Anthony Chukwubuikem, a Microbiologist/Biotechnologist founded Research Awake Africa Initiative (RAAI) and is currently the President, Global Development at RAAI. He is saddled with the responsibility of overseeing the activities of RAAI fora and campuses globally. He is passionate about making a positive social impact and believes in the potential of Africa, and her ability to overcome her current challenges.

Oluwatosin Abdulsalam is a Microbiologist and Research Fellow of the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Australia. He works as a Research Scientist at the Friedrich Schiller University, Germany, and is a member of the faculty at the Microbiology department of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He obtained his Doctorate degree in Germany and is the Director of the Medicine, Public Health and Life Sciences forum at RAAI. His commitment to problem solving in this field has led him to co-found two start-ups addressing issues on the environment and sustainability while facilitating several intercontinental research collaborations within the Medicine, Public Health and Life Sciences forum.

Dami began his research journey in animal science in Nigeria before deciding to pivot to molecular life science at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. His early scientific strides began in regenerative/ageing research, where he was extensively involved in research characterizing macrophage immune phenotype as age advances in the context of peripheral nerve regeneration. Realizing the paucity of scientific information regarding how biological ageing affects functional characteristics of macrophages outside the context of infection, injury or disease, he decided to pursue his PhD at the Leibniz Institute for Aging Research – Fritz Lippmann Institute in Jena. 

Using computational biology approach combined with high-throughput multi-omics and strategic biomarker analysis, he examined atypical regulatory mechanisms driving macrophage immune response in steady state, leading to the identification of non-classical mediators that alter peripheral nerve integrity in old age. 

For his postdoctoral research, Dami joined the CRC TRR332 Neutrophil Consortium at the Institute of Experimental Pathology within the Medical Faculty, University Hospital of Münster where he uses spatial biology techniques to answer complex scientific questions related to neutrophil regulation in organ health and disease. 

Dami has extensive commercial experience in sales and customer service, which in combination with his extensive scientific skillset, makes him an effective communicator with strong interpersonal capabilities. His interdisciplinary skillset in analysing diverse forms of data with his critical thinking skills makes him able to contribute strategically and meaningfully to diverse projects.

Elsie Quansah is a Research Physicist in the field of Optics and Photonics at the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Germany. Prior to this, she worked as a Physicist at the Ghana Atomic Energy Comission. Elsie obtained her Bachelor's degree in Physics from the prestigeous University of Cape coast in Ghana, and a Masters degree in Photonics from the Abbe School of Photonics in Germany. She is the Chief Projects Management officer at Research Awake Africa Initiative.