The Federal University Oye-Ekiti (Nigeria) will receive 20 SpringerBriefs books in 2023
The Macromolecular Chemistry research group of the The Federal University Oye-Ekiti will receive 20 SpringerBriefs books in 2023. Led by Professor Olayide S. Lawal, they work in the area of value-added industrial applications of raw and modified bio-macromolecules.
The group applies both physical and chemical modifications to biopolymers with a view to enhancing applications in diverse industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, textile, medical and household products. Such chemical modifications include oxidation, acetylation, succinylation, hydroxypropylation and carboxymethylation.
The bio-polymers of interest are mainly starches, cellulose and protein isolated from plants and from different sources, particularly lesser-known underutilized plant resources with a view to bringing them to full industrial utilization. To expand the relevance of natural polymers in diverse industrial applications, recent efforts are now on the preparation and characterization of novel bio-based hydrogels for drug delivery and other relevant applications as well as modification and utilization of bio-resources such as gelatin, guar gum, chitosan, chitin, gum arabic and dextran for applications in diverse industries.
Professor Lawal received Ph.D in Industrial Chemistry from University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He was a postdoctoral fellow of Alexander von Humboldt at the Institute for Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, University of Hamburg, in the group of Professor Werner Michael Kulicke (2006-2008). Professor Lawal recently completed another postdoctoral training as a fellow of Alexander von Humboldt Foundation at the Institute for Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry (university of Jena, Germany) in the group of Professor Thomas Heinze (2022). He was also a fellow of the Japan Society for Promotion of Science at University of Hyogo, Japan in the group of Professor Miki Yoshimura. He is currently a fellow of Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria and the Chemical Society of Nigeria.