Personal Information

  • Experience :
    7 Years
  • College/University Education :
    Los Angeles, USA, Los Angeles, USA
  • Qualification/Certification :
    2012

Biography

Brief About Chibuike Chigbu

I received my basic medical training and residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Nigeria. Subsequently, I received a subspecialty training in Gynecologic Oncology in Germany and a postgraduate training in project management, clinical research management and international health from British and German Universities. I have worked as a consultant Gynecological Oncologist at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital since 2010 and have overseen the cervical cancer prevention unit of the hospital since 2011. I have over 10 years’ experience in gynecological oncology research, and I am the leader of the Female Reproductive Health Oncology Research Group of the University of Nigeria Nsukka. I was the PI on two funded research projects supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI/AORTIC-funded BIG CAT grant on the assessment of the Impact of ‘See and Treat’ Approach Using Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid) and the American Society for Clinical Oncology Conquer Cancer Foundation (ASCO funded International Innovation Grant on the impact of community health educators on uptake of cervical and breast cancer prevention services in Nigeria). I was a co-investigator on the NCI/AORTIC-funded BIG CAT grant on ablative treatment for cervical precancer and the ASCO-funded International Innovation Grant on Enhancing Palliative Care in rural southeast Nigeria. Since the past 11 years, my research focus has been on gynecological cancer prevention with special focus on cervical cancer prevention in low- and middle-income settings. I received the University of Nigeria Nsukka’s Emeritus Professor Nwokolo award for research and academic excellence in 2012 for my contributions to research in the University. I have laid the groundwork for the proposed project by conducting research that determined effective cervical cancer screening strategies in resource-constrained settings that formed part of the basis for current recommendations on cervical cancer screening in low- and middle-income countries as documented in the highlighted publications below. I have also published research works on cervical precancer treatment in low-income settings that formed part of the basis for the current recommendations on cervical precancer see-and-treat approach for low- and middle-income countries. One of the goals I set to achieve in my gynecological oncology career is to develop a critical mass of gynecologic oncology specialists to spear-head global best practices and undertake practicechanging research in gynecological oncology in Nigeria. To this end, I initiated a collaboration with the International Gynecological Cancer Society (IGCS), the Swansea Gynecological Oncology Center/the Swansea Bay University Health Board, United Kingdom, and the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, for sub-specialty mentorship and fellowship training in Gyne-Oncology. In this collaboration, Nigerian Gynecologists will be trained and certified as Gynecological Oncologists after a 2-years rotation under my leadership as the local supervisor and the mentorship of the foreign collaborators. This training program will provide a good platform that will aid the NISA-SOAR Center in achieving some of its specific aims. The experience I have gathered over the years as a member of the expert consultative think-tank of the West African Health Organization (WAHO) on developing the road map for cervical cancer control in the ECOWAS region and a member of the West African College of Surgeons committee on the development of the Gynecological oncology sub-specialty curriculum will be harnessed to ensure the success of the NISA-SOAR Center. Alongside the MPIs Ezeanolue and DeVoe, I will lead the Research Capacity Building Core