About Indigene Study

Welcome to Indigenous Linguistic and Cultural Concepts of Heritability and Comprehension of Genomics Research in Nigeria (Indigene Study)

What is Indigene Study?

The Indigenous Linguistic and Cultural Concepts of Heritability and Comprehension of Genomics Research in Nigeria (INDIGENE) study is an NHGRI funded research exploring linguistic and cultural concepts used to describe heritability of traits and diseases by indigenous Yoruba in Nigeria.

Methodology

The concepts and words that they use can be integrated into informed consent process to enhance comprehension of informed consent in genomics research.
Our methodology can be replicated in other groups and populations to identify similar words, phrases, idioms and proverbs for the enhancement of informed consent in genomics research in those populations.

Progress so far

We have already identified words, concepts, proverbs and other expressions used to express knowledge and understanding of transmissibility or heritability of characters, traits and diseases among the Yoruba. These words show that the Yoruba understand genomics concepts such as traits, dominance, heritability, recessivity sex-linkage and their relationship to physical traits and diseases.
We invite researchers to contribute to this online repository of indigenous words and phrases by contacting us and submitting similar words and phrases in their languages

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Meet Members of the team

Our researchers have profound interest in conducting empirical research on the research ethics. We use combination of qualitative and quantitative methods in our projects and our institution in Nigeria is a Center of Excellence in qualitative research methods using Atlas.ti.

The Indigene Project team is led by Dr. Clement A. Adebamowo MD, FWACS, FACS, ScD, FASCO, Research Scientist at the Center for Bioethics and Research (CBR) and the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) in Nigeria; and Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health; Member, Institute of Human Virology, Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health; Center for Research on Aging and Associate Director (Population Science), Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.


Sally N. Adebamowo MD, MSc, ScD is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, and Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, U.S. She is a physician and epidemiologist with expertise and publications in ethics, biostatistics, qualitative methods, clinical trials, epidemiology and genomics studies.


Ayodele S. Jegede MHSc, PhD is a Professor of Medical Sociology, Anthropology and Bioethics, Department of Sociology, Faculty of the Social Sciences; Chairperson, Social Science and Humanities Research Ethics Committee, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; Faculty Member, West African Bioethics Training Program. A recipient of many scholarships and fellowships, Prof. Jegede has conducted and published several qualitative studies in reputable international journals.

The study is coordinated by Rasheed O. Taiwo, Research Associate at the Center for Bioethics and Research (CBR), Nigeria and graduate student at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. With extensive trainings in research methodologies and bioethics, he has practical experience in manpower training, educational measurement, programme evaluation, research design, bioethics and genomics research.


Temilola Yusuf, Pharmacist with interest in Pharmacogenomics and ethical conduct of qualitative, epidemiological and clinical research. She has been involved in a number of genomics research as a Research Associate at the Center for Bioethics and Research (CBR), Nigeria.


Faith Fagbohunlu, a Research Nurse at the Center for Bioethics and Research (CBR), is passionate with clinical studies. She has several years of hands-on work experience in ethical research, qualitative methods, epidemiological and genomcs studies.


Gbemisola Jenfa is a Research Nurse at the Center for Bioethics and Research (CBR). She has received trainings in Bioethics and has participated in several in epidemiological, genomcs and qualitative research.


Kunle Oyafajo is a Certified IT Solution Architect and PMP. He is the web master and system administrator with responsibilities on this project for all activities related to the website.




The Indigene Project is one of the Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) of genomics research projects supported by the Human Heredity and Health in Africa