Environmental Biotechnology and Bioconservation

Department of Environmental Biotechnology and Bio-Conversation

The Department has the responsibility to coordinate the development and safe deployment of appropriate biotechnologies for the management and conservation of Nigeria’s environment and bioresources. The functions of the department are aimed at improving the integrity of our environment and bioresources.

DIVISIONS

CLEAN TECHNOLOGY
BIO-CONSERVATION

1. CLEAN TECHNOLOGY
  
  Branches of the Division
  1. Biosafety (Cartagena Protocol) and Laboratory Safety
  2. Waste and sustainable land management

Functions of the Division

1. - Development of research agenda in the area of environmental management and clean technology;
  - Development of proposals in the relevant areas of responsibilities for fund sourcing, locally and internationally;
  - Development of guidelines and framework for ensuring compliance with Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;
  - Establishment of a containment facility for transgenic crops to ensure the integrity of Nigeria’s biodiversity and environmental sustainability;
  - Establishment of guidelines for Scientists on the safe handling of microorganisms and other biotechnology products and toxins; and
  - Development of biotechnological approaches for the management of lands in areas with drought, desertification, and erosion.

Projects of the Division

1. 1. Coordinate the establishment and use of containment facility for transgenic research in Nigeria.
    
    Objective
    - To meet the International bio-safety requirements for transgenic crops utilization and facilitate deployment of transgenic crops into the country.

Strategic Activities

1. 1. - Stakeholder interaction and bio-safety level-2 containment facility construction; and
    - Capacity building and awareness creation.
  2. Coordinate the development of a procedure for the control of gully erosion using appropriate plants.
    
    Objective
    - To develop protocols for mass propagation, and guidelines for the use of Gmelina and Vetiver plants in erosion control

Strategic Activities

1. 1. - Stakeholders’ engagement, selection of plants, development of protocols, mass propagation and field trials (Enugu State).
  2. Coordinate the development and deployment of bio-conversion technologies for on-site management of organic waste for the production of bioenergy and soil enhancer.
    
    Objective
    - To manage bio-waste at dumpsite for recovery of energy and fertilizer from waste, reduce nutrient infiltration and contamination of groundwater, and minimize greenhouse gas emission at dumpsites

Strategic Activities

1. 1. - Stakeholders’ engagement, site identification for pilot scale demonstration of technologies, and technology demonstration.
2. BIO-CONSERVATION
  
  Branches of the Division
  1. Biodiversity
  2. Genetic resources /conservation and management

Functions of the Division

1. - Nigeria’s ecosystem/biodiversity for the development of nutraceuticals and pharmaceutics;
  - Development and promotion of biotechnologies for the implementation of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM);
  - Development of bio-products for the remediation of polluted environmental media;
  - Establishment and maintenance of biodiversity and bioinformatics databases;
  - Development of biotechnologies for the conservation and protection of Nigeria’s biodiversity and endangered;
  - Development of Nigeria’s bio-security programme in line with the Bacteriological Weapons Convention (BWC);
  - Establishment and maintenance of Microbial Resource Centre and Type Culture Collection for Nigeria;
  - Development of techniques for rapid identification and authentication of micro-organisms ; and
  - Development of Bio-banking facilities,culture maintenance, quality control and assurance for Nigeria in consonance with ISO 9000.

Projects of the Division

1. 1. Coordinate the establishment of microbial culture collection center for Nigeria
    
    Objective
    - To establish Microbial Culture Collection Centers in Nigeria.

Strategic Activities

1. 1. - Stakeholders’ engagement, development of operations procedure and execution of a national microbial survey, establishment of zonal mini-collection centers, and promotion of relevant legislations.
  2. Coordinate the development and use of DNA Bar-coding technology to manage wild life species
    
    Objective
    - To develop protocols for mass propagation, and guidelines for the use of Gmelina and Vertiver plants in erosion control

Strategic Activities

1. 1. - Stakeholders’ engagement, selection of plants, development of protocols, mass propagation and field trials (Enugu State).
  2. Coordinate the development and deployment of bio-conversion technologies for on-site management of organic waste for theproduction of bio- energy and soil enhancer
    
    Objective
    - ◦ To deploy the use of DNA Bar-coding techniques in the management of wildlife related crimes, and promote the use of DNA bar-code as extract in the court of law.

Strategic Activities

1. - Stakeholders’ engagement, establish a standard operating procedure, capacity building for bio-informaticians and laboratory groups, specimen collection, establishment of forensic laboratory in NESREA, and establishment of a DNA Bar-code database.

Dr. Gloria Imoh Bassey Obioh

Director and Head of Department

The Nigerian Microbial Culture Collections Programme

RESUME

GLORIA IMOH BASSEY OBIOH, RESEARCH DIRECTOR AND HEAD
ENVIRONMENTAL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOCONSERVATION DEPARTMENT

Gloria Imoh Bassey Obioh holds a BSc.Ed (1 st Class) Degree in Biology (1990); an MSc Botany
(1997) and a PhD Botany (2004) Degrees, all from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife.
She has worked as: (i) Assistant Lecturer, Biology Department, OAU, Adeyemi College of
Education Campus, Ondo (1992-1996); (ii) Lecturer, Department of Biology, Federal University of
Technology, Akure (2005-2011); (iii) National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), as
Assistant Director (2011), rising to the position of Research Director, Environmental
Biotechnology and Bioconservation Department (2020 to date).
Recipient of many academic/professional awards, and commendations including Automatic
Employment in Biology Department of her Alma Matter as part of the First, 1 st Class Scholar
Award (1991); the Association of Rhodes’ Scholars in Australia Postgraduate Scholarship (1992)
and NABDA Most Cordial Head of Department Award (2016). She is an accomplished scientist
with research focus spanning (i): General Biology; (ii) Conservation Ecology; (iii) Eco-Physiology;
(iv) Ecological Modelling; (v) S&T Enterprise Development; (vi) Medicinal Plants Conservation,
(vii) Climate Change Mitigation, Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment; (viii) Sustainable Solid
Waste Management; ixi) Modularisation and Optimisation of Biogas Technology for Commercial AD-
Technology Deployment and (x) Agricultural and Environmental Biotechnology Research, including
Biorisk Management.
As part of professional accomplishments, she and her team in 2019 received the first patent in
the Agency for the design and fabrication of “Biomethanization System for Biodegradable Organic
Feedstocks”, to be commercialized and marketed as optimized biogas digesters to produce
biogas for multi-sector use and for off-grid electricity generation. Currently optimizing biofuel
production from lignocellulose biomass resources.
She has served in many institutional and national Committees, including (i) Member, BORBDA-
FUTA Research Committee (2009 – 2011); (ii) Member, FUTA Research Committee on Climate
Change (2010 – 2011); (iii) Member, FUTA Committee on the Curriculum for the Proposed B.
Tech Programme in Biogeochemistry: (2009–2011); (iv) Member, National Committee on the
Review of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) – 2018; (v) Member,
National Working Group for the Synthesis of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan
(NBSAP) – 2019 to 2020; and Member, Nigeria-Venezuela Joint Commission (2022 – date).
Dr Obioh is widely published and has over 50 manuscripts in academic journals, books and
proceedings of national and international conferences. She is a member of many academic and
professional bodies including (i) Waste Management Society of Nigeria (WAMASON), (ii)
International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), (iii) Biotechnology Society of Nigeria (BSN), (iv)
Nigerian Biological Safety Association (NiBSA), and (v) Institute of Management Consultants.