Dr Rachael Chidugu-Ogborigbo

Dr Rachael's research focuses on the biological effects of environmental contaminants at the molecular level, known as ecogenotoxicology. Recent interests have focused on investigating the molecular, biochemical and cellular responses of aquatic organisms to inorganic and organic pollutants and the identification of sensitive biomarkers for biomonitoring and chemical risk assessments. Other current research interests include marine natural products and drug discovery; exploring the therapeutic potential of our newly discovered sea sponge (A. kalibiama) against Type II diabetes and Potential anti-cancer properties. Rachael has a keen interest in environmental justice and advocacy with expert knowledge and experience in cellular toxicology and chemical Safety.

Current projects include the exploration of novel extremozymes from marine sponges for application in Biotechnology, Cloning of CYP1-like and CYP3-like genes in Sea sponges as potential biomarkers of organic pollutants and Assessment of organic pollutants in environmental matrixes from the Niger Delta.

Using molecular and systematic taxonomy, my research investigates sponge evolution, biology and species specificity. With this, a new sponge species of Amorphinopsis was discovered in the oil-rich region of Niger Delta, Nigeria for the first time and has been named Amorphinopsis kalibiama. My research also developed and established for the first time the amenability of the alkaline comet assay and H₂DCF-DA assay with cryopreserved single sponge cells.

Overall, my research seeks to deploy sea sponges as a reliable tool and a model system to investigate the mechanism of genotoxicity and cytotoxicity of aquatic pollutants with emphasis on Bioaccumulation and bioavailability of environmentally relevant xenobiotics (Heavy metals, PAHs, Organochlorines and Oil spill chemicals). To achieve this, my research investigates exposure, uptake, fate, metabolic activity and biological effects in both field samples and laboratory single sponge cell exposures. The long-term goal of my research group, therefore, is to identify and build up batteries of sensitive biomarkers (Oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, glutathione depletion, Endocrine disruption, DNA Damage and P450 CYP1A1 Metabolic activity) of environmentally relevant xenobiotics as a reliable tool for biomonitoring-and-chemical risk assessment in the aquatic system.