Ahizechukwu Eke

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Ahizechukwu Eke, MD PhD MPH
Ahizechukwu Eke Johns Hopkins 2025.jpg
Dr. Ahizechukwu Eke in 2025
Born (1978-05-11) May 11, 1978 (age 47)
[UNTH Enugu], Nigeria
Nationality Nigerian-American
Education Federal Government College, Wukari
University of Calabar
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
Occupation(s) Maternal-fetal medicine
Obstetrician & Gynecologist
Clinical Pharmacologist
Physician-scientist
EmployerJohns Hopkins University
Title Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology & Maternal-fetal medicine
Awards American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Donald Richardson's Paper Prize (2016)
Cochrane (organisation) Kenneth Warren Prize (2017)
Society for Reproductive Investigation (SRI) Pfizer Presidential Award (2019)
Distinguished Teaching Society (DTS) of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (2020)
Alpha Omega Alpha (2014)
Delta Omega Honor Society (2021)
National Institutes of Health Director's Pioneer Award (2024)

Ahizechukwu Chigoziem Eke is a Nigerian-American physician-scientist, obstetrician-gynecologist, and specialist in maternal-fetal medicine. [1] He is a 2024 recipient of the NIH Director's Pioneer Award, [2] [3] [4] and has led influential pharmacologic research in pregnant women. [5] He is an Associate Professor in the Division of maternal-fetal medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he directs the integrated maternal-fetal medicine research program. [6] [7] Eke is internationally recognized for his research in pharmacology in pregnancy and lactation, with contributions spanning clinical pharmacology, [8] infectious diseases in pregnancy, translational science, and implementation research. [9]

Contents

Early life and education

Eke was born at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu State, Nigeria. He attended Federal Government College, Wukari in Taraba State, before completing his medical degree (MBChB) at the University of Calabar. He earned a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the Harvard School of Public Health, concentrating in health policy and management. [10]

He completed residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Nigeria at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, and later at Michigan State University Obstetrics and Gynecology residency training program (now University of Michigan Health - Sparrow) in the United States. [11] He went on to complete dual fellowships in maternal-fetal medicine and clinical pharmacology at Johns Hopkins University, [7] where he earned a doctor of philosophy (PhD) in clinical investigation through the Graduate Training Program in Clinical Investigation at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. [12]

Career

Eke's clinical and research career focuses on the intersection of maternal fetal medicine and pharmacologic research. He serves as the protocol chair for the International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Group (IMPAACT) 2041, a phase I/II clinical trial evaluating the pharmacokinetics and safety of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir initiated during pregnancy among women with hepatitis C, including women co-infected with HIV. [13] He is also involved in longitudinal cohort studies examining cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes in pregnant and postpartum women. [14]

His global health work includes contributions to Supporting, Mobilizing, and Accelerating Research for Tuberculosis Elimination (SMART4TB), a tuberculosis research initiative that integrates detection, prevention, and treatment strategies to reduce the burden of TB in high-risk settings. [15] His broader research interests include optimizing drug safety and dosing in pregnancy and lactation, particularly in contexts such as preterm birth, HIV, tuberculosis, sickle cell disease, [16] hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and opioid use in pregnancy.

Research and academic contributions

Eke's research focuses on optimizing the safe and effective use of medications in pregnancy and lactation. His work spans pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pharmacoepidemiology, pharmacogenomics, and pharmacometrics. He has led clinical and translational research on drug safety, dosing, and interactions in pregnant women, particularly in relation to preterm birth, HIV, hepatitis C, tuberculosis, sickle cell disease, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and substance use disorders. [17]

His studies integrate approaches such as longitudinal cohort designs, intensive and sparse pharmacokinetic sampling, population-based modeling, physiologically based pharmacokinetic modelling, and real-world data analysis. He has pioneered the use of high-dimensional omics such as proteomics and metabolomics in investigating the pathophysiology of complex pregnancy-related conditions. [4] [18] This work contributes to the development of personalized pharmacotherapy strategies and regulatory guidance for medication use during pregnancy. [19]

