Dr. Abayomi Akanji appointed to the founding faculty of the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University

Dr. Abayomi Akanji, of North Haven, has been appointed to the founding faculty of the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University.

As a professor of medical sciences, Akanji will be
responsible for teaching clinical chemistry and endocrinology in the new medical school, which will train primary care physicians when it opens this
fall on Quinnipiac’s North Haven Campus.

“This is an excellent opportunity to be on the founding faculty of a brand new medical school that will produce graduates who are interested in primary care medicine,” said Akanji, who comes to Quinnipiac from Brown University, where he was a visiting professor of metabolic medicine at
the Warren Alpert Medical School. Before that, he was a professor of clinical pathology at Kuwait University.

Dr. Bruce Koeppen, founding dean of the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, said, “I am excited that Dr. Akanji has joined our faculty. His research on and expertise in high-impact diseases such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes and hypertension will be invaluable as we teach our students about these important entities.” 

Akanji earned his doctorate in philosophy at the University of Oxford. He also holds a medical degree and master’s degree in chemical pathology from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

He is a fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists of London, the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and the Nigerian Academy of Sciences. He also has been elected as a fellow of the U.S. National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry. His research interests include diabetes, lipids and cardiovascular disease risk factors.

In addition, Akanji is a member of several professional societies, including the International Diabetes Federation, the International Federation of Clinical Chemists, the
American Association of Clinical Chemistry, the Association of Clinical Biochemistry of the UK and the American Heart Association’s Council on Epidemiology and Prevention. He also is a member of the editorial board of “Metabolic Syndrome & Related Disorders.”

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education granted preliminary accreditation to the medical school in October
2012, just before the state Board of Education gave its approval.

The medical school has named St. Vincent’s Medical Center of Bridgeport, Conn., as its primary clinical affiliate. The medical school also has clinical affiliations with MidState Medical Center of Meriden, Conn. and Middlesex Hospital of Middletown, Conn. 

Quinnipiac is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution located 90 minutes north of New York City and two hours from Boston. The university enrolls 6,200
full-time undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students in 58 undergraduate and more than 20 graduate programs of study in its School of Business and Engineering, School of Communications, School of Education, School of Health Sciences, School of Law, Frank
H. Netter MD School of Medicine, School of Nursing and College of Arts and Sciences. Quinnipiac consistently ranks among the top regional universities in the North in U.S. News & World Report’s America’s
Best Colleges issue. The 2013 issue of U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges named Quinnipiac as the top up-and-coming school with master’s programs in the Northern Region. Quinnipiac also is recognized in Princeton
Review’s “The Best 377 Colleges.” For more information, please visit www.quinnipiac.edu. Connect with
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