Jude Betow at University of Buea, Cameroon.
Mr. Jude Betow is a dedicated Ph.D. candidate in Chemistry at the University of Buea, Cameroon, with a strong foundation in natural products chemistry, organic synthesis, and computer-aided drug design. A native of Cameroon, he currently holds the role of data curator and database developer at the University of Buea’s Center for Drug Discovery (UB-CeDD), where he has gained over two years of hands-on experience in scientific data management and virtual screening platforms. Mr. Betow is also a part-time lecturer at the Strategic Academic University Institute of the Estuary (IUEs/INSAM) in Douala, where he teaches courses in Analytical, Organic, and Pharmaceutical Chemistry. His research integrates artificial intelligence (AI) tools and machine learning approaches to explore lead compounds from African traditional medicinal plants for potential therapeutic uses. Mr. Betow’s scientific work is rooted in interdisciplinary knowledge and application, ranging from chromatography and molecular docking to database development and predictive modeling. Bilingual in English and French, he demonstrates exceptional communication and analytical skills. With a focus on harnessing Africa’s natural resources for innovative drug discovery, Mr. Betow is poised to contribute significantly to the scientific community through translational research and academic collaboration in medicinal chemistry and bioinformatics.
Publication Profile
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Educational Background
Mr. Jude Betow has pursued a rigorous academic path in chemistry, marked by a progression through undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral studies at the University of Buea in Cameroon. He began his academic journey with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry (2012–2016), where he specialized in Pharmaceutical Chemistry. This foundational training introduced him to the complexities of chemical properties and pharmaceutical compounds. Motivated to advance his expertise, he enrolled in the Master of Science in Chemistry program (2016–2019), culminating in a dissertation entitled Search for Schweinfurthins and Other Secondary Metabolites from Macaranga Occidentalis (Euphorbiaceae) and Evaluation of Possible Anticancer Activity. His master’s work sparked an enduring interest in natural product drug discovery and bioactivity screening. Since 2019, Mr. Betow has been pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemistry, with a thesis focused on Database Development for Components of African Traditional Medicine for the Identification of Antiviral Compounds by Virtual Screening and Machine Learning. His academic training demonstrates a consistent trajectory toward integrating traditional natural product chemistry with cutting-edge computational and AI technologies, positioning him as a capable and modern research scientist.
Professional Experience
Mr. Jude Betow has accumulated diverse professional experience across academia and research institutions, highlighting his expertise in data curation, chemical analysis, and academic teaching. Since August 2022, he has served as a Data Curator/Analyst at the University of Buea–Center for Drug Discovery (UB-CeDD), where he is responsible for scientific data management, database creation, and updates for virtual screening platforms. His role contributes directly to the organization’s mission of identifying biologically active compounds from traditional African medicinal sources. In parallel, since October 2021, he has been a Part-time Lecturer at the Strategic Academic University Institute of the Estuary (IUEs/INSAM) in Douala, Cameroon. His teaching responsibilities include Analytical Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, where he blends theoretical knowledge with practical applications to train undergraduate students. Earlier, in 2017, he held a short-term position as a Research Assistant in the Pharmacochemistry Research Laboratory at the University of Buea, where he worked on the extraction of essential oils and medicinal plant compounds. These roles collectively reflect Mr. Betow’s commitment to research, teaching, and scientific capacity-building in Cameroon’s academic and pharmaceutical sectors.
Research Interest
Mr. Jude Betow’s research interests lie at the intersection of natural product chemistry, organic synthesis, and computer-aided drug design. His work is motivated by the rich biodiversity of African flora and the potential of traditional medicine in yielding therapeutic leads for global health challenges. He focuses on identifying antiviral and anticancer compounds through bioactivity screening, molecular docking, and machine learning models. His Ph.D. research involves developing a comprehensive database of bioactive molecules derived from African medicinal plants, enabling virtual screening to accelerate the discovery of antiviral agents. Mr. Betow is particularly interested in how artificial intelligence can be used to visualize chemical space, predict biological properties, and optimize lead compound selection. Additionally, he is intrigued by the integration of in silico methods with laboratory techniques such as column chromatography and natural product extraction. His research bridges traditional ethnopharmacology with cutting-edge computational chemistry, contributing to the development of efficient and cost-effective drug discovery pipelines tailored to African contexts. Through multidisciplinary collaboration, he aims to advance medicinal chemistry innovations that benefit both regional and global communities.
