Prof. Agbaje Lateef, a renowned scholar in the Department of Pure and Applied Biology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Nigeria, and Head of its Nanotechnology Research Group (NANO+), has been appointed Honorary Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.

 

A distinguished alumnus of LAUTECH, where he obtained all his academic degrees, Prof. Lateef joined the University in 1998 as a Graduate Assistant and became a professor in 2013.

 

His appointment followed his nomination and an extensive review of his research portfolio by the School of Agriculture and Science, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, Senate, and Governing Council of UKZN. 

 

The distinction recognises his academic excellence and contributions to industrial microbiology, biotechnology and nanobiotechnology, alongside longstanding collaborations with UKZN scholars that have produced over 50 publications in the past decade.

 

His principal research collaborator at UKZN, Prof. Evariste Bosco Gueguim-Kana, is also a distinguished LAUTECH alumnus. Both scholars were supervised by Prof. Julius Kọla Oloke during their undergraduate and postgraduate studies at LAUTECH. Their longstanding partnership dates back to 2001 and continues to produce joint research outputs.

 

Prof. Lateef's appointment will facilitate closer collaboration with Prof. Gueguim-Kana and other UKZN scholars through teaching, joint research, grant acquisition and postgraduate student mentorship. His research focus during the engagement will include green nanobiotechnology and circular bioeconomy investigations.

 

The appointment adds to his international academic achievements. In April 2026, he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, United Kingdom, and appointed to the Editorial Board of Scientific Reports (Nature Portfolio) and Associate Editor of Frontiers in Industrial Microbiology. He also serves on the Senior Editorial Board of Discover Biotechnology (Springer Nature). Additionally, he has been ranked among the world's top 2% of scientists for seven consecutive years (2020–2026).

 

Prof. Lateef expressed appreciation to UKZN's leadership and Prof. Gueguim-Kana for supporting his nomination, pledging to leverage the appointment to strengthen academic collaboration between LAUTECH and UKZN.

 

The LAUTECH community celebrates this remarkable achievement, which further reinforces the University's international academic visibility, research excellence and commitment to global partnerships