Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa
FUOYE Academic Staff Profile
Prof. Olawale Razaq Ajuwon
Professor
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences
Area of Specialization: Redox Biology, Environmental Toxicology, Molecular Toxicology, and Phytomedicine
Biography
Professor Olawale Razaq Ajuwon is a distinguished Nigerian academic and researcher in the field of Biochemistry, with specialization in Redox Biochemistry, Phytomedicine, Environmental Toxicology, and Molecular Toxicology. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Nigeria. After an undergraduate and postgraduate training in Biochemistry, Professor Ajuwon obtained a Doctor Technologiae (D.Tech.) degree in Biomedical Sciences from Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), South Africa, in 2013. His academic career has been distinguished by several competitive scholarships and fellowships, including the CPUT Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships, NRF Free-Standing Postdoctoral Fellowship, Claude Leon Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship, and the Swiss Government Excellence Research Scholarship at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. He was also a recipient of the Young Investigator Award at the 2016 Oxygen Club of California World Congress. Professor Ajuwon has extensive teaching and mentoring experience at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He has supervised more than 150 undergraduate projects, and numerous M.Sc. research dissertations. He currently has six Ph.D. students under his supervision. His research focuses on oxidative stress, inflammation, and redox signalling in non-communicable diseases (specifically hypertension, diabetes, and cancer), and the role of natural products and functional foods in their management. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and has participated in competitive research projects, including a TETFund Institution-Based Research Grant. Professor Ajuwon has held several academic leadership positions, including Departmental Postgraduate Programme Coordinator and Acting Head of the Department of Biochemistry. He has also served on numerous Faculty and University committees and investigative panels. His contributions to university administration have earned commendations from the Vice-Chancellor and Dean of his Faculty. He continues to contribute to academic development through research, postgraduate mentorship, external examination, academic assessment, and professional service.
Research Interests
The principal research interests in my laboratory are in redox biochemistry, environmental and molecular toxicology, phytomedicine and cancer biology. Our research seeks to understand the role of oxidative and reductive stress, inflammation, and redox signalling in pathophysiology of non-communicable diseases including diabetes, cancer, hypertension, benign prostatic hyperplasia among others. Our research also explores the pharmacological potentials of medicinal plants and bioactive phytochemicals, as well as their mechanisms of action. In our research, we integrate biochemical, molecular, toxicological, and in silico approaches to investigate therapeutic strategies for management of diabetes, cancer, organ toxicity, and other oxidative stress-related disorders.
Qualifications
| Degree | Institution | Year |
|---|---|---|
| B.Sc. (Biochemistry) | Ogun State University (Now Olabisi Onabanjo University) Ago-Iwoye, Nigeria | 1991 |
| M.Sc. (Biochemistry) | University of Lagos, Nigeria | 2002 |
| D.Tech. (Biomedical Science) | Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa | 2013 |
Awards
Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa
University of Szeged, Hungary
National Research Foundation, South Africa
Claude Leon Foundation
Claude Leon Foundation
Oxygen Club of California
Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students, Switzerland
Grants
TETFUND Institutional-Based Research (IBR) Project
Total Grant: NAIRA 1,728,600.00
Membership of Professional Bodies
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Paper Presentation - Local
Second Edition of the Faculty of Life Sciences Seminar Series, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Nigeria on April 22, 2026.
West African Society of Toxicology (WASOT) Monthly Seminar Series, November 27, 2025.
8th International Science Conference (June 17th – 19th, 2025). Organized by the Faculty of Science, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria.
9th International Science Conference (June 1st-5th, 2026), Organized by the Faculty of Science, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria.
7th International Science Conference (May 14th – 16th, 2024). Organized by the Faculty of Science, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria.
Paper Presentation - International
AACR International Conference: New Frontiers in Cancer Research; January 18-22, 2017; Cape Town, South Africa
25th South African Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Congress, (July 10-14, 2016). East London International Convention Centre, East London, South Africa
2016 Oxygen Club of California World Congress. (May 4-6 2016), University of California, Davis, CA, USA
19th Annual Meeting of the Society for Free radical Biology and Medicine (November 14-18 2012), San Diego CA, USA.
18th Annual Meeting of the Society for Free Radical Biology and Medicine (November 16-20 2011), Atlanta GA, USA.
