Lecturer I, Department of Biology

Dr Pearl U. Ofoegbu


Dr Pearl Ugochi Ofoegbu

Lecturer I

BSc., MSc., PhD
Email: puofoegbu@yahoo.com; pearl.ofoegbu@futo.edu.ng
ORCID: https://orcid.org/

 

Biography

Dr Pearl Ugochi Ofoegbu is a Lecturer in the Department of Biology of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. She obtained her PhD from the University of Aveiro, Portugal. Her doctoral research was on the use of freshwater planarians to study the ecotoxicological effects of psychiatric drugs. She obtained her Master’s degree with a specialization in parasitology from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria. She is involved in teaching, supervision of students’ projects and research.

 

Academic qualifications

  • PhD. in Biology (Specialization in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Biology) – 2018
  • M.Sc. Zoology (Specialization in Parasitology) – 1999
  • B. Sc. Zoology – 1995

Award Received

  • Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Nigeria – Doctoral Study Fellowship (2013/14 -2015/16).

Membership of professional bodies

  • Parasitology and Public Health Society of Nigeria (PPSN)
  • Zoological Society of Nigeria (ZSN)
  • Organization for Women in Science in the Developing World (OWSD)
  • American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

Work experience

  • Lecturer I – October 2008 – September 2012
  • Lecturer II – October 2005 – September 2008
  • Assistant Lecturer – August 2002 – September 2005

Areas of research interest

  • Ecotoxicology,
  • Environmental (aquatic, wetland and terrestrial) Management,
  • Wildlife Management,
  • Ecology,
  • Parasitology.

Publications

  1. Ofoegbu, P. U., Campos, D., Soares, A. M. V. M., Pestana, J. L. T., 2019a. Combined effects of NaCl and fluoxetine on the freshwater planarian, Schmidtea Mediterranea (Platyhelminthes: Dugesiidae). Environmental Science and Pollution Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-04532-4
  2. Ofoegbu, P. U., Lourenço, J., Mendo, S., Soares, A. M. V. M., Pestana, J. L. T., 2019b. Effects of low concentrations of psychiatric drugs (carbamazepine and fluoxetine) on the freshwater planarian, Schmidtea Mediterranea. Chemosphere 217, 542-549. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.10.198
  3. Ofoegbu, P. U., Simão, F. C., Cruz, A., Mendo, S., Soares, A. M. V. M., Pestana, J. L., 2016. Toxicity of tributyltin (TBT) to the freshwater planarian Schmidtea Mediterranea. Chemosphere 148, 61-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.12.131
  4. Onyedineke, N. E., Azuamuya, L., Ofoegbu, P. U., 2010a. Acute toxicity tests of brewery effluent on the Ostracoda Strandesia prava Klie, 1935 (Crustacea, Ostracoda). International Journal of Tropical Agriculture and Food Systems 4, 1-6.
  5. Onyedineke, N. E., A. Odukoya, A. O., Ofoegbu, P. U., 2010b. Acute toxicity tests of cassava and rubber effluents on the Ostracoda Strandesia prava Klie, 1935 (Crustacea, Ostracoda). Research Journal of Environmental Sciences 4, 166-172. https://doi.org/10.3923/rjes.2010.166.172
  6. Onyedineke, N. E., Obi, U., Ofoegbu, P. U., Ukogo, I., 2010c. Helminth parasites of some freshwater fish from River Niger at Illushi, Edo State, Nigeria. Journal of American Science 6, 16-21.
  7. Opara, F. N., Udoye, A. A., Okere, P. U., Osuala, F. O. U., Iwuala, M. O. E., 2007. The prevalence of intestinal helminth infections in primary school children in Owerri municipality, Imo state, Nigeria. Journal of Parasitic Diseases 31, 44-48.
  8. Okere, P. U., Odaibo, A. B., 2005. Interaction between Biomphalaria pfeifferi, the snail intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni, and Indoplanobis exustus, a possible competitor snail. African Journal of Biotechnology 4, 676-678.

Communications

  1. Pereira, V., Pires, S., Martins, D., Rodrigues, A., Ofoegbu, P., Cabral, M., Matias, D., Pacheco, M., Costa, A., Soares, A., Rocha, R., Cerastoderma edule: um alimento nutritivo ou um risco para a saúde pública? Workshop em Procedimentos de Cultura de Berbigão, 23rd September, 2019, Aveiro, Portugal.
  2. Rodrigues, A. C. M., Pires, S. F. S., Costa, A. P. I., Pereira, V., Ofoegbu, P. U., Bettencourt, F., Matias, D., Pacheco, M., Soares, A. M. V. M., Rocha, R. J. M., 2019. Water temperature affects differently the depuration and oxidative stress status of two bivalve species. 3rd International Conference on Food Contaminants (ICFC), 26th-27th September 2019, Aveiro, Portugal.
  3. Pereira, V., Ofoegbu, P., Pires, S., Rodrigues, A., Bem-Haja, P., Almeida, H., Cabral, M., Matias, D., Pacheco, M., Costa, A., Inácio, L., Sardinha, M. L., Soares, A., Rocha, R., 2019. Temperature effects on the depuration and shelf-life of Ruditapes decussatus from class C areas, to ensure food quality and safety. 3rd International Conference on Food Contaminants (ICFC), 26th-27th September, 2019, Aveiro, Portugal.
  4. Rocha, R., Pires, S., Martins, D., Rodrigues, A., Ofoegbu, P., Pereira, V., Costa, A., Soares, A., 2019. Cockles harvesting, transport and packaging: How to improve the quality of the product in consumers table. Aquaculture Europe 19, 7th-10th October 2019, Berlin, Germany.
  5. Silva, D., Rodrigues, A., Pires, S., Conceição, L., Dias, J., Ofoegbu, P., Pereira, V., Costa, A., Soares, A., Rocha, R., Different shell, different feed? 4th Aquaimprove, 29th November, 2019, Porto, Portugal.
  6. Ofoegbu, P. U., Gravato, C., Cruz, A., Mendo, S., Soares, A. M. V. M., Pestana, J. L. T., 2015. Planarians in ecotoxicology: A case study evaluating sub-lethal effects of TBT on Schmidtea Mediterranea. SETAC Europe 25th Annual Meeting, 3rd-7th May 2015, Barcelona, Spain.
  7. Ofoegbu, P. U., Morenikeji, O. A., Ezenwaka, C., Ewurum, N., 2011. Urinary schistosomiasis in preschool children in Emirikpoko, Rivers State, Nigeria. Thirty-fifth Annual Conference of Parasitology and Public Health Society of Nigeria (PPSN). September 21st-24th 2011, University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria.
  8. Oparaocha, E. T., Ofoegbu, P. U., 2009. Gender disparity in malaria health burden: A case study of women in marriage in Owerri municipal council of Imo State, Nigeria. Third World Organization of Women in Science (TWOWS) African Regional Conference, 16th-20th November 2009, Abuja, Nigeria.