UNILAG Inaugural Lecture Sheds Light on Genetic Factors in Health and Disease

Professor Idowu Adewumi Taiwo, a distinguished expert in Human Genetics and Bioinformatics, delivered the 18th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) for the 2023/2024 Academic Session on June 19, 2024. Titled “Principalities and Powers or the Gene: Which is to Blame?”, the lecture challenged the common misconceptions attributing health issues to supernatural forces rather than genetic factors.

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Professor Taiwo emphasized the crucial role of genes and chromosome mutations in causing genetic diseases. He explained that while inherited genetic diseases cannot currently be cured, they can be managed. Advances in gene manipulation technologies, such as therapeutic cloning, transgenic recombinant DNA technology, and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, offer hope but are still under ethical scrutiny.

During his lecture, Professor Taiwo highlighted the potential and risks of using medicinal plants for managing genetic diseases, cautioning against their indiscriminate use due to possible genotoxic effects. He specifically addressed sickle cell anaemia, a monogenic disorder caused by mutations in the beta globin gene, leading to haemoglobin with reduced oxygen-carrying capacity and associated complications. He argued that eradicating sickle cell disorder in Nigeria requires tackling malaria and increasing awareness about the condition.

Professor Taiwo also discussed complex genetic diseases like diabetes, pre-eclampsia, PTSD, prostate cancer, metabolic syndrome, and hypertension, which result from interactions between multiple genes and environmental factors. He stressed the importance of scientific and medical interventions for genetic diseases.

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In his recommendations, Professor Taiwo called for:

• A comprehensive review of university curricula, emphasizing the compulsory inclusion of Genetics, Molecular Biology, Genomics, and Bioinformatics in biological and medical programs.
• A mandatory course in Forensic Genetics for law students to equip them with knowledge critical for the legal system.
• Government legislation for compulsory newborn screening programs to test for at least seven genetic disorders, which can prevent or mitigate conditions if detected early.
• Establishment of Genetic Counseling Centres for premarital and marital counseling to inform couples of their genetic risks.

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Professor Taiwo concluded with a powerful message: “In disease or in health, we should ask the genes.”