Charles Rotimi: Powering up African genetics research
July 19, 2021
American Heart Association Provides Guidance for Genomic Research With Underrepresented Groups
July 26, 2021

Returnee Spotlight: From a street hawker to Genome Scientist, The Inspiring Story of Segun Fatumo


Have you ever pondered on the fate of kids hawking on the road? Have you ever wondered if they will ever amount to anything good in society? Well, even the people who saw Segun Fatumo, now a scientist, never thought he would become who he is today. At the age of 10, Fatumo was a hawker in the street of Lagos. But how on earth did he become a genome scientist? Today, we walk you through his fascinating and inspiring story. It is indeed a success story that we believe will motivate our readers to look beyond their current situation.

Who is Segun Fatumo

Segun Fatumo is a lead genome scientist at the Uganda Virus Research Institue (UVRI) located in Entebbe, Uganda. He is also the leader of The African Computational Genomics (TACG) Research group. TACG’s research mainly focuses on the impact of genetics on non-communicable diseases in Africa. These illensses include heart disease, kidney disease, and infectious diseases. Also, Fatumo is an Assistant Professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), Uganda unit.

Dr. Fatumo is actively involved in capacity building as well as teaching postgraduate programs across Africa. He is the founder of the Nigerian Bioinformatics and Genomics Network. In July 2020, he got a prestigious award to spearhead an innovative research program at LSHTM and UVRI. Segun is also an executive director at Boas Foundation. He says, “the story of my upbringign is the one that propels anger for success.”