African Twins and Multiple Births Research Found.
African Twins and Multiple Births Research Found.
Malcolm Odion Eremionkhale
Founder & Executive Director
Dr. David Tarnoki
Director
Dr. Adam Tarnoki
Director
| Malcolm Odion Eremionkhale Founder & Executive Director He is the Founder and Executive Director of the African Twins and Multiple Births Research Foundation. With a background in public health, he leads the Foundation’s mission to advance Africa-centered research on twins and multiple births, improve maternal and child health outcomes, and strengthen evidence-based policy and advocacy across the continent. | |
| Dr Carolyn Lister I am a researcher at heart, having a PhD in plant biochemistry and in my paid employment lead a research team focussed on food and health, but am also a volunteer. My involvement with the multiple birth community started soon after the arrival of my twins Kit and Finn in 2005. I started volunteering with my local club (Multiples Canterbury where I am still involved), then nationally (Multiples New Zealand) and now I chair the International Council of Multiple Birth Organisations (ICOMBO) as well as being their Research Director. In addition, I sit on the board of the International Society for Twin Studies (ISTS). I am very passionate about advocating for the rights of multiples and particularly transferring knowledge. I am a keen advocate of research and wish to ensure any research is done with the consideration of multiples and their families plus delivers benefits for those involved. |  |
| Professor Friday Okonofua He is an internationally renowned obstetrician-gynaecologist, global health leader, and advocate for women’s reproductive rights. He serves as Secretary General and member of the Governing Council of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), where he contributes to advancing excellence, equity, and leadership in science across Africa. He was elected Fellow of the Academy (FAAS) in 2018 in recognition of his outstanding scholarly achievements. Professor Okonofua was inducted into the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) of the United States one of the highest global honours in health and medicine—for his leadership in reproductive health and his role in major national and international studies aimed at preventing maternal deaths and strengthening health systems. His work has significantly influenced clinical practice and health policy across Africa. He is the Founding Vice-Chancellor of the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), the first specialised medical university in West Africa, where he has championed innovation in medical education and healthcare delivery. He also founded the Women’s Health and Action Research Centre (WHARC), a leading organisation promoting women’s reproductive health, rights, and evidence-based policy advocacy.Through his research, policy engagement, and institutional leadership, Professor Okonofua has helped shape reproductive health agendas at national and international levels, including collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). His career reflects a sustained commitment to reducing maternal mortality, strengthening health systems, and ensuring that science translates into meaningful impact for women and communities across Africa. |  |
| Monica Rankin She has recently been nominated as a Director of the African Twins and Multiple Births Research Foundation, reflecting her long-standing commitment to advancing research and support for multiples and their families. This appointment builds on over 35 years of volunteering with multiple birth organisations, collaboration with twin researchers, and leadership experience, including serving as Immediate Past-Chair, Secretary, and Membership Director of ICOMBO, as well as an ISTS Board member since 2012. In her roles, she combines governance expertise, strategic leadership, and community insight to promote research, strengthen organisational capacity, and improve outcomes for multiples globally. | |
| Dr. med. habil. Tárnoki Ádám Domonkos, PhD: Associate professor, radiologist, nuclear medicine specialist and twin researcher at the Medical Imaging Centre of Semmelweis University, medical economist, health manager; department head of the Radiology Department of the Oncologic Imaging and Invasive Diagnostic Center of the National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary. Founding member of the Hungarian Twin Registry. He has given more than 500 international and domestic lectures and has more than 200 publications, author or co-author of 35 book chapters. Board member of the Hungarian Society of Radiologists. Supervisor of more than 75 medical students and 6 PhD students. Past Vice President of the Hungarian Chapter of the Hungarian Medical Association of America, Editor-in-Chief of the Hungarian Radiology journal, Member of the Public Board and the Diagnostic Committee of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Past President of the International Society for Twin Studies, and visiting associate professor of Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine. His (first ever) secondhand smoking studies in Hungary led to the smoking ban in indoor public places in Hungary in 2012. He was the Secretary and Head of the Imaging group of the European Respiratory Society. |
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| Dr. med. habil. Tárnoki Dávid László, PhD Associate professor, radiologist, nuclear medicine specialist and twin researcher, as well as medical economist and health manager. Head of the Nuclear Medicine Department in the Medical Imaging Centre of Semmelweis University and previous head of the Oncologic Imaging and Invasive Diagnostic Center of the National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary. Founding member of the Hungarian Twin Registry. He has given more than 500 international and domestic lectures and has more than 170 publications, author or co-author of 34 book chapters. Board member of the Hungarian Society of Radiologists. Supervisor of more than 75 medical students and 7 PhD students. He teaches radiology in English, German and Hungarian at Semmelweis University. Between 2016 and 2019, he was the head of the ultrasound department at the Department of Radiology, Semmelweis University, and between 2017 and 2019, he was the head of English studies at the Department of Radiology, Semmelweis University. Past Secretary of the Hungarian Chapter of the Hungarian Medical Association of America, member of the editorial board of the Hungarian Radiology journal, member of the public body of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, member of the Diagnostic Committee of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, current President of the International Society for Twin Studies, visiting associate professor of Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine. He is a member of the Ultrasound section of Hungarian Society of Radiologists, and a member of the board of the interstitial lung diseases (ILD) section of the Hungarian Society of Pulmologists. |
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| Professor Yoon-Mi Hur He is a leading behavioural geneticist and psychologist, serving as Head of the Kookmin Twin Research Institute in Seoul, South Korea. She founded the South Korean Twin Registry and the Nigerian Twin and Sibling Registries, creating vital resources for research on mental health, personality, cognition, and the genetics of twinning. An active member of the International Society for Twin Studies, she received the James Shields Memorial Award in 2023. As Director of the African Twins and Multiple Births Research Foundation , she leads initiatives to expand twin research in Africa and strengthen global scientific networks. |
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| Professor Victor Dugga Professor Victor Dugga is a distinguished academic, award-winning playwright, and pioneering educational leader. He serves as Provost of the College of Postgraduate Studies at the Federal University of Lafia and Chairman of the Committee of Provosts and Deans of Postgraduate Colleges and Schools in Nigerian Universities. With advanced degrees from the University of Jos, University of Essex (UK), and University of Bayreuth (Germany), he has over two decades of experience in institutional leadership, strategic planning, and capacity-building across academia, health, and government sectors. Professor Dugga is also a celebrated literary figure, winning the Association of Nigerian Authors’ Prize for Drama (2009), and continues to contribute to theatre, literary theory, and cultural studies. |
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| Professor Akhere Omonkhua She is a leading African scientist and CEO of the Africa Research Excellence Fund (AREF). She conducts pioneering research on twins and multiple births, focusing on genetic, nutritional, and environmental factors in Igbo-Ora, Nigeria. Her work at the African Twins and Multiple Births Research Foundation integrates research, mentorship, and community engagement. She is passionate about building research capacity and mentoring the next generation of African scientists. Through her leadership, she advances understanding of multiple births and promotes evidence-based health solutions across Africa. |  |