Ruth Victoria Esho (861F-A7FE-C84D)

Curriculum Vitae

Ruth Victoria Esho

Ruth Esho currently works at the Life and Health Research Institute in Universidade do Minho. In 2016, she completed her Bachelor’s degree with a Second-class upper division (4.01 out of 5.0 CGPA) in Microbiology from Caleb University, Nigeria. She also actively participated in several academic and volunteering initiatives. She played the role of an Assistant secretary for the Caleb University Student Association. She also volunteered for the Nigerian Red Cross during her national service in Nigeria. This initiative involved organizing secondary school outreaches, providing aid to internally displaced camps among others. Due to her passion for the field of Biomedicine she pursued a Master’s in Health Science from the University of Minho, Portugal where she concluded successfully (17/20). Her bachelor's thesis involved a study on the prevalence of Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) among students, while her master’s thesis focused on characterizing novel phenotypic features of the malaria parasite using time-domain nuclear magnetic resonance for which I presented. Her scientific contributions has led to 2 publications under revision and 1 publication in an high-impact journal. She was privileged to present (as oral communication) and attend several major conferences such as the XVI Genetics and Biotechnology Conference; VI Iberian Genetics and Biotechnology Conference, 5th Brazilian Congress of Human Parasitology, Dominican Science and Technology Week 2024, Malaria Symposium, Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic among others. Furthermore, since completing her master’s studies, she has actively mentored students during short-term laboratory internships and rotations, as well as assisted in teaching a practical sessions at the School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS) as well as the Career Science week (University of Minho Portas Abertas). Overall, she has excellent skills in bacterial and parasite culture, molecular cloning techniques, Reverse genetic manipulation in parasites, flow cytometry, microscopy, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. In addition, her expertise lies in infectious diseases such as UTI and malaria, demonstrated through a strong foundation in research, peer-reviewed publications, and teaching experience. Currently, she is a research fellow in a malaria research project at ICVS funded by ESCMID. She is also looking forward to acquiring new skills in Fluorescence Microscopy and Electron Microscopy as well as deepen my understanding of parasite biology in the course of this research project and PhD studies.

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Identification

Personal identification

Full name: Ruth Victoria Esho

Citation names

Esho, Ruth

Author identifiers

Ciência ID: 861F-A7FE-C84D

Email addresses

Id11293@alunos.uminho.pt (Professional)

Websites

https://icvs.uminho.pt/member/ruth-victoria-esho/ (Scholar)

Knowledge fields

Medical and Health Sciences - Health Sciences - Infectious Diseases
Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Molecular Biology
Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Microbiology
Engineering and Technology - Industrial Biotechnology
Medical and Health Sciences - Health Sciences - Parasitology
Medical and Health Sciences - Medical Biotechnology - Gene-based Diagnostics and Therapeutic Interventions

Languages

Language	Speaking	Reading	Writing	Listening
English (Mother tongue)
Portuguese	Intermediate (B1)	Intermediate (B1)	Elementary (A2)	Upper intermediate (B2)
Yoruba	Beginner (A1)	Beginner (A1)	Beginner (A1)	Intermediate (B1)
French	Elementary (A2)	Elementary (A2)	Beginner (A1)	Elementary (A2)

Education

	Degree	Classification
2025/02 - 2030/06 Ongoing	Biomedicine and Health Sciences (Doutoramento) Major in Biomedicine Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
2020/10/13 - 2023/01/18 Concluded	Ruth Esho (Mestrado) Major in Microbiology and Infectious diseases. Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal "Novel phenotypic features of the malaria parasite through time-domain multi-dimensional Nuclear Magnetic Resonance." (THESIS/DISSERTATION)	Masters - 17; Dissertation - 18
2022/03 - 2022/04 Concluded	IMFAHE's Online Quarter Course on Careers in Science (Outros) Universidade do Minho, Portugal
2022 - 2022 Concluded	Flow Cytometry Practical Training (Outros) Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
2021/01 - 2021/05/28 Concluded	Proposal for MSc Dissertation Defense (Curso de mestrado (conclusão do curso de especialização)) Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal	19
2021/04/26 - 2021/05/07 Concluded	Masters course - Pathogenesis of Neurodegenerative Diseases (Curso de mestrado (conclusão do curso de especialização)) Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
2021/02/15 - 2021/05 Concluded	Laboratory Animal Science (Licence) Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
2021/01/25 - 2021/02 Concluded	Masters course - Biostatistics (Curso de mestrado (conclusão do curso de especialização)) Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
2020/11 - 2021/01 Concluded	Laboratory Rotation Titled Gene Editing Approach to Study a Lipocalin in the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum (Curso de mestrado (conclusão do curso de especialização)) Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
2020/10/19 - 2020/11/06 Concluded	Masters course - Fundamentals of Genetics, development and Neoplasia (Curso de mestrado (conclusão do curso de especialização)) Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
2020/09/28 - 2020/10 Concluded	Masters course - Fundamentals in Immunology and Infection (Curso de mestrado (conclusão do curso de especialização)) Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
2020/02/29 - 2020/04/30 Concluded	Anatomy: Musculoskeletal and Integumentary Systems (Postgraduate Certificate) Major in Biomedicine Coursera Inc, United States	Passed
2013/01/07 - 2016/09/15 Concluded	Microbiology and Industrial Biotechnology (Bachelor) Major in Medical Microbiology Caleb University, Nigeria "Prevalence of Urinary Tract Infections among the students of Caleb University." (THESIS/DISSERTATION)	Second Class Upper
2015/10 - 2016/02 Concluded	Medical Pathogenic Microbiology (Outros) Major in Microbiology Caleb University, Nigeria	Distinction
2007 - 2012 Concluded	Good Shepherd Comprehensive High School, Lagos (Sciences) (Ensino secundário) Major in High School Completion in Good Shepherd Schools. Good Shepherd Comprehensive High School, Nigeria

