1. NIH-FORM BIOSKETCH

 

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

NAME CHRISTOPHER SABO YILGWAN	POSITION TITLE Senior Lecture, College of Medicine, University of Jos. Consultant Paediatrician, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos Nigeria
COMMON USER NAME CHRIS

 

 

EDUCATION/TRAINING 

INSTITUTION AND LOCATION	DEGREE (if applicable)	MM/YY	FIELD OF STUDY
University of Jos, Nigeria West African College of Physicians	MBBS FWACP	06/2003 03/2011	Medicine and Surgery Paediatrics

 

A. Personal Statement

The goal of the proposed research is to investigate maternal predictors of Infant outcome in a cohort of women treated for Pre-eclampsia and Eclampsia in the Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos.  Specifically, we plan to assess maternal sociodemographic, clinical and biochemical factors that are predictive of infant birthweight, gestational age, APGAR score, need for admission and survival. I have the experience, leadership and motivation necessary to successfully carry out the proposed work.  I have a broad background in paediatrics, with some exposure to epidemiologic research.  As a senior registrar in the Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, I carried out a cross sectional survey on the prevalence of heart disease in primary school children as part fulfillment of the award for the Fellowship of the West African College of Physicians in the Faculty of Paediatrics. I have also conducted and published research centered on birth weight and infections in infants and young children. I am currently investigating the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and inflammatory biomarkers in primary school children under the MEPIN mentored grant research program. I have worked as a research clinician and co-investigator for the rheumatic heart disease global registry (REMEDY) and the rheumatic heart disease genetic (RHDGen) study respectively, both grant aided multi-institutional collaborative studies. In addition, I have collaborated with other researchers, and produced several peer-reviewed publications from each project. 

As a result of these previous experiences, I am aware of the importance of frequent communication among project members and of constructing a realistic research plan, timeline, and budget.  The current application builds logically on my prior work, and I have chosen co-investigators (Drs. Ige Olukemi and Pam VC) who will provide additional expertise in maternal and cardiovascular physiology.

Furthermore, I have also participated in the Data analysis and Manuscript writing workshops organised by the Medical Education Partnership in Nigeria to further hone my research capability especially with the use of the SPSS and STATA Software for data analysis. The other Basic Biomedical Research courses organised by MEPIN that I attended includes Cased-based Teaching Method, Responsible Conduct of Research, Research Ethics, and Grant Proposal Writing.

 In summary, I have a demonstrated record of accomplished and productive research projects in an area of high relevance for our infants, and my expertise and experience have prepared me to lead the proposed project. 

B. Peer-reviewed Publications

1. Yilgwan, C.S.,  Abok, I.I., Vajime, B.A., Yinnang, W.D. (2009). Prevalence and risk factors of Low birth weight in Jos. Jos Journal of Medicine 4:15-17.
2. Yilgwan, C.S., Hyacinth, I.H., Oguche, S. (2011). Factors associated with increased mortality in neonates with malaria in the Jos University Teaching Hospital. Nigerian Journal of Medicine 20(3):349-54.
3. Hyacinth, I.H., Oguche, S., Yilgwan, C.S. (2012). Summary Description of 24 Cases of Neonatal Malaria Seen at a Tertiary Health Center in Nigeria. Iranian Journal Pediatrics 2;87-91.
4. Yilgwan, C.S., Utoo, T.B., Hyacinth, H.I. (2012). Maternal characteristics influencing birth weight and infant weight gain in the first 6 weeks post-partum: A cross-sectional study of a post-natal clinic population. Nigerian Medical Journal 53:200-5.