Biosketch

Prof Anthony Jide Afolayan is an Emeritus Professor at the Department of Botany, University of Fort Hare in South Africa. He was the Leader of the Medicinal Plants and Economic Development Research Niche Area of the same institution.

Prof Afolayan has published over 500 scientific peer reviewed papers in various internationally accredited journals. He has supervised more than 45 PhD and 18 MSc degree candidates and mentored 26 postdoctoral fellows who completed their programmes on record time. He is an internationally recognized expert in many areas of phytomedicine, pharmacology and toxicology including bioprospecting for novel drugs from medicinal plants.

He is a regularly sought after and requested lecturer at the majority of biological conferences and symposia throughout Africa, the United States, Europe and Asia.

Prof Afolayan is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Medicinal Plants for Economic Development (JOMPED). He is also a member of several editorial boards of scientific journals. Prof Afolayan is a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa, the highest scientific body of the country. He is the Founder and first President of the Society of Medicinal Plants for Economic Development (SOMPED).

Prof Afolayan is the first recipient of the Vice Chancellor’s Senior Research Medal at the University of Fort Hare in recognition of sustained research and scholarly achievements that reflect quality and excellence. He is currently a rated Scientist Researcher Category C2 by the National Research Foundation of South Africa. He has served as a member of various research evaluation committees and scientific societies and acted on a number of institutional committees including the University Ethical Committee.

His peers recognize Prof Afolayan as a scientist and expert that integrates the use of medicinal plants for economic development. Prof Afolayan holds a BSc Honours and MSc degrees in Botany and Plant Ecology respectively from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He completed his PhD degree in Plant Physiology, with emphasis on phytomedicine, at the University of Pretoria in South Africa.