Olamide Olayinka DVM, Ph.D.

My doctoral research focused on the in vivo pharmacology of vascular remodeling and inflammation, asking how specific signaling pathways govern disease progression and whether they represent tractable therapeutic targets. Over five years, I designed, executed, and interpreted more than 20 longitudinal in vivo studies — coordinating dosing regimens, endpoint collection, and multi-modal data integration across rodent disease models to capture dose-response and time-dependent biological effects. These studies generated rich multi-parameter datasets spanning molecular readouts (qPCR, Western blot), imaging-based quantification (confocal microscopy), and physiological measurements, which I analyzed to connect pathway activity with functional tissue outcomes. By systematically standardizing workflows and study documentation, I improved experimental reproducibility by approximately 30% while maintaining the audit-ready records consistent with GLP-aligned practice. This work is supported by an American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship ($67K) and has produced 4 peer-reviewed publications. It forms the primary evidence base for my expertise in translational in vivo pharmacology, nonclinical study design, and disease model–driven drug development.

A parallel project investigated endothelial barrier pharmacology: I built in vitro Transwell permeability models, applied pharmacological inhibitors targeting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, and used confocal image analysis to quantify the effect of drug candidates on vascular integrity and pathological neovascularization, which contributed to a peer-reviewed publication in IOVS and established my grounding in phenotypic assay development for target engagement.

As part of Novo Nordisk's nucleic acid therapeutics group, I supported RNAi drug development by designing and executing in vivo pharmacology studies in cardiometabolic disease models, with a focus on PK/PD characterization, biodistribution, and target engagement in extrahepatic tissues — a major frontier in the RNA therapeutics field. I generated exposure-response datasets across dose levels and achieved 55–70% mRNA knockdown in extrahepatic tissues including kidney and skeletal muscle, demonstrating robust siRNA activity and confirming tissue-specific delivery of conjugated constructs. These results directly informed lead selection and go/no-go decisions within the early development pipeline. To strengthen the translational bridge from rodent to NHP studies, I developed in vitro potency assays that provided mechanistic context for in vivo observations and helped calibrate dose projections for the next study stage. I also optimized flow cytometry workflows for target-cell isolation, improving recovery by approximately 40%, and collaborated cross-functionally to align in vivo and ex vivo datasets, maintain GLP-aligned documentation, and support the broader nonclinical development team.

I supported in vivo and in vitro studies investigating disease-relevant signaling pathways, using qPCR, Western blot, and flow cytometry to characterize biological responses across experimental systems. My work contributed to understanding how pathway activity shaped functional outcomes in preclinical models, and I collaborated with senior researchers to refine study design and strengthen data quality. I also optimized experimental workflows and assay timelines, increasing laboratory throughput by approximately 70%.

I conducted in vivo safety and efficacy studies on small-molecule candidates, evaluating dose-response relationships, therapeutic windows, and nonclinical safety endpoints in animal models. I monitored systemic and tissue-level biological responses and contributed to the interpretation of safety-relevant findings to inform early development decisions. I developed and implemented SOPs, maintained GLP-aligned documentation for regulatory readiness, and collaborated with pharmacology and regulatory teams to ensure nonclinical safety data aligned with overall program strategy.

I led an early-stage in vivo drug discovery program evaluating the therapeutic potential of Vernonia amygdalina, a botanically derived small-molecule candidate, in parasitic disease models. The program required building a pharmacological profile from the ground up: I designed and executed dose-ranging studies in laboratory rats to establish dose-response relationships, determine acute toxicity thresholds, and define a preliminary therapeutic index for the extract. Study endpoints combined parasitological quantification with histopathological tissue assessment, providing simultaneous evidence of target engagement and organ-level safety; an approach that mirrored the multi-readout logic of modern translational pharmacology. I developed standardized protocols for botanical extraction and bioassay-guided fractionation to ensure reproducibility across experimental cohorts, and integrated clinical observations with post-mortem analytical data to interpret systemic biological responses. This was my first experience owning a complete nonclinical development workflow independently, from compound preparation through in vivo execution to safety and efficacy interpretation, and it established the translational pharmacology foundations I have continued to build on across every subsequent role.

The course objective is to introduce contemporary Systems Biology in mammalian cells, their constituents and their functions. It focuses on understanding how newly developed molecules function in cellular and sub-cellular processes such as signal transduction, transcription, motility and electrical excitability. It will explore question types that can inform system level thinking; and the application of computation and simulations to answer these questions in relation to biological systems. It intends to help develop skills in the design, execution and interpretation of multi-variable experiments; and quantitative reasoning, models and simulations. At the end of this 10-week short course, I should be able to apply my newly acquired system level thinking and modular skills to predict cellular behaviors that are important in disease and drug response.

{Anthelminthic activity of Vernonia amygdalina in Laboratory rats}

I emerged as the Best Graduating Student in the University with a record setting number of distinctions in Anatomy, Microbiology, Parasitology, Pathology, Medicine, Public Health, Surgery and Theriogenology.