Eke has received multiple research grants from the NIH, including a Women's Reproductive Health Research (WRHR) Career Development award, a K23 Career Development award, [20] and a National Institutes of Health Director's Pioneer Award (DP1), which supports innovative and high-impact research. [3] [4]

Editorial and advisory roles

Eke serves on the editorial boards of several peer-reviewed journals. He is a member of the editorial board of NEJM Evidence, a journal published by the New England Journal of Medicine, [21] as well as Frontiers in Global Women's Health (Infectious Diseases in Women), [22] and the Journal of Maternal Health, Neonatology and Perinatology. [23]

He has also contributed to global health policy and ethics initiatives. Eke serves as a member of the World Health Organization (WHO) HIV, Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Therapeutics Working Group (HHS PTWG), and has participated in working groups and committees convened by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine focused on improving the inclusion of pregnant and lactating women in clinical research. [24] His work has helped shape guidelines related to maternal pharmacology and public health policy. [25]

Publications

Eke has authored or co-authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals, including The New England Journal of Medicine, [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), [32] [33] [34] [35] The Lancet, [36] Clinical Infectious Diseases (CID), [37] [38] Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, [39] CPT Pharmacometrics and Systems Pharmacology, [40] [41] and the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. [42] His published work has garnered over 7,800 citations, and spans topics such as perinatal pharmacology, maternal co-morbidities, and global health. [43]

In addition to original research, he has contributed expert commentaries and reviews, particularly in the fields of pharmacologic safety in pregnancy and maternal HIV care. His work is frequently cited in policy documents by organizations such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). [44]

Awards and recognition

Eke has received several awards for his contributions to medicine and public health. These include the Donald F. Richardson Memorial Research Award from ACOG, [45] the Kenneth Warren Prize from the Cochrane Collaboration, [46] and the Young Physician-Scientist Award from the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI). [47] He is a member of both the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society [48] and the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health. [49]

In 2024, he was recognized by the NIH Common Fund as a recipient of the Director's Pioneer Award, one of the agency's most competitive and prestigious awards for high-risk, high-reward research. [3] [4] In 2025, Eke was recognized as one of the top 1% of Gynecologic Surgery Research All-Stars. [50]

Eke's research and expert opinion have been featured in a range of media outlets, including STAT News, [51] MedPage Today, [52] Medscape, [53] HuffPost, [54] and Runner's World. [55]