47th Congress of the European Societies of Toxicology (EUROTOX 2011) (August 28-31 2011), Paris, France
South African Congress of Pharmacology and Toxicology (October 3-6 2010), Cape Town, South Africa
Postgraduate Ph.D Supervision
Postgraduate M.Sc Supervision
Protective effects of Ficus exasperata aqueous leaf extract on letrozole-induced polycystic ovary syndrome in female rat model
Rooibos Tea Ameliorates Testosterone-Induced Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia via Modulation of the NRF2/HO-1/NQO1 and NF-κB Pathways in Rats
Contributions of Oxeiptosis Pathway to Diabetes: Modulatory Potential of Fermented Rooibos Tea in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Wistar Rats
Effect of Neem Seed Oil in Type1 Diabetes-Induced Testicular Toxicity: Possible Involvement of NF-κB/TNF-α and PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathways
Modulation of PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β and Its Inflammatory Correlation with NF-κB/Beclin-1/LC-3 Pathways by Neem Seed Oil in Diabetic Rats
Dietary Supplementation of Manihot esculenta Ameliorate Testosterone-Induced Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia via Inhibition of AKT/MMP-9/CEA/PSA Signaling Pathway in Wistar Rats
Antidiabetic, Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Phenolic Fractions of Vernonia amygdalina Leaf Extracts in Streptozotocin-Induced Rats
Lipid Profile, Redox and Inflammatory Mediator Status in Rats fed Different High-Fat Diet: A Comparative Study
Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Aqueous Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) on Sodium Fluoride-Induced Cardiorenal Toxicity in Wistar Rats Involves NF-κB Signaling Modulation
Antidiabetic and Antioxidant Potential of Prosopis africana Fruit Extract in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Wistar Rats
Undergraduate Project Supervision
Course Teaching
General Biochemistry I
General Biochemistry II
Metabolism of Nucleic Acids
Xenobiochemistry
Bioenergetics
Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering
Pharmacological Biochemistry
Fundamentals of Biosignaling and Oncology
Metals and Environment
Principles of Toxicology I
Principles of Toxicology II
Advanced Toxicology and Xenobiochemistry
Advanced Biochemical and Molecular Techniques
Experimental Oncology and Clinical Biochemistry
Advanced Biostatistics
Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics
Cellular Signaling, Cell Death, and Disease
Professional Skill
Selected Publications
Nrf-2/HO-1 modulatory effects of Ocimum gratissimum flavonoid-rich leaf extract in the livers of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats
Authors: Ajiboye BO, Salami SA, Okesola MA, Patrick DP, Omojemite TO, Omolare BO, Ajuwon OR, Alsanie WF, Alamri AS, Alhomrani M, Alshammary AF, Asdaq SMB and Ojo A.O
Nutrire, 51, 41 • 2026
Open publicationEffects of ginger (Zingiber officinale) and locust bean (Parkia biglobosa) supplementation on hepatic caspase-3 and Bcl-2 expression in Wistar rats
Authors: Ajiboye BO, Ajuwon OR, Jimoh AM, Olawale MT, Adesuyi IP, Fasugba IT, Agboinghale PE, Okesola MA, Ojelabi AO, Olatunde A, Jeje TO, Bello TO, Oyinloye BE and Abass KS
Food Science and Nutrition, 14, e71564 • 2026
Open publicationCrude extract and phenol-rich fractions from Vernonia amygdalina leaves ameliorates streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetes in rats by mitigating hepatic injury, dyslipidemia, and production of oxido-inflammatory markers
Authors: Ajuwon OR, Oladejo DR, Adeoye AO, Falode JA, Ajiboye BO, Osunsanmi FO and Oyinloye BE
Journal of Xenobiotics, 16, 53 • 2026
Open publicationModulation of KIM-1/TGF-β1 signaling pathway by Ocimum gratissimum leaf flavonoid-rich extracts in the kidneys of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats
Authors: Ajiboye BO, Ajuwon OR, Jeje TO, Ijiyemi OD, Ogunmilade AF, Okesola MA, Hosseinzadeh H, Oyinloye BE, Ogedenbgbe OO and Kowalski R
Current Issues in Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, 39(1), 34-40 • 2026
Open publicationReno‑protective effect of polyphenolic‑rich extracts from Vernonia amygdalina leaves in streptozotocin‑induced type 1 diabetic rats.