Affiliation

Science

	Category Host institution	Employer
2025 - Current	Researcher (Research)	Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
	Universidade do Minho, Portugal

Others

	Category Host institution	Employer
2023/07/20 - Current	Member of the Portuguese Society of Microbiology	Sociedade Portuguesa de Microbiologia, Portugal

2021/09 - 2022/10	Master's in Health Sciences	Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
	Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
2021/08/06 - 2022/08/01	Master's research in INL, Master in ICVS,	International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Portugal
	International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Portugal
2013/01 - 2016/09	Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Industrial Biotechnology	Caleb University, Nigeria
	Caleb University, Nigeria
2015 - 2016	Assistant Secretary Position, Student Union	Caleb University, Nigeria

Projects

Grant

	Designation	Funders
2025/03/01 - Current	LIHEME: Unravelling lipid-dependent mechanisms in heme detoxification ESCMID-2024 Laboratório Associado ICVS 3B's, Portugal Universidade do Minho, Portugal Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal	European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Ongoing
2025/03 - 2026	Malaria Therapeutic Failure Prediction using Machine Learning FCT - 2024.07292.IACDC Researcher Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
2020/01/01 - 2024/12/31	Strengthen malaria elimination efforts in Dominican Republic applying advance molecular tools 2018-2019-2A5-252	Ministerio de Educación Superior Ciencia y Tecnología Concluded

Contract

	Designation	Funders
2025/03 - 2025/12	LIHEME: Unraveling lipid-dependent mechanisms in heme detoxification 19208 ESCMID_2025 Research Fellow Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal	European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Ongoing

Other

	Designation	Funders
2020/09 - 2023/01	Novel Phenotypic features of the malaria parasite through time-domain Nuclear Magnetic Resonance 1822/84425 Master Student Fellow Universidade do Minho, Portugal	Concluded
2015/11/01 - 2016/07/25	Prevalence of Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) among Students of Caleb University Bachelor's Project Bachelor's thesis in medical microbiology Caleb University, Nigeria	Concluded

Outputs

Publications

Conference abstract	Vitoria da cunha baptista; Esho, Ruth. Corresponding author: Vitoria da cunha baptista. "Plasmodium falciparum heme species dynamics under antimalarial exposure". Paper presented in 15th Malaria Meeting Bernhard-Nocht-Institut fur Tropenmedizin, Hamburg, 2023. Published
Journal article	Federo, Claudia; Francisco Cueves; Ana Margarida Goncalves; Freitas, Bruno; Miguel, Isaac; Vitoria da cunha baptista; Esho, Ruth; et al. "PCR-Detectable Plasmodium falciparum Infection Among Suspected Malaria Cases with Negative Microscopy and HRP2-Based Rapid Diagnostic Tests in the Dominican Republic". International Journal for Parasitology (2025): Under revision Olushina Olawale Awe; Peter Njoroge Mwangi; Samuel Kotva Goudoungou; Esho, Ruth; Olanrewaju Samuel Oyejide. "Explainable AI for Enhanced Accuracy in Malaria Diagnosis using Ensemble Machine Learning Models". Springer Nature: BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making (2025): https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12911-025-02874-3?utm_source=rct_congratemailt&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=oa_20250411&utm_content=10.1186%2Fs12911-025-02874-3. Published
Thesis / Dissertation	Esho, Ruth Victoria. "Novel phenotypic features of the malaria parasite through time-domain nuclear magnetic resonance". Master, Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, 2025. https://repositorium.sdum.uminho.pt/handle/1822/84425.

