Nigerian Society for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (NISBCB)

In 2005, at the 1st International Workshop on Pattern Discovery in Biology (IWPDB) that took place at Covenant University, the Nigerian Society for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (NiSBCB) was established.

The society aimed to strengthen and expand bioinformatics educational and research across Nigeria. From the current version of the society constitution, the vision, mission and objectives are:

Vision

To promote the exchange of ideas, infrastructure and resources in the fields of bioinformatics and computational biology and facilitate the interaction and collaboration among scientists and educators around the world.

The Nigerian Society for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (NISBCB) will measurably advance the awareness and understanding of the science of bioinformatics and computational biology. The society represents the bioinformatics and computational biology community in Nigeria.

Mission

The NISBCB is a scholarly society dedicated to advancing, developing and promoting bioinformatics and computational biology in Nigeria.

The NISBCB serves a global membership by impacting government and scientific policies, providing high quality publications and meetings, and through distribution of valuable information about training, education, employment and relevant news from related fields.

NISBCB seeks to develop the application of bioinformatics in Nigeria in collaboration with individuals, groups and organizations.

The objectives of the Society shall be to:

1. Be committed to capacity building, training and expansion
2. Promote the establishment of infrastructural facilities to promote Bioinformatics and computational biology
3. Advocate and guide policy development and change in bioinformatics
4. Develop bioinformatics curriculum in Nigerian universities at undergraduate and postgraduate level .
5. Promote collaboration efforts in Biological research across Nigeria and Africa
6. Design and redesign drugs and control agents that can solve the problems of tropical diseases in Africa.
7. Identify, promote and establish opportunities for networking.
8. Encourage and develop bioinformatics and computational biology nodes.
9. Increase awareness and promote the use of bioinformatics and computational biology.
10. Facilitate access to bioinformatics and computational biology infrastructure.

At the inauguration of the society in 2005, the following are the officials elected:

1. President: Dr. E. F. Adebiyi
2. Secretary I: Mr. Segun Fatumo
3. Secretariat II: Mr. Babatunde Sawyerr
4. National Adviser: Prof. Badejo
5. International Adviser: Dr. Tanya Raschke
6. Web Master: Mr. Gbenga Fashoto
7. PRO: Mr. Ayo Oladiran
8. Member: Mr Oludola, Oluwatope, Mr. Kingsley Onwuamah, Mr. Uzochukwu Ikemefuna, Rosecollet Nsofor (Miss)
9. Student Rep: Miss Ake-Johnson Oluwatoyin

Board of Trustees:

• Prof Raphael D. Isokpehi, Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona Beach, Florida, USA.
• Dr. Sunday Wuyep, Bioinformatics and Planning Section National Biotechnology Development Agency Abuja Nigeria.
• Prof. Nancy Amato, Department of Computer Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA.
• Dr. Patrick Erah, Department of Pharmacy University of Benin Benin-City Nigeria.
• Prof. Clement Bewaji, Department of Biochemistry and Physiology Faculty of Health Sciences University of Ilorin, Nigeria.
• Prof. Ezekiel F. Adebiyi, Department of Computer and Information Sciences College of Science and Technology Covenant University P.M.B 1023 Ota, Nigeria.
• Prof. Nwadiuto Esiobu, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science Florida Atlantic University 2912 College Avenue Davie, Florida, 33314 USA.

After brief effort on running the society, instinct but forced us all to focus with significant critical mass on research and this has really paid up as you can find in Segun A. Fatumo, Moses P. Adoga, Tolulope Adeoye, Itunuoluwa Ewejobi, Olugbenga Oluwagbemi, Marion Adebiyi, Opeolu O. Ojo, Raphael Isokpehi, Ezekiel Adebiyi, Clement Bewaji and Oyekanmi Nashiru. Computational Biology and Bioinformatics in Nigeria. Under revision for in PLoS Comp Biology, 2014.

It is heart gladden to note that the current bioinformatics community in Nigeria plays major role in the H3Africa Bioinformatics Network (H3ABioNet), where Prof Ezekiel Adebiyi and Dr Oyekanmi Nash are members of the Management Committee (MC) of the network.

Currently we have the following two key interim officers working with the ISCB RSG WA to organize the 1st Nigeria Society for Bio-informatics and Computational Biology (NiSBCB) conference on Bioinformatics this July, 2014. Precise date will communicate soonest. It is planned that at this conference, the executive members of the society will be reformulated.

Leaders

• Interim President: Professor Ezekiel Adebiyi
• Interim Secretary: Dr Victor Osamor
• International Advisers: Dr. Tanya Raschke and Prof Nancy Amato