Aklilu Lemma

Aklilu Lemma (Amharic: አክሊሉ ለማ, aklilu lämma; 18 September 1935 – 5 April 1997) was a distinguished Ethiopian scientist.^[1]

Career

Lemma was educated in Addis Ababa University College and in the United States, where he obtained his D.Sc. in 1964. His dissertation was on sandflyborne leishmaniasis. He then returned to Ethiopia, where he was given a position at the then Haile Selassie I University. He founded the Institute of Pathobiology and taught there until 1976, when he left it for a job in the United Nations. He served the UN in many capacities as a scientist and finally obtained a position in his alma mater, the Johns Hopkins University.

He made his most important scientific discovery very early in his career, in 1964. He found out that the plan endod had properties of a molluscicide and a detergent. It kills snails, which are responsible for the spread of schistosomiasis ("snail fever disease"), otherwise known as bilharzia. This discovery made the plant an object of scientific research in many part of the world. Aklilu himself was in the forefront of this research. His work acquired an international reputation, which in turn led to various awards, including honorary doctorate degrees.^[2] The most prestigious award was the one he won together with his research associate, Dr. Legese Welde Yohannes in November 1989 – the Right Livelihood Award of Sweden, commonly referred to as the Alternative Nobel Prize.^[3]

He died in the United States and was buried in Ethiopia, on 13 April 1997^[2]

References