Nigerian researcher wins $100,000 award for male fertility study in Canada

A Nigerian pharmacist and doctoral researcher at McGill University, Chika Onochie, has received a research award worth up to CAD $100,000 from Québec’s Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ) for his work on male fertility.

The award will support Onochie’s doctoral research into biomarkers that could provide additional information about male fertility beyond conventional semen analysis.

According to an award letter from McGill University, the funding followed a positive recommendation from a peer-review committee that assessed his application under the FRQ’s Doctoral Research Scholarships programme.

The award is subject to the approval of the necessary budgetary appropriations by Québec’s National Assembly and other decisions by the FRQ Board of Directors.

Onochie’s research focuses on identifying molecular indicators that can help determine whether sperm are functionally capable of fertilising an egg.

He is conducting the research at McGill University under the supervision of Prof. Cristian O’Flaherty, whose laboratory studies the molecular processes involved in sperm production, function and activation, as well as diagnostic approaches to male infertility.

Onochie said his interest in the subject was shaped by his experience as a pharmacist in Nigeria, where he observed what he described as gaps in the assessment of male infertility.

“My training and practice as a pharmacist in Nigeria allowed me to see some of the inequalities surrounding reproductive healthcare firsthand,” he said.

He said women experiencing infertility often underwent extensive investigations, while assessment of men could sometimes end with basic semen analysis covering parameters such as sperm count and morphology.

“This prompted me to investigate what conventional male fertility tests might be missing,” he said.

Onochie joined McGill University in 2023 for a PhD in Pharmacology. His research examines molecular changes in sperm that could help researchers and clinicians better understand their fertilising potential.

He said conventional semen analysis does not provide a complete picture of sperm function in some cases.

“My research aims to identify functional biomarkers that could provide a more complete assessment of male fertility, particularly in cases where conventional testing does not adequately explain why a couple is experiencing infertility,” he said.

Onochie has also contributed to research publications, including a 2025 peer-reviewed review examining redox-induced protein modifications in sperm and their potential effects on sperm function and male infertility.

He began his academic training in Nigeria, graduating from the University of Benin in 2021 with First-Class Honours in Bachelor of Pharmacy and Doctor of Pharmacy programmes.

He later worked as a clinical pharmacist before relocating to Canada for doctoral studies.

Onochie described the Québec award as recognition not only of his research but also of the academic foundation he received in Nigeria.

“Receiving this award is particularly meaningful to me because much of the foundation for my career was built in Nigeria,” he said.

“My training there gave me the foundation to compete internationally, and I am proud to carry that foundation forward in my research.”

He said his long-term goal is to contribute to better tools for understanding male infertility and promote a more balanced approach to reproductive healthcare.

“Infertility is a couple’s issue,” Onochie said.

“Improving how we evaluate male fertility is important not only scientifically, but also for creating a more balanced approach to reproductive healthcare.”