How Nigerian Scientist, Gideon Ameh is tackling global disease threats through One Health research

As the globe is still grappling with the aftermath of COVID-19 and recurring outbreaks of animal-borne diseases, a Nigerian scientist is working to close the gap between human, animal, and environmental health.

Gideon Ameh, an American based Evolutionary Biologist is investigating how biodiversity loss and land-use change drive the spread of infectious diseases, an approach grounded in the global “One Health” framework.

Currently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that three out of every four emerging diseases originate from animals, Gideon’s work shows a growing urgency to understand and prevent such cross-species transmissions.

He studies how deforestation, urban expansion, and agricultural pressure create conditions that allow viruses to leap from wildlife to humans, a process scientists refer to as spillover (the transmission of diseases from animals to humans).

“You cannot separate human health from the environment that sustains it,” Gideon says. “Our choices about land, food, and energy directly influence the chances of the next outbreak. That’s what drives my research.”

At the George Mason University, Virginia, USA, Ameh serves as a PhD student and Instructor of Record in the Department of Biology.

His ongoing research assesses how shifts in land use alter the relationships among wildlife, pathogens, and humans. Using geospatial modeling and computational tools, he maps disease-risk hotspots and examines how biodiversity conservation can reduce transmission potential.

His current project integrates data on species diversity, deforestation rates, and viral genomes to predict how changes in local ecosystems might trigger new infections. “We’re trying to give policymakers a visual map of risk,” he explained. “If you can show that protecting forest corridors lowers exposure to pathogens, then conservation becomes a public health investment, not just an environmental goal.”

This approach mirrors a rising movement within the scientific community that connects ecology to health policy. A 2023 United Nations Environment Programme report noted that global land degradation affects over 3.2 billion people and increases vulnerability to emerging pathogens. Ameh’s work aims to turn such data into practical prevention strategies.

Ameh’s dedication to applied science has not gone unnoticed. His recent paper on biodiversity and animal-borne disease transmission risk was presented at two of the world’s most respected scientific gatherings in the field of public health and infectious diseases: the American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting held November 4, 2025 in Washington, D.C. USA, and the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) Conference, held on November 10, 2025 in Ontario, Canada.

According to the young researcher, these conferences are where some of the most critical discussions on global health take place.

“For me, it’s not only about sharing research; it’s about amplifying the role of African scientists in global conversations about prevention and policy.”

He has also collaborated with researchers in the United Kingdom and Australia, focusing on how nations can adapt the One Health model for local realities. His findings contribute to the global understanding of how environmental management can serve as an early warning system against future pandemics.

Ameh was also a research fellow with Australian Academy of Science under the Future Earth Australia platform where he was involved in bridging the gap between biodiversity and policy making in the transition towards renewable energy.

Beyond academia, Ameh’s influence extends to leadership and mentoring. Earlier in Nigeria, he supported community health education programs and environmental monitoring efforts, these are experiences that affected his view of research as a service to society. “The goal is not to publish papers for the shelf,” he said. “It’s to produce knowledge that saves lives and ecosystems.”

Ameh’s practical orientation echoes the ethos of the One Health movement, which advocates that preventing disease requires collaboration across sectors from veterinarians and ecologists to public health planners and local communities.

Asked how Africa can strengthen its position in global health research, Ameh pointed to both opportunity and challenge. “Africa holds some of the richest biodiversity on Earth, but that also means we face higher risks if we keep losing natural habitats,” he said.

“If we align health, agriculture, and environment under one coordinated policy, we could become a model for disease prevention rather than reaction.”

He believes that countries like Nigeria could lead continental innovation in One Health policy through local data generation, improved surveillance, and early-warning systems. According to the Africa CDC, animal-borne diseases account for over 60 percent of reported epidemics on the continent in the last decade, a figure that underscores the urgency of his research focus.

“The lesson from COVID-19 is clear,” he added. “Waiting until an outbreak happens is too expensive. Prevention is the real solution.”

For Ameh, global collaboration remains central to scientific progress. He credits his professional exposure from Nigeria to the United States and the UK for broadening his outlook on how interdisciplinary teams can tackle health threats.

His vision is to strengthen predictive modeling frameworks for animal-borne disease risk, allowing governments to make informed land-use and health decisions. “We need systems that tell us, with evidence, what choices today will prevent the next disease tomorrow,” he emphasised.

Through his work, Gideon Ameh remind the world that sustainable health begins long before a hospital ward, it begins with the environment itself. His blend of ecological insight and public health expertise positions him among those shaping the future of disease prevention.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers.

She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay.

She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos.

As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender.

She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies.

Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category.

She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category.

She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations.

Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.

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