A Professor of Microbiology, Ayandiran Daniel Aina, has called for the adoption of environmentally friendly methods in pesticide development, crop improvement and cancer treatment, amid rising global concerns over food security, public health and environmental degradation.
Aina made the call while delivering Babcock University’s 58th inaugural lecture, titled “Unseen Forces, Visible Impacts: Exploring God’s Creation through Microbiology and Nanotechnology,” at the university’s main campus in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.
He urged scientists and policymakers to embrace the use of plant and fungal metabolites in the green synthesis of nanoparticles for agriculture, medicine and environmental remediation.
According to him, this approach offers a safer and more sustainable alternative to conventional practices that often leave persistent chemical residues in the soil and pose long-term risks to human health.
While acknowledging the growing use of silver nanoparticles and other nanomaterials in medicine, Aina cautioned that their long-term impact on human health remains insufficiently understood.
“Although nanomaterials have demonstrated significant potential in medical applications, there are still valid concerns about how they behave in the body over time,” he said, adding that sustained research is needed to fully understand their interactions and effects.
He also called for stronger collaboration between researchers and industry players to improve production processes, as well as the development of clear regulatory frameworks to guide the safe and ethical use of nanomaterials.
Emphasis, he noted, must be placed on toxicity testing and biocompatibility studies before their adoption in clinical settings.
The professor further highlighted the usefulness of nanoparticles in environmental management, particularly in oil spill remediation, and encouraged their application in pesticide formulation to enhance crop yield and resilience.
According to him, nanotechnology-driven solutions are both practical and cost-effective, but must be developed within strict ethical and bio-safety guidelines, especially in medical applications, to prevent unintended harm to patients.
Aina also highlighted the promise of nanobiotechnology in cancer treatment, suggesting that targeted nanoparticle therapies could offer safer alternatives to chemotherapy, which often damages healthy cells alongside cancerous ones.
He stressed the importance of interdisciplinary research and education, calling for academic programmes that integrate microbiology and nanotechnology to prepare future scientists and engineers for emerging challenges.
“As we continue to expand our understanding of nanomaterials and their role in agriculture, medicine, pollution control and drug delivery, we are contributing not just to scientific progress, but to the well-being of society,” he said.
“Though these forces are invisible to the eye, they are firmly embedded in God’s creation.”