Authors: Ajuwon OR, Adeoye AO, Oladejo DR, Falode JA and Ajiboye BO
Comparative Clinical Pathology, 35, 58 • 2026
Open publicationIn Silico Exploration of Antimalarial Potential of Ethanolic Leaf Extract of Heliotropium indicum
Authors: Faleye BC, Bamisaye FA, Fatoki TH and Ajuwon OR
Nigerian Journal of Physiological Sciences, 41, 83-91 • 2026
Open publicationProtective effects of flavonoid-rich extracts from Hibiscus sabdariffa leaves on streptozotocin-induced testicular damage in rats
Authors: Ajiboye BO, Famusiwa CD, Falode JA, Akojuru DO, Owolabi BT, Adejumo AA, Oyinloye BE, Ajuwon OR, Ogedengbe OO and Ojo OA
Phytomedicine Plus, 100808 • 2025
Open publicationAmeliorative effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa leaf flavonoid extract on the PSA/CEA/AKT/MMP‑9 signaling pathway in benign prostatic hyperplasia‑induced rats
Authors: Ajiboye BO, Famusiwa CD, Ognenemine EE, Agboola DI, Akinlolu OS, Fatoki TH, Agbolade AO, Ojelabi AO, Ajuwon OR, Oyinloye BE, Iriti M, Okesola MA, and Ojo OA
Comparative Clinical Pathology, 34, 889-900 • 2025
Open publicationNeuroprotective effects of Cucumeropsis mannii seed oil on enzymatic mechanisms underlying scopolamine-induced neurotoxicity in albino rat brain
Authors: Ojelabi AO, Onodugo CA, Babalola AO, Otenaike OE, Brai BIC, Ajiboye BO, Ajuwon OR and Bamisaye FA
Journal of Science, Technology and Innovation Research, 1 (Issue 1), 466-474 • 2025
Open publicationEffect of different high-fat diets on lipid profile in Albino rats
Authors: Nwokoro PC and Ajuwon OR
Covenant Journal of Physical and Life Sciences, 13(1) • 2025
Open publicationFundamentals of reductive stress
Authors: Falode JA, Olofinlade TB, Ajiboye BO, Ajuwon OR, Falode TF and Iriti M
Journal of Biological Regulators and Homeostatic Agents, 38(6), 4567-4582 • 2024
Open publicationAlkaloid-rich extract of Lannea egregia leaf protect against cardiomyopathy in streptozotocin-induced type-2 diabetic rats
Authors: Ajiboye BO, Folorunso IM, Akinfemiwa KI, Oyinloye BE, Lawal OE, Ojo OA, Ezema, M, Ajuwon, OR and Ardekani EA. (2024)
Phytomedicine Plus, 100513 • 2024
Open publicationMolecular docking, MMGBSA, and ADMET studies of phytoconstituents of Ocimum gratissimum on multiple breast cancer targets
Authors: Ajiboye BO, Fatoki TH, Akinnusi PA, Ajuwon OR, Oyinloye BE, Jeje TO, Owolabi OV, Ogedengbe OO and Genovese C
Natural Products Research, 1-9 • 2024
Open publicationFlavonoid-rich extracts of Hibiscus sabdariffa leaf attenuate cardiomyopathy in streptozotocin-induced rats
Authors: Ajiboye BO, Famusiwa CD, Ajaesowuonu JF, Chibueze OP, Adejumo AA, Onikanni SA, Ajeigbe KO, Ajuwon OR, and Oyinloye, B. E
Comparative Clinical Pathology, 33, 927-941 • 2024
Open publicationFermented rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis) ameliorates sodium fluoride-induced cardiorenal toxicity, oxidative stress, and inflammation via modulation of NF-κB/IκB/IκKB signaling pathway in Wistar rats
Authors: Ajuwon OR, Adeleke AA, Ajiboye BO, Lawal AO, Folorunso I, Brai B, Bamisaye FA, Falode JA, Odoh I, Adegbite KI and Adegoke OB
Cardiovascular Toxicology, 24, 240-247 • 2024
Open publicationNrf2-mediated antioxidant response and drug efflux transporters upregulation as possible mechanisms of resistance in photodynamic therapy of cancers
Authors: Ajuwon OR, Nsole-Biteghe FA, Ndong JD, Davids LM, Ajiboye BO, Brai B, Bamisaye FA, Falode JA, Odoh IM, Adegbite KI, Adegoke BO, Ntwasa M, Lebelo SL and Ademola Ayeleso AO
Oncotargets and Therapy, 17, 605-627 • 2024
Open publicationEthnobotanical Survey and Antioxidant Potentials of Selected Medicinal Plants in the Management of Diabetes Mellitus in Efon Alaaye, Ikole, and Oye Local Government Areas in the Southwest of Ekiti State, Nigeria
Authors: Bamisaye, FA, Ajuwon, O.R, Ajiboye, BO, Oluwajobi, OA, and Adejumo, AA
FUOYE Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, 8(3), 10-28 • 2023
Open publicationIn vivo antidiabetic and antioxidant activities of Prosopis africana fruit extracts in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats
