UNIMED Secures Simons Foundation Grant to Advance Autism Research Across Africa

UNIMED has secured a $45,000 Simons Foundation grant to strengthen autism research, support SANAA training and foster scientific collaboration across Africa.

The grant, awarded over a three-year period, will support the Simons Academy for Neuroscience of Autism in Africa (SANAA), an intensive one- to two-week training programme designed to advance experimental and translational autism research through capacity building, mentorship and scientific collaboration.

SANAA is being led by the Laboratory for Experimental and Translational Neurobiology (LETNeu) at UNIMED, in collaboration with the Cognitive Neurophysiology Lab (CNL) of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, United States of America.

Speaking on the development, the Vice-Chancellor of UNIMED, Prof. Ebunoluwa Adejuyigbe, described the grant as a significant recognition of the university’s growing contribution to cutting-edge biomedical research and its commitment to addressing health challenges through innovation and international collaboration.

“We are delighted by this recognition from the Simons Foundation. The award is not only a financial grant; it is a vote of confidence in the quality of research being undertaken at UNIMED and in our vision of building a globally competitive research institution,” Prof Adejuyigbe said.

She noted that the SANAA initiative would provide an important platform for strengthening the expertise of African researchers in autism neuroscience and creating sustainable networks for collaborative research.

“Autism remains an important area of public health and scientific inquiry, and Africa needs a stronger research ecosystem capable of generating evidence that reflects our populations and realities. Through SANAA, we hope to equip emerging researchers with the knowledge, skills and mentorship required to contribute meaningfully to autism research and care,” she added.

According to the Vice-Chancellor, the partnership with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine further demonstrates the value of international collaboration in advancing scientific research and developing the next generation of African researchers.

“Our collaboration with the Cognitive Neurophysiology Lab at Albert Einstein College of Medicine is a strategic partnership that will expose researchers to new methodologies, expertise and opportunities for scientific exchange. We are particularly proud that this initiative is being driven by our own research group at UNIMED,” Professor Adejuyigbe said.

The SANAA programme is expected to bring together researchers and early-career scientists for intensive training, mentorship and knowledge exchange in experimental and translational approaches to understanding autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions.

The Vice-Chancellor reaffirmed UNIMED’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for research excellence and partnerships capable of producing solutions to pressing health challenges.

“At UNIMED, we believe that universities must be at the forefront of solving society’s most difficult health challenges. This grant reinforces our commitment to research excellence, innovation and partnerships that have the potential to make a lasting impact, not only in Nigeria but across the African continent,” she said.

The award adds to UNIMED’s growing profile in biomedical and translational research and underscores the university’s ambition to serve as a hub for innovative health research and capacity development in Africa.