Research Skills
Mr. Jude Betow possesses a comprehensive suite of research skills that span both wet-lab and computational techniques. In experimental chemistry, he is proficient in column chromatography, essential oil extraction, and plant-based metabolite isolation. These skills were honed during his time in the Pharmacochemistry Research Laboratory and further refined through his master’s and Ph.D. research. On the computational side, he is skilled in molecular docking, ligand-based screening, and bioactivity prediction using platforms such as MOE, Schrödinger, and LigandScout. He is adept at using Jupyter Notebook, VS Code, and command-line tools like Bash to automate chemical data workflows. His programming skills in Python have enabled him to develop and manipulate databases, build predictive models using machine learning algorithms, and visualize chemical and biological datasets. Additionally, he is experienced in data curation, particularly for virtual screening applications. Mr. Betow’s strong proficiency in AI tools for chemical research demonstrates his readiness to work in modern, interdisciplinary scientific environments where computational chemistry and informatics are essential.
Awards and Honors
Mr. Jude Betow has received several recognitions that reflect both his academic commitment and his leadership potential. In September 2023, he earned a Certificate of Attendance and Completion from the Ersilia Open Source Initiative, after successfully participating in a specialized training on the AI-based prediction of biological properties of molecules. This program, hosted at the UB-Center for Drug Discovery, enhanced his expertise in applying artificial intelligence tools in drug development research. Additionally, in August 2021, he was awarded an End-of-Training Certificate from the Cameroon Leadership Academy (CLA), under the Pan-African Leadership Foundation. This leadership training emphasized sustainable development, communication, and civic responsibility, preparing him to contribute positively to institutional and societal progress. While still an early-career researcher, these honors validate his proactive engagement with professional development opportunities and demonstrate his alignment with global research and innovation trends. Mr. Betow continues to pursue opportunities that bridge scientific excellence with leadership and societal impact, establishing a strong foundation for future contributions to academia, research, and public health in Africa and beyond.
Author Metrics
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Total Citations: 1
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h-index: 1
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i10-index: 0
Top Noted Publication
1. Title: The Chemical Space Spanned by Manually Curated Datasets of Natural and Synthetic Compounds with Activities against SARS‐CoV‐2
Authors: Betow, J. Y., Turon, G., Metuge, C. S., Akame, S., Shu, V. A., Ebob, O. T., Ntie-Kang, F.
Journal: Molecular Informatics
Year: 2025
Citation: Molecular Informatics, 44(1), e202400293
2. Title: Effects of Some Anti-Ulcer and Anti-Inflammatory Natural Products on Cyclooxygenase and Lipoxygenase Enzymes: Insights from In Silico Analysis
Authors: Metuge, J. A., Betow, J. Y., Bekono, B. D., Tjegbe, M. J. M., Ndip, R. N., Ntie-Kang, F.
Journal: In Silico Pharmacology
Year: 2024
Citation: In Silico Pharmacology, 12(2), 1–21
3. Title: The Workshops on Computational Applications in Secondary Metabolite Discovery (CAiSMD)
Authors: Ntie-Kang, F., Eni, D. B., Telukunta, K. K., Osamor, V. C., Egieyeh, S. A., Betow, J. Y., et al.
Journal: Physical Sciences Reviews
Year: 2024
Citation: Physical Sciences Reviews, 9(10), 3289–3304
📘 Conference Abstracts and Workshop Reports
4. Title: OP11: Search for Schweinfurthins and Other Secondary Metabolites from Macaranga occidentalis (Euphorbiaceae) and Evaluation of Possible Anticancer Activity
Authors: Betow, J., Nyongbela, K., Mukku, V.
Source: Book of Abstracts
Year: Not specified
5. Title: Database Development for Components of African Traditional Medicine for the Identification of Antiviral Compounds by Virtual Screening
Authors: Betow, J. Y., Bekono, B. D., Akame, S., Njume, L. E., Meh, C. D., Shu, V. A., Ndi, A. T., et al.
Source: Workshop Proceedings – Part I: About the Workshop, pp. 5, 9
Year: Not specified
Conclusion
Mr. Jude Betow exemplifies the profile of an emerging scientist whose work bridges the rich tradition of African ethnomedicine with modern advances in computational drug discovery. His academic background in chemistry, combined with research training in natural product extraction and AI-driven molecular modeling, positions him as a valuable contributor to interdisciplinary science. Through his roles as a data curator, part-time lecturer, and researcher, Mr. Betow is actively involved in advancing pharmaceutical education and fostering drug development research in Cameroon. His unique ability to operate across laboratory science, data analytics, and academic instruction illustrates a holistic approach to scientific innovation. Fluent in both English and French, and equipped with hands-on experience in machine learning, molecular docking, and database development, he is well-prepared for international collaboration and high-impact research. Mr. Betow’s career goals reflect a deep commitment to leveraging Africa’s natural resources and indigenous knowledge for the global good. As he completes his doctoral research, he is set to make meaningful contributions to medicinal chemistry, computational drug design, and the broader field of health sciences.