Akinyemi I. Ojesina

Akinyemi I. Ojesina, MD, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW). He leads the Ojesina Oncopathogenomics Laboratory, which investigates the underlying causes of cancer through the lens of tumor ecology, where microbes synergize with genomic alterations to influence tumor initiation, progression, response to therapy, and prognosis. His work bridges translational genomics, metatranscriptomics, molecular epidemiology, and precision oncology.

Dr. Ojesina's research program focuses on three primary areas: genomic characterization of molecular drivers in women's cancers, biology of atypical cervical cancers (particularly HPV-independent tumors), and the role of tumor microbiome in cancer initiation and progression. His laboratory applies cutting-edge genomic analyses and laboratory experiments to interrogate population-based patient samples, cell lines, and animal models. A key methodological contribution is his co-development of PathSeq, a computational tool for identifying microbial sequences in high-throughput sequencing data.

His recent publications demonstrate a strong emphasis on cervical cancer genomics, with particular attention to HPV-related mechanisms, genomic alterations, and potential therapeutic targets. Across his work, Dr. Ojesina integrates multiple approaches including genomic sequencing, transcriptomic analysis, and functional validation to uncover novel insights into cancer biology, with implications for diagnostic biomarkers and predictive models in both local and global health contexts.

Dr. Ojesina leads an active research team comprising postdoctoral researchers and fellows, and has secured significant funding from the National Cancer Institute for his project 'Molecular Markers for Tumors Associated with Extrachromosomal HPV' (2024-2029). His collaborative approach is evident in numerous multi-institutional publications, including major contributions to The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and other large consortia focused on cervical cancer genomics. His work has appeared in high-impact journals including Nature, Nature Genetics, and Cancer Cell.