Additional Information

Professor Tomori went on to elucidate the properties of a virus - Orungo virus - which he registered with the International Committee of Virus Taxonomy. As a US Fogarty International Research Fellow between 1980 and 1981, while working at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, he developed a unique diagnostic virus neutralization test for the Lassa Fever. He received a US DHHS Public Health Service Certificate for contribution to Lassa Fever Research. In 1994, he became the Regional Virologist (WHO Africa Region). During his ten-year tenure, he set up the African Regional Polio Laboratory Network, comprising of 16 laboratories, providing diagnostic support to the global polio eradication initiative. The Network became the forerunner of other regional diagnostic laboratory networks for measles, yellow fever, and other viral hemorrhagic fevers. He was involved in the investigations of outbreaks of Yellow Fever, Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fever infections in Liberia, DR Congo and Uganda between 1995 and 2004. 

He has served and currently serves on several national and international advisory bodies: Nigeria National Task Force on Epidemic Diseases; Expert Working Group (EWG) for the Development of National Laboratory Services Policy; Nigeria Expert Review Committee (ERC) on Poliomyelitis Eradication and Routine Immunization. At the international level, Professor Tomori is a member of the US-IOM on Sustainable Global Surveillance of zoonotic diseases; US-IOM Committee on identifying and prioritizing new preventive vaccines for development; WHO Africa Regional Certification Committee (ARCC) for Poliomyelitis Eradication; WHO Advisory Committee on Variola Virus Research; WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE); Co-Chairman, African Science Academies’ Study Team on Country Ownership of Africa’s Development – Post 2015 plan on MDGs. He also serves on the Board of the Network of African Science Academies (NASAC). He is the Vice Chairman, Commission on Creating a Global Health Risk Framework for the Future and is currently the Chairman of the National Lassa Fever Control Committee. 

Professor Tomori has been Guest Speaker at numerous national and international conferences. He has authored and co-authored more than 140 publications in peer-reviewed journals, and he is a prolific commentator on public issues, especially science and education.