Bio
Dr. Felicia Ikolo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine (SOM) at St. George’s University (SGU), where she has built a distinguished career spanning over two decades of teaching, research, and academic leadership.
Dr. Ikolo earned her Ph.D. in Proteomics from Northumbria University (UK) and an M.Sc. in Biomedical Science from Anglia Ruskin University (UK), with coursework spanning Endocrinology, General Pathology, Metabolic Processes in Health & Disease, and Applied Research in Biomedical Science. She holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Microbiology from Bendel State University, Nigeria, and completed post-graduate and intensive training at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital Diagnostic Laboratories, Nigeria. She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences (IBMS), UK.
Since joining SGU in 2001, Dr. Ikolo has held progressive roles in teaching, curriculum development, course directorship, and departmental leadership. She currently serves as Course Director for Undergraduate Molecular Biology, Laboratory Director for the Department of Biochemistry, and Secretary of the SGU University Senate. She is a member of the SOM Executive Senate Committee. She teaches across the MD, Charter Foundation Program (CFP), Pre-Medical, Pre-Veterinary, and School of Arts and Sciences Biology programs. She serves as an SOM Judicial Advisor and as Faculty Advisor to CFP students, the Academic Enhancement Program (AEP), and the SGU African Cultural Students Association.
Her research focuses on proteomics, biomolecular science, metabolic and genetic diseases, with a particular emphasis on sickle cell disease and emerging gene therapy strategies. She has published in peer-reviewed journals, co-authored book chapters, and presented at local and international conferences. She serves as Associate Editor at IntechOpen and Academic Editor for the journal Gene Expression, and co-edited Cell and Molecular Biology Annual Volume 2025. In 2025, she was the lead applicant on a successful GANSID grant that secured funds for Point-of-Care Oxygen Concentrators for the Sickle Cell Association of Grenada – the Caribbean regional winner.
Teaching and mentorship are central to Dr. Ikolo’s academic identity. She fosters critical thinking, active learning, and the integration of theory and practice among her students, while also mentoring junior faculty in content, course design, research strategy, and institutional service. She is deeply committed to community engagement through the Sickle Cell Association of Grenada and collaborates with regional and international bodies, including the Caribbean Network of Researchers on Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassemia, and the Global Action Network for Sickle Cell and Other Inherited Blood Disorders (GANSID). She takes great satisfaction in enhancing research productivity and guiding students and junior colleagues to project success.
Professional Philosophy
Dr. Ikolo’s work as an educator, mentor, and scholar is guided by a single conviction: that science becomes meaningful when it moves beyond the lecture hall and into the world. In the classroom, she strives to cultivate critical thinking and active learning, helping students build not just knowledge but the confidence to apply it — connecting biochemical principles to clinical realities and practical problems. She believes that every student, regardless of their starting point, deserves a learning environment that is inclusive, rigorous, and intellectually alive.
Mentorship, for Dr. Ikolo, extends in every direction: to students navigating the demands of professional training, to junior faculty finding their footing in teaching and research, and to community partners working to improve health outcomes for underserved populations. She measures success not by her own output alone, but by the growth she witnesses in those she has had the privilege to guide.
Her scholarship reflects the same integrative philosophy. Whether investigating the molecular basis of disease, exploring innovations in gene therapy, or engaging with the Sickle Cell Association of Grenada, regional and international networks, she seeks to ensure that research serves people, particularly the communities who need it most. Science done well, she believes, is science done in service.
Research & Interests
- Molecular Basis of Disease
- Genetic Diseases
- Metabolic Diseases
- Proteomics
- Translational Genomics
- Sickle Cell Disease
- Gene Therapy
- Biomedical Science Education
- Academic Mentorship and Faculty Development
Affiliations
- Sickle Cell Association of Grenada
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences (IBMS) of the United Kingdom
In the Media
- Contribution to newspaper publication by Curlan Campbell in Now Grenada – 7th June 2023. Plight of patients with Sickle Cell Disease in Grenada. 5-minutes read in Health. https://nowgrenada.com/2023/06/plight-for-patients-with-sickle-cell-disease-in-grenada/
Academic Degrees
- Ph.D., Proteomics, Northumbria University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
- M.Sc., Biomedical Science, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
- B.Sc. (Hons), Microbiology, Bendel State University, Ekpoma, Nigeria
Administrative Appointments
- Laboratory Director, Department of Biochemistry
Course Teachings
- Current Courses: Basic Principles of Medicine 1 & 2 (BPM1, BPM2), Molecular Biology (BIOL 321), Molecular Biology Laboratory (BIOL 331), Biochemistry (CHEM 450)
- Previous Courses: General Biology (BIOL 220), Biochemistry for Life Sciences (CHEM 300), Biochemistry Laboratory (CHEM 451)
Institutional Services & Committees
- Current: SGU University Senate Secretary, SOM Executive Committee Senate Member, SOM FASP, SVM PAC, Preclinical Academic Progress Review Committee (APRC) Member, Biochemistry Department Graduate Affairs Committee Member.
- Past: SOM Faculty Affairs Committee Chair, SOM Basic Sciences Faculty Affairs Committee Interim Chair, SOM Basic Sciences Faculty Affairs Committee (BSFAC) Member, SOM Focus Group on Objectives Member, SOM ITI Focus Group Member.
