Magellan GUEWO FOKENG

Dr. GUEWO FOKENG Magellan has a Bachelor of Science (Microbiology and Molecular Genetic). He then obtained a Master of Science Degree (Biotechnology & Development, Molecular Biology) with Distinction, and completed his PhD (Biotechnology & Development, Genetic and Molecular Biology) with Distinction in 2018 all in Biochemistry from the University of Yaounde I, Cameroon

Magellan is a Lecturer and Researcher in Molecular Biology and Genetics at the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I. His expertise and work focuses on the genetics of cardiometabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension and others. His research focuses on the molecular epidemiology of non-communicable diseases, particularly diabetes, and their impact on the health system of developing countries. After studying some human genes such as TCF7L2, PPAR-ɣ2, KLF14, which predispose to type 2 diabetes, obesity and ketosis-prone diabetes (KPD), which are public health concerns in Africa, he developed and proposed a mechanism of function and a regulatory network of the KLF14 gene and the transcription factor whose synthesis it directs. This gene is a global regulator involved in the regulation of several genes shown to be associated with diabetes and/or obesity. His work has thus provided a variety of targets for the development of drugs that can reduce the progression of multiple metabolic phenotypes. Magellan is currently working on how to use these and other markers to contribute to personalized medicine. This work is carried out in the Molecular Medicine and Metabolism Laboratory (M3LAB) led by Professor Eugene SOBNGWI at the Biotechnology Center, led by Professor Jean Claude MBANYA. Magellan has authored or co-authored more than 50 publications, including abstracts, original articles, systematic reviews, books and a book chapter, published in peer-reviewed journals, and more than 30 presentations at national and international conferences. Magellan is also a member of the editorial and review boards of more than ten scientific journals.

Magellan is a founding member of the Academy of Young Scientists of Cameroon (CAYS) and currently acts as a liaison between the young researchers of the Biotechnology Center of the University of Yaoundé 1 and the Academy of Sciences of Cameroon (CAS) where he is in charge of programs.

Magellan is also a Researcher at RSD Institute (Research Health and Development) headed by Professor Eugene SOBNGWI with whom he has been working for more than ten years on numerous research projects.