Authors: Bamisaye FA, Ayodele OA, Ajuwon OR, Oluwajobi AO and Ajiboye, BO
Nutrire, 48(1), 29 • 2023
Open publicationFree and bound phenols from Cymbopogon citratus mitigated hepatocellular injury in streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic male rats via decrease in oxidative stress, inflammation, and other risk markers
Authors: Falode JA, Olofinlade TB, Fayeun GS, Adeoye AO, Bamisaye FA, Ajuwon OR and Obafemi TO
Pharmacological Research-Modern Chinese Medicine, 100234 • 2023
Open publicationIn silico assessment of Hibiscus sabdariffa as a possible therapeutic agent for breast cancer management
Authors: Ajiboye BO, Akinnusi PA, Fatoki TH, Adigun DK, Adewole ZO, Efekemo EO, Ayotunde BT, Julius BP, Falode, JA, Ajuwon OR and Oyinloye, BE
Informatics in Medicine Unlocked, 41, 101330 • 2023
Open publicationPhytochemical composition, HPLC-DAD fingerprinting, antioxidant and enzyme inhibiting potentials of Cymbopogon citratus leaf extracts
Authors: Falode JA, Ajigbayi OP, Dada EO, Olofinlade TB, Ajayi PD, Adeoye AO, Bamisaye FA, Ajuwon OR, and Obafemi TO
FUOYE Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, 7(3), 85-104 • 2022
Open publicationHypoglycemic, hypolipidemic and antioxidant potentials of ethanolic stem bark extract of Anacardium occidentale in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats
Authors: Bamisaye FA, Ajuwon OR, Ibrahim RB, Sulyman AO, Jubril AO
Nigerian Journal of Physiological Sciences 37, 137-145 • 2022
Open publicationEffect of flavonoid-rich extract from Dalbergiella welwitschii leaf on redox, cholinergic, monoaminergic, and purinergic dysfunction in oxidative testicular injury: Ex vivo and in silico studies
Authors: Ajiboye BO, Oyinloye BE, Ojo OA, Lawal OE, Jokomba YA, Balogun BA, Adeoye AO and Ajuwon OR
Bioinformatics and Biology Insights, 16, 1-17 • 2022
Open publicationRed palm oil ameliorates oxidative challenge and inflammatory responses associated with lipopolysaccharide-induced hepatic injury by modulating NF-kB and Nrf2/GCL/HO-1 signaling
Authors: Ajuwon OR, Marnewick JL, Oguntibeju OO and Davids LM
Antioxidants, 11(8), 1629 • 2022
Open publicationThe potential of South African Herbal Tisanes, Rooibos and Honeybush in the management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Ajuwon OR, Ayeleso AO and Adefolaju GA
Molecules, 12, 3207 • 2018
Open publicationHepatic, Renal and Endogenous Antioxidant Status Modulatory Effects of Chronic Co-supplementation of Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) and Red Palm Oil (Elaeis guineensis) in male Wistar rats
Authors: Ajuwon OR, Oguntibeju OO and Marnewick JL
African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 13(3): 1-15 • 2016
Open publicationRooibos and its major flavonoids: Potential against oxidative stress-induced conditions
Authors: Ajuwon OR, Marnewick JL and David LM
In: Basic Principles and Clinical Significance of Oxidative Stress. Gowder, S (Ed). ISBN 978-953-51-4223-2. Intech Europe, Rijeka, Croatia. Pp 171 – 218 • 2015
Open publicationThe combination of red palm oil and rooibos shows anti-inflammatory effects in rats
Authors: Katengua-Thamahane E, Marnewick JL, Ajuwon OR, Chegou NN, Szucs G, Ferdinandy P, Csont T, Csonka C and Van Rooyen J
Journal of Inflammation, 11: 41 • 2014
Open publicationAmelioration of lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury by aqueous rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) extract via inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress
Authors: Ajuwon OR, Oguntibeju OO and Marnewick JL
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 14: 392 • 2014
Open publicationProtective effects of rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) and/or red palm oil (Elaeis guineensis) supplementation of tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced oxidative hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats
Authors: Ajuwon OR, Katengua-Thamahane E, Van Rooyen J, Oguntibeju OO and Marnewick JL
Evidenced-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013: 984273 • 2013
Open publicationPhoto Gallery / Picture Evidence