References

  1. ↑ "Ahizechukwu Eke, MD, MPH, PhD". SMFM 2025 Meeting Program. Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Ahizechukwu Eke wins the NIH DP1 Award". OncoDaily. August 8, 2024. Retrieved June 22, 2025. The DP1 NIH award, also known as the NIH Director's Pioneer Award, is part of the NIH's High-Risk, High-Reward Research program. While it is similar to a R01 grant, this award is specifically designed to support individual scientists of exceptional creativity who propose highly innovative research projects with the potential for unusually broad impact in the sciences.
  3. 1 2 3 "NIH Director's Pioneer Award". National Institutes of Health Common Fund. Office of Strategic Coordination, DPCPSI, NIH. May 17, 2024. Retrieved June 8, 2025. Part of the High‑Risk, High‑Reward Research program, the award supports scientists with outstanding records of creativity pursuing new research directions to develop pioneering approaches to major challenges in biomedical, social science, and behavioral research.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Project: DP1 Pioneer Award". NIH RePORTER. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Ahizechukwu C. Eke - Pharmacologist, Obstetrician Gynecologist". International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Network. Retrieved June 20, 2025.
  6. ↑ "A Trailblazer in HIV Research for Pregnant Women". Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  7. 1 2 "Ahizechukwu Eke, MD, PhD, MPH – Profile". Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Current list of Diplomates of the American Board of Clinical Pharmacology (ABCP)". American Board of Clinical Pharmacology. American Board of Clinical Pharmacology, Inc. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Dr. Ahizechukwu Eke". Global Hepatitis Programme. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Ahizechukwu Eke Harvard Alumni Profile". Harvard Alumni Association. Harvard University. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Sparrow physician receives national honor for C-section research". University of Michigan Health–Sparrow. October 26, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  12. ↑ Eke, Ahizechukwu Chigoziem (2021). Rational Antiretroviral Drug Use in Pregnant and Postpartum Women Living with HIV (Ph.D. dissertation). Johns Hopkins University. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  13. ↑ "Ahizechukwu C. Eke". IMPAACT Network. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  14. ↑ "Integrated proteomic and metabolomic biomarker discovery to refine gestational HIV treatment strategies". NIH RePORTER. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  15. ↑ "SMART4TB Pregnancy and TB Report" (PDF). Johns Hopkins TB Center. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  16. ↑ "Risk of pregnancy-related death 26 times higher among US patients". Sickle Cell Disease News, February 7th 2023. February 6, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  17. ↑ Shenkoya, Babajide; Gopalakrishnan, Mathangi; Eke, Ahizechukwu C. (2024). "Physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling of long-acting extended-release naltrexone in pregnant women with opioid use disorder". CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology. 13 (11): 1939–1952. doi:10.1002/psp4.13252. PMC   11578127 . PMID   39380562.
  18. ↑ "Project Listing for Dr. Ahizechukwu Eke". NIH Reporter. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  19. ↑ Eke, Ahizechukwu C.; Olagunju, Adeniyi; Momper, Jeremiah; Penazzato, Martina; Abrams, Elaine; Best, Brookie M.; Capparelli, Edmund V.; Bekker, Adrie; Belew, Yodit; Kiser, Jennifer J.; Strubble, Kimberly; Taylor, Graham; Waitt, Catriona; Mirochnick, Mark; Cressey, Tim R.; Colbers, Angela (2021). "Optimizing pharmacologic studies in pregnant and lactating women using lessons from HIV: a consensus statement. The IMPAACT-WHO workshop on "Approaches to Optimize and Accelerate Pharmacokinetic Studies in Pregnant and Lactating Women"". Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 110 (1): 36–48. doi:10.1002/cpt.2048. PMC   8167886 . PMID   32930408.
