Yobe State–born neuroscientist, Prof. Mahmoud Maina, has been honoured with the Vivensa Academy Rising Star Excellence Award in the United Kingdom in recognition of his contributions to health innovation, ageing research and the development of impactful scientific ideas.
The award, presented by the Vivensa Foundation, celebrates emerging researchers whose work is helping to shape solutions that improve human wellbeing and quality of life.
Maina, who serves as Special Adviser on Science and Innovation to the Yobe State Governor, is also the founder and Director of the Biomedical Research and Training Centre (BioRTC) at Yobe State University, Damaturu.
He currently leads a dementia research cohort at the centre while also collaborating on context-driven studies with partners in the United Kingdom.
In 2025, he headed a team of researchers investigating the causes of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in communities such as Gashua, Jakusko, and other settlements along the Yobe River.
That same year, he received the Transmitter Rising Star Award, an international recognition supported by the Simons Foundation in the United States, which honours promising leaders in neuroscience.
He also holds the distinction of being the first Nigerian and the second African elected into the European Molecular Biology Organisation.
Reacting to the development, Governor Mai Mala Buni congratulated Maina, describing his achievements as a source of pride for the state and a boost to its global scientific reputation.
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting researchers and innovators in the state to achieve excellence and make meaningful contributions in their respective fields.