Oyewale Tomori is a professor of virology at Redeemer’s University, Nigeria. He has wide-ranging experience in virology, disease prevention and control, national capacity building and development in the African region. Dr. Tomori holds fellowships from the Nigerian Academy of Science, Nigerian College of Veterinary Surgeons and the United Kingdom’s Royal College of Pathologists.

From 1994-2004, Dr. Tomori served as the WHO’s African region laboratory coordinator and advisor on laboratory development and virus control. At the WHO, Dr. Tomori established the Africa Regional Laboratory Network for the diagnosis of polio and other viral diseases. He also provided counsel and assistance to countries in the region in establishing, managing and monitoring laboratory services and ensuring the use of laboratory data in instituting disease preventive and control measures.

In 2002, Dr. Tomori received the Nigerian National Order of Merit, the country’s highest award for academic and intellectual attainment and national development. In 1981, he was recognized by the United States CDC for his contribution to Lassa fever research.

Dr. Tomori also serves on several advisory bodies including the WHO Polio Research Committee, WHO Africa Regional Polio Certification Committee, WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Polio Certification Committee, WHO Advisory Committee on Variola Virus Research, WHO Group of Experts on Yellow Fever Disease, the board of BioVaccines Limited in Nigeria and the International Steering Committee of the International Consortium on Anti-Virals (ICAV) in Canada. ICAV is a nonprofit drug development organization that works to discover and develop anti-viral therapies for neglected and emerging diseases.

His research includes a wide range of human and zoonotic viruses.

Dr. Tomori received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the Ahmadu Bello University  in 1971 and a PhD in virology from the University of Ibadan in 1976. Both universities are located in Nigeria.