Patience Ogoamaka Osadebe

Professor Patience Ogoamaka Osadebe
Occupation(s)	Pharmacist, academic
Academic background
Thesis	From the Lab Bench through the Gardens to the Apothecary: Journey So Far
Doctoral advisor	Prof. Charles Okolo Okafor (FAS)

Patience Ogoamaka Osadebe (born September 1, 1960) is a Nigerian professor of pharmaceutical chemistry of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She was former National Chairman of the National Association of Pharmacists in Academia (NAPA) in Nigeria and had served several times as Head of the Department of Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Osadebe delivered the 69th Inaugural lecture of the University of Nigeria entitled, “From the Lab Bench through the Gardens to the Apothecary: Journey So Far”. She was Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science, Fellow, Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (NAPharm). and Fellow, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (FPSN), 2024. Osadebe's publications have been cited 2,327 times according to the AD Scientific index ranking, and 2,335 times according to the google scholar index.

Early life and education

Osadebe was born to Mr. K. C. Nwofor and Mrs. R. M. Nwofor (née Madiebo) on September 1, 1960, at Umuenechi village, Awka in Anambra State. She attended attended St. Paul’s Practicing School, Awka and later finished up at Community Primary School Umuokpu, Awka.  In 1973, she passed the Common Entrance Examination from primary five and was admitted into Girls’ Secondary School Abagana, from where she passed out in 1978 as best student of the class with the best division one aggregate. She earned a Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm., Second Class Honours) from the University of Ife in 1983. She got a Bulgarian Government Scholarship in 1985 with which she studied for and obtained a two-year Postgraduate Specialization certificate in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Organic Synthesis) (M.Phil. equiv), Sofia in 1988. Osadebe was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry of the University of Nigeria, in 1997. She became a Certified Biometric Technologist (CBT) from the International Institute of Security and Safety Management (IISSM) India in July, 2013.

Career

Osadebe was employed as Lecturer II in February 1990 at the faculty of pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She grew through the ranks until becoming a professor in 2004. She served several times as Head of the Department of Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry (from 1999 to 2004 and again from 2005 to 2007). She also served as Head, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Management, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, and taught Advanced Organic Chemistry. She was the chairman, University of Nigeria Chapter of the National Association of Pharmacists in academia (NAPA) from 2008 to 2012 and National Chairman of NAPA from 2008 to 2010. Osadebe was appointed the Dean, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria in 2010, serving until 2012. She was Dean, School of Postgraduate Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. She was the first female substantive Dean of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and, the first female Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Fellowship and membership

She is a member of Federation of International Pharmacists (MFIP); Society of Medicinal Plant Research (GA); Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (MPSN)l National Association of Pharmacists in Academia (MNAPA); Registered Pharmacist, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (1985); Fellow, Nigerian Academy of Science (2013); Fellow, Institute of industrial administration of Nigeria (2010), and, a Certified Public Analyst, Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria. In 2023, Osadebe was inducted as a Fellow of the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (NAPharm).

Public lecture

69th Inaugural lecture of the University of Nigeria entitled, “From the Lab Bench through the Gardens to the Apothecary: Journey So Far”.

Research contributions

Osadebe (with her team) has researched extensively on natural products extraction, isolation and characterization, and has isolated lead structures from Loranthus micranthus and Alchornea cordifolia. Extracts and isolates from mistletoe exhibited anti-diabetic, antioxidant, immunomodulatory and antimicrobial activities. She did establish parabolic relationship between a chromatographic-based partition coefficient parameter (Rm) and LD₅₀(Index of acute toxicity).The relationship enables LD₅₀ of newly synthesized members in a series to be determined without sacrificing more experimental animals. She holds two Bulgarian patents on method of synthesis of some antispasmodic gamma-amino propanols.

Select publications

• Osadebe, P. O.; Ukwueze, S. E. (2004-07-16). "A Comparative Study Of The Phytochemical And Anti-Microbial Properties Of The Eastern Nigerian Specie Of African Mistletoe (Loranthus micranthus) Sourced From Different Host Trees". Bio-Research. 2 (1): 18–23. doi:10.4314/br.v2i1.28537. ISSN 2705-3822.
• Okorie, N. H.; Umerie, S. C.; Uzochukwu, I. C.; Nwobi, S. C.; Osadebe, P. O. (2011). "Quality Control Assessment of Five Brands of Ketoconazole Tablets Marketed in Nigeria". Nigerian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research. 9 (1). ISSN 2635-3555.
• Osadebe, P. O.; Uzochukwu, I. C. (2006-04-21). "Chromatographic and anti-motility studies on extracts of Loranthus micranthus Linn". Journal of Pharmaceutical and Allied Sciences. 3 (1): 263–268. doi:10.4314/jophas.v3i1.34988. ISSN 1596-8499.

Personal life

Osadebe married Nkemakonam Nwolisa Osadebe, a professor of engineering. They have six children.