Artistic / Performance

Program / Show

Ines Jesus rodrigues mateus; Joao Dias. 2021. "My Erasmus with... Ruth Victoria Esho (BR)". My Erasmus: My Erasmus. Escola de Medicina UMinho (Youtube Channel).

Activities

Oral presentation

	Presentation title	Event name Host (Event location)
2025/02/17	NOVA CARACTERIZACÃO FENOTÍPICA DO PARASITA DA MALÁRIA ATRAVÉS DA RESSONÂNCIA MAGNÉTICA NUCLEAR AO LONGO DO TEMPO	V Congresso Brasileiro de Parasitologia Humana Sociedade Brasileira de Eventos Cientificos (SOBREC) (Brazil)
2024/06/11	Phenotypic features of the malaria parasite using time-domain nuclear magnetic resonance.	Semana Dominicana De Ciencia Y Tecnología 2024: Malaria Symposium - from advanced molecular tools for elimination efforts to innovative diagnostics and drug screening techniques Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic)
2024/03/15	Novel Phenotypic Features of the Malaria Parasite through Time-domain Nuclear Magnetic Resonance	XVI Genetics and Biotechnology Conference \| VI Iberian Genetics and Biotechnology Conference XVI Jornadas de Genética e Biotecnologia da UTAD (Vila Real, Portugal)
2023/01/18	Master's Thesis: Novel Phenotypic features of the malaria parasite through time-domain Nuclear Magnetic Resonance	Master's Thesis Presentation and Defense University of Minho, ICVS (Braga, Portugal)
2021/05/31	Gene Editing Approach to Study an essential protein in the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum	Oral Presentation of my Laboratory Rotation of 6 weeks. (Portugal)
2016/08	Prevalence of Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) Among Students of Caleb University.	Bachelor's thesis Defense (Lagos, Nigeria)

Supervision

	Thesis Title Role	Degree Subject (Type) Institution / Organization
2025/02 - 2025/04	9- Week Laboratory Rotation Titled - LIHEME: Unraveling lipid-dependent mechanisms in heme detoxification Aimed at Gaining hands-on skills in gene editing techniques and molecular cloning strategies. Co-supervisor of Yousaf Khan	Medicine (Degree) Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal

Event organisation

	Event name Type of event (Role)	Institution / Organization
2024/11/25 - 2024/11/27	International Workshop “ From Molecules to Drugs” Collaborating countries Turkey and Portugal. This 3-day workshop held at Porto, aimed at Individuals at the onset of their pharmaceutical careers seeking to deepen their knowledge and skills in drug development. The workshop constituted of professionals, Medical doctors, pharmacists and researchers from both Portugal and Turkey exchanging innovative drug research methods in several platforms such as seminars, practical sessions, group projects and lectures. https://frommoleculetodrug.com (2024/11/25 - 2024/11/27) Workshop (Member of the Organising Committee)	Ankara Üniversitesi, Turkey Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal

