Adetola Adewole is a natural products chemist whose work is expanding the boundaries of drug discovery. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Obafemi Awolowo University, in Nigeria, and his Ph.D. in Chemistry, specializing in natural products chemistry, from the University of Pretoria, in South Africa.

Adewole’s research at Georgia Tech explores drug leads from underexplored marine organisms to address urgent global health challenges, including chronic pain. 

“My interest in this field was sparked as an undergraduate when I observed a graduate student investigating the anti-inflammatory properties of natural products,” shared Adewole. “That experience ignited a lifelong curiosity about how molecules from nature can be harnessed to improve human health.” 

That curiosity has since become the driving force of his career. Adewole has dedicated his research to investigating the therapeutic potential of rare and understudied species, contributing to discoveries that could reshape treatment options and advance healthcare. 

Recruited to Georgia Tech for his expertise in natural products chemistry and biological screening, Adewole was drawn to the Institute’s state-of–the-art instrumentation, world-class collaborators, and vibrant research community. 

Life as a Postdoc at Georgia Tech 

Adewole begins each day in the lab at 8:00 a.m. He is currently leading a project focused on prioritizing, isolating, and characterizing novel, biologically active secondary metabolites from rare and understudied marine organisms. 

“From a library of over 2000 species, I have prioritized 20 candidates and developed an optimized pipeline that integrates analytical techniques such as High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Liquid chromatography-Mass spectrometry (LC-MS), Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and Microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED)[NK1] [AA2] ,” he explained. He meets weekly with his advisor to track progress toward his milestones.  In addition to analyzing results, writing reports, and preparing manuscripts for peer-reviewed articles, he works closely with undergraduate and graduate students, taking pride in mentoring them and helping guide the next generation of scientists. 

 His efforts led to the recent discovery of a new class of compounds with promising activity against pain-associated voltage-gated channels. This is a significant discovery that will hopefully lead to the discovery of more potent non-opioid alternatives for pain management, while also highlighting the therapeutic potential of marine biodiversity.   

In addition to his postdoctoral work, Adewole serves as a Licensing Intern at Emory University’s Office of Technology Transfer. In this role, he evaluates invention disclosures, prepares commercialization reports, and supports licensing strategies. “These roles demonstrate my commitment to bridging scientific innovation with real-world application,” he said, “ensuring discoveries are translated in ways that benefit society.” 

Life Beyond the Lab 

When he is not focused on science, Adewole is an avid soccer fan who enjoys keeping up with major tournaments and cheering on his favorite teams. “I also appreciate problem-solving in unexpected places, such as watching investigative and legal dramas,” notes Adewole. He quips that these activities “mirror the curiosity that drives my work in science.” 

Living in Atlanta 

“I value the diversity of experiences Atlanta offers,” says Adewole.  “I enjoy exploring the city’s rich food culture with my friends, where each outing feels like a cultural journey.” Those shared moments make Atlanta feel special to him by providing him with balance to his demanding research schedule.