April 1, 2021
Chika Okafor to present Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology Seminar
Submitted by Brandy Nowakowski
Chika Okafor, assistant professor of biomedical and diagnostic sciences at the University of Tennessee, will present "Antibiotic Use in Food Animal and Effects on One Health" at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, April 1, via Zoom.
Okafor earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Nigeria, his master's degree and doctorate from Michigan State University, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in nutritional epidemiology from the University of Guelph. Okafor is also a diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Preventative Medicine with specialty board certification in epidemiology. Presently, Okafor is an assistant professor and pre-harvest food safety epidemiologist in the Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Identifying patterns of antimicrobial use/resistance in veterinary medicine is Okafor’s primary research focus. Okafor’s team utilizes both qualitative and quantitative epidemiological methods and statistical analysis of large datasets to understand/prevent animal diseases — e.g. bovine anaplasmosis — and pre-harvest food safety issues — e.g. colibaillosis — associated with use of antibiotics. Okafor has published extensively on antimicrobial use practices in livestock and on disease that drive the increased use of antimicrobials in cattle. His long-term goal is to improve stewardship of antimicrobial use in food animals and veterinary medicine.