Dr. Achilonu was born and raised in Nigeria, attended primary school at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial International Primary School, Gboko, Benue State (1979-1984), and secondary school at Mt. St. Gabriel’s Secondary School, Makurdi, Benue State (1984-1989). His University education was at Abia State University, Uturu, Abia State, where he graduated with BSc (Hons), second upper class, in Biochemistry in 1996. Dr. Achilonu proceeded to Lesotho in 1997, where he spent four years as an educator, teaching in secondary schools after briefly working as an analytical chemist at Lesotho Pharmaceuticals in Mafeteng, Lesotho. He got the opportunity to do my MSc in Biochemistry at The University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban and graduated under the supervision of Prof Goldring, in 2004. Prof Goldring retained him for PhD studies and graduated in 2008. He also got the opportunity to work with Prof Heini Dirr in Wits University (March 2009) strengthened his aspiration in Structural Biology. In August 2012, joined The University of the Witwatersrand as a Researcher. Dr. Achilonu developed his research focus, which is completely independent of that of his post-doctoral mentor. Currently, he is a Senior Researcher and the South African Research Chair (SARChI) in Protein Biochemistry and Structural Biology.
