Between rigor and ambition: the rise of young researcher Tanou Valdez Bah

In the lively streets of Kaporo, a suburban neighborhood, Tanou Valdez Bah grew up between football games with his friends and the vigilance of his mother, the only boy among his siblings. Born in 1997 in Conakry, from his childhood he watched the white coats in pharmacies, thus laying the foundations of his passion for pharmacy and later, scientific research. His most precious memories remain the stays in the village with his grandmother, which he describes as “unforgettable moments”, between laughter and discoveries.

Between family influences and a scientific vocation, his career choice took shape very early. His mother, who was often ill but was an inspiring figure for him, encouraged him to aim high. “I told him all the time that I’m going to the pharmacy to send him medicine,” remembers the young researcher. Around him, the white coats of his uncle and aunt, pharmacists in Conakry, fuel his desire to follow the same path. “When we came to the pharmacy we saw people in white coats, that excited me and I said to myself “Okay, that’s what I want to do”,” adds Dr Tanou Valdez BAH.

Later, Professor El hadj Mamadou Seydou BALDE, general director of the Institute of Research and Development of Medicinal and Food Plants of Guinea (IRDPMAG) marked his orientation towards research through his dedication to training and sharing of knowledge, a major source of inspiration in his specialization.

An accelerated academic path

Student, Tanou Valdez BAH skipped two classes in primary school before continuing his secondary studies, obtaining his baccalaureate in 2013. In 2019 he obtained a state doctorate in pharmacy, then a master's degree in pharmacognosy in 2022 at the Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry, before obtaining a doctorate in pharmaceutical and biological sciences jointly between UGANC, the Institute of Plant Research and Development Medicinal and Food Products of Guinea and the Free University of Brussels.

Pharmacognosy researcher and author of publications

A specialist in natural products, his research focuses on medicinal plants used in the treatment of diseases such as jaundice, intestinal parasitoses, infertility or cancer. His work includes in vitro testing of cancer lines and phytochemical analyzes using modern techniques such as HPLC and spectrophotometry.

Author of around ten publications, he has contributed to local and international scientific journals. “Not long ago, I published studies on plants used in parasitic infections and I submitted a publication on medicinal plants used in the treatment of prostate cancer, in collaboration with the Free University of Brussels,” says Dr Tanou Valdez BAH.

Financial challenges overcome with tenacity

Like many Guinean researchers, he experienced financing difficulties for his doctoral studies. “I had previously submitted twice for a request for funds but unfortunately, I was not able to access the funds, because quite simply, I was not a civil servant,” regrets Dr. BAH.

Finally, he was able to pursue his dreams thanks to the support of the Institute for Research and Development of Medicinal and Food Plants of Dubréka, which financed his thesis. His perseverance is flawless. “When I set goals, I always achieve them,” he said.

An academic career in construction

Since September 2024, Dr Tanou Valdez has been assistant to the chair of Biodiversity, Ethnopharmacology and Natural Products at Gamal Abdel Nasser University in Conakry. He is also a rapporteur for the IRDPMAG Quality Assurance Unit and co-directs several theses.

Discipline, family and ambitions

“My family always comes first and they will always come first to me,” he says. His passion for scientific research is also an inspiration that has its origins in his hobbies. Because, karateka, 1st Dan black belt, he applies to his life the triptych “work, discipline, success”

“It’s a motto that I hold very dear and that I have even imposed in my karate room,” he said.

For the future, he sets an unambiguous objective. “I want to become a university professor within four years and in turn train a new generation of Guinean pharmacists and researchers.  In the future, what interests me is to fill this lack of teachers of master’s rank at the pharmacy faculty level…”, he concludes.

Mamadou Kindy BAH