Nurturing Africa’s next generation of phage scientists
The Ibadan Bacteriophage Research Team is the University of Ibadan’s pioneering undergraduate research community. We pair students with seasoned faculty to discover, annotate and publish bacteriophage genomes, and to look for answers to antimicrobial resistance.
Undergraduate research, done seriously
IBRT began in 2018, when the Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science joined the Science Education Alliance–Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) programme, run by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the University of Pittsburgh.
Prof. O.G. Ademowo and a faculty team of eight biomedical researchers started the team with 11 volunteer students. Since then it has become one of the most active undergraduate research organisations in sub-Saharan Africa. It runs a three-year, student-taught and faculty-guided course in bacteriophage biology, bioinformatics and research writing.
- Hands-on genome annotation with DNA Master, Phamerator, Starterator and Artemis
- Four working groups: Bacteriophage, AMR, Cancer & Transcriptomics, Metagenomics
- A mentor-mentee culture that has taken students to HHMI, Wellcome and ESCMID stages
From phage genomes to global conversations
Our work covers discovery, training, publishing and outreach, all of it carried out by undergraduates.
Genomic research
We annotate and publish phage genomes for the Actinobacteriophage Database and NCBI. Our working groups also study AMR, cancer transcriptomics and metagenomics.
Our researchThree-year training
Year 1 covers SEA-PHAGES and research basics. Year 2 covers research skills and a working group. In Year 3, members design and run their own projects.
The programmeWorld Phage Week
Since 2020 we have hosted Africa’s first undergraduate-led phage webinar series. In 2026 it becomes a hybrid symposium.
See the eventPHAMILIA Journal
Africa’s first undergraduate research journal in bacteriophage biology. It records our findings, member profiles and guest work.
Read PHAMILIAAffiliate projects
Our training model powers the Ibadan Enterovirus Project and the BAMSSA Research Hub of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences.
Affiliate workScience advocacy
We run Twitter Spaces, conference talks and social media outreach that give African phage research a wider audience.
OutreachWorld Phage Week Symposium 2026
“Beyond Clinical Therapy: The Fate of Phages in the World of the Future” takes phage science beyond the clinic, into industry, agriculture and the environment. Volume 3 of PHAMILIA launches at the event.
A track record built by undergraduates
ESCMID “30 under 30”
The pioneer team lead, Tolulope J. Oduselu, was the youngest honoree on the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases list.
Only African team at the 12th SEA Symposium
IBRT presented three abstracts there, more than any other team from an African university.
Vice-Chancellor’s commendation
Prof. K. Adebowale recognised the team in the University of Ibadan convocation address.
SEDRIC consortium & ISVM grant
IBRT became the only undergraduate team in the Wellcome SEDRIC consortium. Its team head also won an ISVM early-career travel grant.
IBRT has done the department proud, the faculty proud, the University proud, and indeed Nigeria and Africa, because of their initiatives, their conduct and their achievements.Prof. Olusegun George AdemowoFounder & Faculty Head, IBRT (PHAMILIA Vol. 1)
Supported by a global phage community
Ready to start your research journey?
Recruitment opens each year for 300–500 level Biomedical Laboratory Science students at the University of Ibadan.