  20. ↑ "Dr Ahizechukwu Eke's NIH HIV in Pregnancy Grant". ExpertKG. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  21. ↑ "Editors and Publishers". NEJM Evidence. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Editorial Board - Infectious Diseases in Women". Frontiers in Global Women's Health. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  23. ↑ "Editorial Board". Journal of Maternal Health, Neonatology and Perinatology. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  24. ↑ Riley, Margaret Foster; Helman, Alex; March, Andrew, eds. (2024). NASEM Report: Advancing Clinical Research with Pregnant and Lactating Populations. National Academies Press. doi:10.17226/27595. ISBN   978-0-309-71688-8. PMID   38648302 . Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  25. ↑ Riley, Margaret Foster; Helman, Alex; March, Andrew, eds. (May 24, 2024). Advancing Clinical Research with Pregnant and Lactating Populations: Overcoming Real and Perceived Liability Risks. Committee on Developing a Framework to Address Legal, Ethical, Regulatory, and Policy Issues for Research Specific to Pregnant and Lactating Persons, National Academies Press. doi:10.17226/27595. ISBN   978-0-309-71688-8. PMID   38648302 . Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  26. ↑ Eke, Ahizechukwu C.; Mirochnick, Mark; Lockman, Shahin (2023). "Antiretroviral Therapy and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in People Living with HIV". New England Journal of Medicine. 388 (4): 344–356. doi:10.1056/NEJMra2212877. PMC   10400304 . PMID   36720135.
  27. ↑ Eke, Ahizechukwu C.; Dooley, Kelly E.; Sheffield, Jeanne (2019). "Pharmacologic Research in Pregnant Women - Time to Get It Right". New England Journal of Medicine. 380 (14): 1293–1295. doi:10.1056/NEJMp1815325. PMC   9214647 . PMID   30943333.
  28. ↑ Bienstock, Jessica L.; Eke, Ahizechukwu C.; Hueppchen, Nancy A. (2021). "Postpartum Hemorrhage". New England Journal of Medicine. 384 (17): 1635–1645. doi:10.1056/NEJMra1513247. PMC   10181876 . PMID   33913640.
  29. ↑ Eke, Ahizechukwu C. (2021). "Changes in Seizure Frequency and Antiepileptic Therapy during Pregnancy". New England Journal of Medicine. 384 (10): 977–978. doi:10.1056/NEJMc2101226. PMID   33704954.
  30. ↑ Henderson, Janice L.; Eke, Ahizechukwu C. (2022). "Obesity in Pregnancy". New England Journal of Medicine. 387 (14): 1338–1339. doi:10.1056/NEJMc2210921. PMID   36198191.
  31. ↑ Eke, Ahizechukwu C.; Kerry, Vanessa B. (2022). "Ethical Challenges to Improving Access to Human Papillomavirus Vaccines in Low- and Middle-Income Countries". NEJM Evidence. 1 (5): e2200069. doi:10.1056/evide2200069. PMC   9629793 . PMID   36329984.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: article number as page number (link)
  32. ↑ Eke, Ahizechukwu C.; Lockman, Shahin; Mofenson, Lynne M. (2023). "Antiretroviral Treatment of HIV/AIDS During Pregnancy". JAMA. 329 (15): 1308–1309. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.5076. PMC   10390091 . PMID   37010862.
  33. ↑ Gimovsky, Alexis C.; Eke, Ahizechukwu C.; Tuuli, Methodius G. (2024). "Enhancing Obstetric Ultrasonography With Artificial Intelligence in Resource-Limited Settings". JAMA. 332 (8): 626–628. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.14794. PMC   11863673 . PMID   39088222.
  34. ↑ Early, Macy L.; Eke, Ahizechukwu C.; Gemmill, Alison; Lanzkron, Sophie; Pecker, Lydia H. (2023). "Severe Maternal Morbidity and Mortality in Sickle Cell Disease in the National Inpatient Sample, 2012-2018". JAMA Network Open. 6 (2): e2254552. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.54552. PMC   9896307 . PMID   36729452.
  35. ↑ Early, Macy L.; Eke, Ahizechukwu C.; Gemmill, Alison; Lanzkron, Sophie; Pecker, Lydia H. (2023). "Comparisons of Severe Maternal Morbidity and Other Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in Pregnant People With Sickle Cell Disease vs Anemia". JAMA Network Open. 6 (2): e2254545. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.54545. PMC   9896269 . PMID   36729453.
  36. ↑ Eke, Ahizechukwu C.; Gebreyohannes, Rahel D.; Powell, Anna M. (2023). "Understanding clinical outcome measures reported in HIV pregnancy studies involving antiretroviral-naive and antiretroviral-experienced women". Lancet Infect Dis. 23 (4): e151 –e159. doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(22)00687-9. PMC   10040432 . PMID   36375478.
