I was born and brought up in Maiduguri, Nigeria. I obtained my undergraduate degree in Medical Laboratory Science at Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto.  Through coursework I got exposed to the pathogenesis of diseases and the central role of the immune system in this process. I got fascinated by the diversity and complexity of the immune system and decided to pursue a career in immunology research.

After graduation, I worked for two years as a medical laboratory scientist in clinical diagnostic laboratories before deciding to pursue graduate studies in immunology at the University of Iowa. I worked on varying research projects during my three rotations in my first year before deciding to join the Karandikar lab. My rotation project in the Karandikar lab was focused on investigating the role of endogenous TGFb1 in Th17 CD4 T cell differentiation and resistance to suppression. I hope to elucidate how changes in T cell (and other immune cells) phenotypes and functions alter pathology in multiple sclerosis patients.