Memberships in Associations / Societies
- American Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy
- Association of Professors of Human and Medical Genetics (APHMG)
- Biochemical Society, U.K.
- British Society for Proteome Research, United Kingdom
- Caribbean Association of Medical Technologists
- Caribbean Network of Researchers on Sickle Cell disease and Thalassemia
- Global Action Network for Sickle Cell & Other Inherited Blood Disorders (GANSID)
- Institute of Biomedical Science, United Kingdom
- Sickle Cell Association of Grenada
Journal Articles
- Grygiel, A., Ikolo, F., et al. (2021). Sickle Cell Disease in Grenada: Quality of Life and Barriers to Care. Mol Genet Genomic Med, 9, e1567.
- Kruszka, P., Porras, A. R., Sobering, A. K., Ikolo, F. A., et al. (2017). Down syndrome in diverse populations. Am J Med Genet A, 173(1), 42–53.
- Ikolo, F., Zhang, M., Harrington, D. J., et al. (2015). Characterisation of SEQ0694 (PrsA/PrtM) of Streptococcus equi. Mol BioSystems, 11, 3279-3286.
Books
- Book Chapter: Shellon Thomas, Henry Okodaso, Kush Kanjia, Vaidehi Khatu, Dervens Michaud, Kanwarjot Singh, Kwami Jones, Clayton Taylor, Bawo Teddy Ikolo, and Felicia Ikolo (2025). Emerging Innovations in Gene Therapy for Sickle Cell Disease and Beta-Thalassemia: Genome Editing - Recent Advances and Applications: https://www.intechopen.com/online-first/1226682
- Book Chapter: Ikolo, F., Maity, S., Finn, R., Abdullah, A., Tajik, A., M. Cameron, J., & C. Maj, M. (2024). Founder Effect: Breeding a Dog for the Elderly Gentleman Reveals an Animal Model of a Human Genetic Disorder. In Genetics. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.113912
- Book Edited: Maj, C. M., & Ikolo, F. (Eds). (2025). Cell and Molecular Biology Annual Volume 2025. IntechOpen. http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.1010750.
Reviewer/Editorships
- Associate Editor, IntechOpen (Feb. 2024 – Present)
- Academic Editor, Gene Expression, Xia & He Publishing (April 2024 – Present)
Selected Projects
- Gene Therapy Innovations for Hemoglobinopathies: Peer-reviewed book chapter (Genome Editing: Recent Advances and Applications, IntechOpen, 2025). Medical student-led poster research and collaborative faculty/student literature review providing a comprehensive synthesis of emerging genome editing strategies for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia, encompassing the molecular pathophysiology of defective β-globin chain production, CRISPR-Cas9-mediated fetal hemoglobin reactivation via BCL11A enhancer disruption, lentiviral vector–mediated gene addition, and next-generation precision editing platforms including AsCas12a and base/prime editing. The chapter critically evaluates the clinical outcomes of globally approved therapies - Casgevy, Lyfgenia, and Zynteglo - alongside challenges of myeloablative conditioning, long-term genomic safety, and equitable global access, particularly in high-burden, resource-limited settings
- Quality of Life of Persons Affected by Sickle Cell Disease in Grenada: Peer-reviewed publication (Molecular Genetics and Genomic Medicine, 2021; DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.1567) investigating health-related quality of life and barriers to care in a Caribbean patient population, contributing regional evidence to the global understanding of sickle cell disease burden and healthcare access disparities.
- Characterisation of SEQ0694 (PrsA/PrtM) as a Functional Peptidyl-Prolyl Isomerase - Ph.D. dissertation project and peer-reviewed publication (Molecular BioSystems, RSC, 2015) dissecting the enzymatic protein maturation pathway, elucidating the molecular mechanisms by which PrtM maturase functions as a peptidyl-prolyl isomerase to mediate post-translational protein folding and processing across multiple secreted protein substrates, with broader implications for understanding chaperone-dependent conformational maturation, protease activation cascades, and the identification of novel therapeutic and vaccine targets.
- Hereditary Blood Disorders (HBDs) – Studies investigating genetic mutations, inheritance patterns, and molecular mechanisms underlying HBDs like sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and other inherited hemoglobinopathies.
- Myocardial Infarction (MI) – Research into molecular/genetic risk factors for MI (including gene expression profiles, biomarkers, and inflammation pathways), exploring novel diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for MI.
- Association Between Vitamin B12 Deficiency and Sleep Disorders - Medical student-directed literature review and poster presentation exploring the evidence linking Vitamin B12 deficiency to sleep disturbances, including insomnia and disrupted circadian rhythms.
- Optimizing Immediate Oxygen Therapy for Persons Affected by Sickle Cell Disease: Ongoing research examining comprehensive approaches to immediate oxygen therapy for the prevention and management of vaso-occlusive crises, with a focus on enhancing patient outcomes and informing evidence-based clinical practice.
Get In Touch
fun Fact
Outside of academia, I find joy in traveling as a form of lifelong learning and, in recent years, have rekindled a deep love for gardening – much to the delight of my husband and children.