International Center for Medical Geology Research

Nasarawa State University Keffi, Nigeria establishes First Chair and International Center for Medical Geology Research, names it after IMGA past President Dr. Jose A. Centeno of USA

The International Medical Geology Association (IMGA) and the Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK) in Nigeria are pleased to announced the recent establishment of the "Jose A. Centeno Center for Medical Geology Research" at NSUK. The Management and Senate of Nasarawa State University Keffi in Nigeria led by its Vice Chancellor Prof. Mohammed Suleiman, have created an endowment for this Center with the creation of a Chair on Medical Geology which underscores a commitment from NSUK in tackling health challenges emanating from a wide range of natural geological factors, as well as environmental and/or occupational risk factors such as mining exposures. The Center has been named after Dr. Jose A. Centeno, one of the co- founding members of medical geology and Past President of the International Medical Geology Association. This will be a pioneering Center that focuses on medical geology development in Nigeria and Africa. To assist the Chair is Dr. Nghargbu K’tso, a NSUK professor and pioneer specialist in medical geology in Nigeria. Being the first in the world, the expectations are that the Center and the endowment Chair on Medical Geology, will lead efforts in the development of research programs on medical geology in Nigeria and throughout Africa by developing capacity building, collaborating with research grants sponsoring organizations, and establishing collaborative partnerships with national and international researchers in this interdisciplinary and emerging field of Medical Geology. Key activities of the Center shall include curriculum development, workshops, conferences, webinars and short courses on medical geology, increasing the number of students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate programs, increasing the number of peer-reviewed publications, field research, and special projects.