.
• Final oral examination
• The final corrected version of the PhD dissertation must be re-submitted within three months from the date of final oral defense.

Registration and Duration

PhD candidates will be required to register as full time at the beginning of any semester.

Full-time                     6 Semesters                    36 months as minimum

                                    10 Semesters                   60 months as maximum

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION

The PhD Programme in Toxicology will be based purely on research, except for those candidates that were recommended to audit courses.

CAREER/JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Doctoral degree holders in Toxicology have job opportunities in Standards bureau/organizations, National drug administration and food control, Quarantine services, Veterinary Centres, Hospitals, Food and Chemical Industries and lots more.