Yau Adamu, PhD, RPh, MPH, CPH

Dr. Yau Adamu is a trained toxicologist and public health scientist dedicated to understanding how environmental and occupational exposures to xenobiotics influence human health across the life-course and contribute to differences in health outcomes. Dr. Adamu received his PhD in Human Toxicology from the University of Iowa and his MPH in Epidemiology from Texas A&M University, following earlier training in clinical pharmacology and pharmacy practice.

His research integrates toxicology, exposure science, epidemiology, and pharmacology to elucidate how xenobiotics—including drugs, persistent organic pollutants, nanoparticles, air pollutants, animal toxins, and toxic metals—are absorbed, metabolized, distributed, and interacted with macro- and micro-molecules in the body, and how these processes influence maternal and developmental, cardiometabolic, and chronic health risks, thereby establishing the biological fate and safety of those substances, and informing regulatory and policy decisions that advance public and global health. Dr. Adamu has led and contributed to studies on pharmacogenomics adoption for patient safety; adverse drug reactions and events; adolescent contraceptive use; vaping/e‑cigarette experimentation; shiftwork‑related cancer and cardiovascular risks; toxicokinetics and maternal–fetal transfer of inhaled contaminants; exposomics‑based biomarker discovery; and environmental exposure–related health risks in underserved communities. He has also investigated toxic metal exposures in mother–child dyads, reproductive outcomes following environmental disasters, and omics‑mediated pathways linking environmental toxicants to chronic and developmental disease.

Dr. Adamu is committed to leverage his diverse academic training and skills to teach and mentor students/trainees in identifying and transitioning into biomedical and public health research and practice careers aligned with their skills and interests.