Event participation

	Activity description Type of event	Event name Institution / Organization
2025/04/03 - 2025/04/05	UMinho Portas Abertas, an event that showcases the University of Minho’s educational programs and research through exhibitions and interactive activities. I represented the School of Medicine and a parasitology research group at ICVS. Our stand featured mosquito displays, microscopy, and VR headsets showing a short film on a malaria clinical case, offering high school students an interactive introduction to parasitology and malaria research. This exhibition allowed us to communicate our research work in a fun and engaging way, thus inspiring others. Exhibition	UPA: UMinho Portas Abertas Universidade do Minho, Portugal
2023/04/17 - 2023/04/21	It involved an introduction to proteomics. Several proteomic approaches were taught, such as mass spectrometry and SWATH-mass spectrometry. Furthermore, the steps involved in sample collection and sample prep analysis were shown using practical research work in various research disciplines. These proteomic approaches were expounded, in the discovery and studies of biomarkers involved in neurodegenerative, plant, and infectious diseases, as well as statistical analytic tools to collate and interpret results. Other	Advanced Course - Proteomics Approaches in Life Sciences Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Inovação em Biomedicina e Biotecnologia, Portugal
2022/06/02 - 2022/06/02	In this webinar we learned and discussed effective leadership styles and health systems that can be adopted in the fight against malaria. Availability of real time data, the involvement of multi-sector leaders are essential approaches that will help facilitate malaria control and elimination in endemic regions around the world. Conference	Rethinking Malaria Leadership Webinar J.C. Flowers Foundation, United States
2022/04/02 - 2022/04/02	This conference was useful in educating scientists in communicating science simply and engagingly using various media such as public speaking, article, grant writing and mass media communication to the public. Conference	COMMUNICATION IN SCIENCE, GLOBAL MINISYMPOSIUM IMFAHE Foundation and the Doctoral School of the Universidad de Valladolid , United States
2021/06/07 - 2021/06/09	8th Genomic Epidemiology of Malaria Conference This conference provided a place for malaria scientists and clinicians passionate on understanding the clinical and biological consequences of genome variation in malaria-exposed populations. It entailed various aspects of parasite and mosquito genetics together to understand how new biological insights can be used to control malaria. State of the art understanding of transmission models and migration patterns, genomic surveillance and the implications for policies to eradicate malaria were discussed. Conference	8th Genomic Epidemiology of Malaria 2021 (A forum for understanding the clinical and biological consequences of genome variation in malaria-exposed populations) Wellcome Connecting Science, United Kingdom
2021/05/14 - 2021/06/09	Innovate was a competition I participated in 2021. It entailed submission of abstracts of an idea or a project in the life sciences. I submitted an abstract of an ongoing project am undertaking in the field of Malaria diagnosis. In there I stated the issues pertaining to malaria diagnosis and proffered an effective spectroscopic tool - Nuclear Magnetic Resonance based technology, to detect and quantify infected blood in endemic countries, considering the unique paramagnetic properties of the hemozoin crystals found in the parasite. Conference
2021/05/14 - 2021/05/14	This workshop entailed a three hour training on gaining communication skills that facilitate team work. Learning how to work with others and imbibe qualities that enable the free flow of activities, and promote better communication with others in the team was addressed. Workshop	Teamwork Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
2021/02/09 - 2021/02/09	Bioethics and Scientific integrity workshop involved receiving training on the importance and need for trustworthiness in scientific research. Research must be performed in a way that it is reproducible as well as following the ethical regulations that have been put in place. Workshop	Bioethics and Scientific Integrity. Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
2021/01/21 - 2021/01/21	Preparation for selection interview workshop elaborated on the important areas one need to address before going for an interview. Examples are knowing the institution objectives and goals, proper etiquettes while performing online or onsite interviews and dress code. This workshop also involved practical shadowing of an interview in the form of a role play. Workshop	Preparation for Selection Interview Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
2020/12/15 - 2020/12/15	I participated in the Emotional Intelligence workshop and learned personal skills in interacting with others in a work environment as well as emotional management. Emotional management encompasses self awareness, self motivation, self control which may affect interpersonal relationships and work output.	Emotional Intelligence (Transversal skills and employability workshops) Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
2020/11/18 - 2020/11/18	In this workshop I was trained on how to write an appealing CV and motivation letter as well as constructing the CV specific to the objective it is to be used for. Workshop	CV and Motivation letter Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal

Association member

	Society Organization name	Role
2025/07 - 2026/07	American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene	Pre-Doctoral Student Member

Committee member

	Activity description Role	Institution / Organization
2015 - 2016	Assistant Secretary, Student Union, Caleb University The Student Union Association was a committee of students' representative, responsible in fostering better welfare conditions, organizing events, community service and volunteering. I actively participated as a student representative in these roles. Member	Caleb University, Nigeria

Course / Discipline taught

	Academic session	Degree Subject (Type)	Institution / Organization
2024/02/06 - 2024/02/23	Bioninformatics in Health Sciences. The Bioinformatics course was an intensive studies of several data analytic tools including Linux, R and Python. I also learned how to apply these analytic tools to the analysis of gene expression studies and other bioinformatic tools, such as Uniprot, NCBI among others. I also used the Plasmapper webserver as a case study for the study and construction of a plasmid that will be used for creating genetically mutant parasites, this was a group project and presentation followed by a written exam.	(Mestrado)	Universidade do Minho Instituto de Investigação em Ciências da Vida e Saúde, Portugal
2022/12 - 2022/12	I assisted in taking a practical class in a Master course at Life and Health Research Institute (ICVS). In the class I taught the procedures involved in the preparation of drug susceptibility assays using the SYBR Green I method. Additionally, I taught the principles of the fluorimeter in quantifying the drug assay 96 well plates after 72 hours of incubation, lysis and staining with SYBR Green.	Epidemiology (Mestrado)	Universidade do Minho Escola de Medicina, Portugal
2015/03 - 2015/09	6 month Internship at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) Research Lab	Bachelor's Internship (Bachelor (1st cycle))	University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

Distinctions

Award

2024	Prize of Honourable Mention Award Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro Centro de Química Vila Real, Portugal