Prof. Anise N. Happi is a distinguished veterinary scientist and academic leader with expertise in veterinary medicine, molecular pathology, and One Health research. Her career has focused on advancing the understanding of zoonotic and emerging infectious diseases, especially through the use of genomic surveillance to improve public and animal health in Africa.
She holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria and a Ph.D. in Veterinary Clinical Pathology. She completed postdoctoral training at Harvard University and has benefited from numerous fellowships and advanced training in molecular biology and genomics with applications to infectious diseases.
She serves as Deputy Director of One Health Research and Zoonotic Disease Surveillance at the Institute of Genomics and Global Health (IGH), Redeemer’s University, Nigeria (formerly ACEGID). In this role, she provides scientific leadership, directing regional and international projects on infectious disease threats.
Prof. Happi’s research spans zoonotic and animal-origin diseases, including Lassa fever, trypanosomiasis, haemoplasmosis, African swine fever (ASF), rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD), lumpy skin disease (LSD), Mpox, and COVID-19. She has pioneered work on rodent reservoirs of Lassa fever, domestic animal transmission pathways, and genomic surveillance of bushmeat pathogens. Her contributions have significantly improved understanding of disease ecology and informed public health strategies in West Africa.
An inspiring mentor and educator, she has guided numerous undergraduate and postgraduate students, developed innovative teaching in veterinary pathology, and continues to nurture the next generation of African scientists.
Prof. Happi has published extensively on infectious diseases of veterinary and public health importance. Her achievements have been recognized through multiple prestigious awards and grants, including:
• UK BBSRC – vaccine development for Ebola and Lassa fever.
• U.S. WRAIR EIDB – Lassa virus research in Southern Nigeria.
• GIZ/Smithsonian (Netherlands) – wildmeat health risk studies in Nairobi and Lagos.
• GPAZDS-USDA – genomic surveillance of animal diseases in Nigeria, Cameroon, and Benin.
• Volkswagen Stiftung Foundation – SENZOR One Health Project.
She is a registered member of the Veterinary Council of Nigeria and several international professional associations, reflecting her active engagement in advancing One Health and global health research.