  37. ↑ Eke, Ahizechukwu C.; Brummel, Sean S.; Aliyu, Muktar H.; Stranix-Chibanda, Lynda; Eleje, George U.; Ezebialu, Ifeanyichukwu U.; Korutaro, Violet; Wabwire, Deo; Matubu, Allen; Mbengeranwa, Tapiwa; Chakhtoura, Nahida; Chinula, Lameck; McCarthy, Katie; Knowles, Kevin; Krotje, Chelsea; Linton, Macrae F.; Dooley, Kelly E.; Sax, Paul E.; Brown, Todd; Lockman, Shahin (2025). "Lipid and Glucose Profiles in Pregnant Women With HIV on Tenofovir-based Antiretroviral Therapy". Clinical Infectious Diseases. 30 (3): 594–601. doi:10.1093/cid/ciae441. PMC   11912963 . PMID   39219495.
  38. ↑ Olagunju, Adeniyi; Mathad, Jyoti; Eke, Ahizechukwu C.; Delaney-Moretlwe, Sinead; Lockman, Shahin (2022). "Considerations for the Use of Long-Acting and Extended-Release Agents During Pregnancy and Lactation". Clinical Infectious Diseases. 57 (Suppl 4): S571 –S578. doi:10.1093/cid/ciac659. PMC   10200321 . PMID   36410383.
  39. ↑ Eke, Ahizechukwu C.; Olagunju, Adeniyi; Momper, Jeremiah; Penazzato, Martina; Abrams, Elaine J.; Best, Brookie M.; Capparelli, Edmund V.; Bekker, Adrie; Belew, Yodit; Kiser, Jennifer J.; Struble, Kimberly; Taylor, Graham; Waitt, Catriona; Mirochnick, Mark; Cressey, Tim R.; Colbers, Angela (2021). "Optimizing Pharmacology Studies in Pregnant and Lactating Women Using Lessons From HIV: A Consensus Statement". Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 110 (1): 36–48. doi:10.1002/cpt.2048. PMC   8167886 . PMID   32930408.
  40. ↑ Eke, Ahizechukwu C.; Adams, Emily; Eleje, George U.; Ezebialu, Ifeanyichukwu U.; Aliyu, Muktar H. (2024). "Pharmacometrics in obstetrics and maternal-fetal medicine research: Bridging gaps in maternal and fetal pharmacology". CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology. 13 (11): 1835–1840. doi:10.1002/psp4.13267. PMC   11578123 . PMID   39465999.
  41. ↑ Shenkoya, Babajide; Gopalakrishnan, Mathangi; Eke, Ahizechukwu C. (2024). "Physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling of long-acting extended-release naltrexone in pregnant women with opioid use disorder". CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology. 13 (11): 1939–1952. doi:10.1002/psp4.13252. PMC   11578127 . PMID   39380562.
  42. ↑ Eke, Ahizechukwu C.; Saccone, Gabrielle; Berghella, Vincenzo (2016). "Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) use during pregnancy and risk of preterm birth: a systematic review and meta-analysis". BJOG. 123 (12): 1900–1907. doi:10.1111/1471-0528.14144. PMC   9987176 . PMID   27239775.
  43. ↑ "Google Scholar Profile" . Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  44. ↑ "Science Board to the Food and Drug Administration - Membership Roster". Regulations.gov. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2025. Dr. Ahizechukwu Eke is listed as a voting member of the Science Board to the FDA.
  45. ↑ "Sparrow Physician Receives National Honor for C-Section Research". Fox47 News. September 19, 2016. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  46. ↑ "Winning the 2017 Kenneth Warren Prize". Cochrane Collaboration. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  47. ↑ "2023 Young Physician-Scientist Award – Ahizechukwu C. Eke, MD, PhD, MPH". American Society for Clinical Investigation. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  48. ↑ "Alpha Omega Alpha Member Search: Ahizechukwu Eke". Alpha Omega Alpha. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  49. ↑ "Delta Omega Member Search: Ahizechukwu Eke". Delta Omega. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  50. ↑ "Gynecologic Surgery Research All‑Stars: 2025". Avant‑garde Health. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  51. ↑ "Placenta-on-a-chip: A New Frontier in Pregnancy Research". STAT. June 13, 2024. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  52. ↑ "Pregnant Patients with T2D See Pluses and Minuses with Semaglutide". MedPage Today. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  53. ↑ "Calcium Pill May Reduce Preeclampsia Risk". Medscape. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  54. ↑ "What's Eclampsia, and Who Is at Risk?". HuffPost. June 14, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  55. ↑ "How to Spot the Warning Signs of Pregnancy Complications". Runner's World. June 30, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
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