Prof Anthony Jide Afolayan is a Research Professor at the University of Fort Hare, South Africa, and the Leader of the Medicinal Plants and Economic Development Research Unit of the same Institution. He has published over 500 peer-reviewed articles in various internationally accredited journals. Prof Afolayan has supervised more than 50 PhD and 20 MSc degree candidates and mentored 30 postdoctoral fellows. His research foci include botany, phytomedicine, pharmacology, and toxicology including bioprospecting for novel drugs from medicinal plants. Prof Afolayan is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Medicinal Plants for Economic Development and a member of several editorial boards of scientific journals. Prof Afolayan is a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), the highest scientific body of the country. He is also the Founder and first President of the Society of Medicinal Plants for Economic Development (SOMPED). Among his several awards is the Vice Chancellor’s Senior Research Medal at the University of Fort Hare in recognition of sustained research and scholarly achievements that reflect quality and excellence. He is a rated Scientist Researcher by the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa. Generally, his focus is on the integration of the use of medicinal plants for economic development.
