Christianah Ibironke Odita | Epidemiology | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Christianah Ibironke Odita | Epidemiology | Best Researcher Award 

Research Officer | National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom | Nigeria

Dr. Christianah Ibironke Odita is a distinguished Chief Veterinary Research Officer and Head of the Division of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine at the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom, Nigeria. She holds a Ph.D. in Veterinary Science from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, an M.Sc. in Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health from the Royal Veterinary College, University of London, and a Master of Veterinary Public Health (MVPH) as well as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Her research focuses on the epidemiology and control of infectious and zoonotic diseases, particularly at the human–animal interface, with specialization in disease surveillance, risk modeling, outbreak investigation, and preventive medicine. Dr. Odita has authored and co-authored several impactful publications in reputed journals, including Vaccine, One Health Outlook, Nigerian Veterinary Journal, and Open Veterinary Journal. Her scholarly contributions span critical studies on rabies, avian influenza, anthrax, and antimicrobial resistance in poultry, emphasizing evidence-based strategies for public health policy and disease prevention. She is a Commonwealth Scholar and a recipient of the Epix Analytics One Risk Course Awards for excellence in report writing and presentation, as well as the NVRI Research Grant Award. Dr. Odita continues to contribute to advancing veterinary epidemiology and public health through research, mentorship, and active engagement in collaborative One Health initiatives across Africa. She has 7 citations from 4 documents with an h-index of 2.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID

Publications

1. Akanbi, O. B., Alaka, O. O., Olaifa, O. S., Meseko, C. A., Inuwa, B., Ohore, O. G., Tijani, M., Jarikre, T., Ola, O., & Odita, C., et al. (2024). Pathology and molecular detection of influenza A subtype H9N2 virus in commercial poultry in Nigeria. Open Veterinary Journal.

2. Odita, C. I., Conan, A., Smith-Antony, M., Battice, J., England, S., Barry, D., Gessner, B. D., & Knobel, D. L. (2022). Non-specific effects of rabies vaccine on the incidence of self-reported common infectious disease episodes: A randomized controlled trial. Vaccine.

3. Knobel, D., Odita, C. I., Conan, A., Barry, D., Smith-Anthony, M., Battice, J., England, S., & Gessner, B. D. (2020). Non-specific effects of rabies vaccine on the incidence of common infectious disease episodes: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials.

4. Odita, C. I., Conan, A., Barry, D., Smith-Antony, M., Battice, J., England, S., Gessner, B. D., & Knobel, D. (2020). Non-specific effects of rabies vaccine on the incidence of common infectious disease episodes: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Mohamed Abouelkhair | Public Health | Best Researcher Award

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Prof. Mohamed Abouelkhair | Public Health | Best Researcher Award

Associate professor | Rowan University | United States

Dr. Mohamed Adel Salaheldin Abouelkhair, DVM, MS, PhD, DACVM (Virology and Immunology), is an Associate Professor of Virology and Clinical Immunology at the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine, Rowan University, New Jersey. He earned his Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Master of Science in Veterinary Infectious Diseases from the University of Sadat City, Egypt, followed by a PhD in Comparative and Experimental Medicine from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he also completed his postdoctoral research. Dr. Abouelkhair’s research spans veterinary and comparative immunology, viral pathogenesis, infectious disease diagnostics, microbial vaccines, and host-pathogen interactions, with particular focus on immunological mechanisms in companion animals and translational models for human health. He has authored and co-authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and has contributed to advancing molecular diagnostics and immunological assays used in veterinary medicine. His scholarly impact is reflected in multiple prestigious honors, including the Peggy Cotter Award for Outstanding Early Career Researcher from the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the ASM Future Leaders Mentorship Fellowship, the Zoetis Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award nomination, and recognition at the University of Tennessee Research Foundation awards for a U.S. patent on Staphylococcus pseudintermedius virulence factors. Additionally, he has been awarded multiple Scholarships of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) projects and the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Visiting Faculty Travel Grant. Beyond research, Dr. Abouelkhair actively serves the scientific community as Chair of the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists Graduate Student Awards Committee and contributes as a reviewer and editorial board member for leading scientific journals in microbiology, immunology, and virology.

Profiles: Google Scholar | ORCID

Publications

1. Elaadli, H., Badr, Y., Raouf, M., Kania, S. A., Elsakhawy, O. K., Altaib, H., & Abouelkhair, M. A. (2025). Isolation and molecular characterization of three Staphylococcus pseudintermedius strains from dogs and humans in Egypt. Current Microbiology. Advance online publication.

2. Elsakhawy, O. K., & Abouelkhair, M. A. (2025). Genome mining reveals a sactipeptide biosynthetic cluster in Staphylococcus pseudintermedius.

3. Elsakhawy, O. K., Roozitalab, A., Abouelkhair, M. A., & Roux, S. (2025). Genome sequence of a bovine respiratory syncytial virus strain from a cow in Tennessee. Microbiology Resource Announcements.

4. Elsakhawy, O. K., Roozitalab, A., Abouelkhair, M. A., & Matthijnssens, J. (2025). Genome sequence of a Tetraparvovirus ungulate 1 strain from a cow in Tennessee, USA. Microbiology Resource Announcements.

5. Baker, E., Rich, S. M., Dennis, M., Miller, D., Su, C., Rosypal von Dohlen, A., Abouelkhair, M. A., Hamer, S. A., Jensen, A., & Gerhold, R. (2025). Pathology and parasitology of free-ranging coyotes from Tennessee and South Carolina.