Editor Spotlight – Mabel Aworh

For this month’s Editor Spotlight, Dr. Mabel Aworh shares with us her experience of her role as a PLOS ONE Academic Editor, the importance of the One Health approach, and how collaborating with various government organisations and bodies has led to greater impact of her work.

Mabel Aworh, DVM, MPH, FCVSN, Ph.D. recently completed a postdoctoral research fellowship at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Raleigh, NC. Previously, she was a Deputy Director and Epidemiologist at the Department of Veterinary & Pest Control Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in Nigeria, with over a decade of experience in field epidemiology, public health, research, and leadership, amongst others in government. Dr. Aworh is an alumna of the UK-aid Fleming Fund Fellowship, and her fellowship was on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Surveillance in Animal Health. She is the immediate past WOAH National Focal Point on Animal Welfare in Nigeria.

She received her DVM from the University of Ibadan, her Master of Public Health, and her Ph.D. in Veterinary Public Health & Preventive Medicine from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria. She is also a Fellow of the College of Veterinary Surgeons, Nigeria – Public Health Specialty. In 2019, Dr. Mabel was a visiting scholar at North Carolina State University. Dr. Aworh is an alumna of the Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program modelled after the CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service and has conducted research focused on One Health issues. She is a member of the Africa CDC AMR Technical Working Group. She contributed to Nigeria’s AMR situation analysis and National Action Plan for AMR, 2017-2022. Dr Aworh previously led Nigerian delegates to international Codex Committee meetings including the Codex intergovernmental task force on AMR and Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods.

Dr. Aworh is desirous of making a difference through research with the goal of improving global health by enhancing food safety and reducing the burden of AMR. Dr. Aworh is on X and LinkedIn.

You’ve worked broadly across the field of antimicrobial resistance as a researcher and with several government bodies and organisations. Why is this way of working important in your field, and how have your different positions helped you learn and make an impact?

Working broadly across the field of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and collaborating with various government bodies and organizations is essential because AMR is a complex, global health challenge. Tackling AMR, a silent pandemic, requires a multifaceted approach that goes beyond scientific research. It involves integrating public health policy, enhancing surveillance systems, and fostering international collaboration to monitor resistance patterns. This global effort is crucial for implementing effective interventions, such as regulating antibiotic use, promoting stewardship programs, and developing new treatment strategies. Addressing AMR demands coordinated actions from governments, healthcare systems, researchers, and the public to safeguard the effectiveness of current antibiotics and protect public health.

By engaging with different stakeholders—such as public health agencies, research institutions, regional organizations like Africa Center for Disease Control and global organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO)—I have been able to contribute to comprehensive strategies that address AMR from multiple angles. These experiences have provided me with a holistic understanding of how AMR affects different sectors, from healthcare systems to agriculture and to the environment. These have reinforced the importance of a One Health approach in addressing this menace.

My various roles have offered unique learning opportunities and allowed me to make a tangible impact. For example, while working with the Nigerian government, I contributed to the development of national documents such as the AMR National Action Plan (NAP-1), which set the policy framework to combat antimicrobial resistance in the country. While working with the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) in the United States, I honed my bioinformatics skills to analyze genomic data, contributing to more informed decision-making around antimicrobial use in the food chain. My PhD research on AMR foodborne pathogens at the human-animal-environment interface, which influenced the WHO’s TriCycle project in Nigeria, demonstrated how local-level findings can shape global initiatives. Each position has deepened my expertise, from surveillance and data analysis to policy development, and reinforced my belief that multidisciplinary collaboration is key to combating AMR effectively.

Your work has implications for both animal welfare, human health and food security. What inspired you to work in this field to begin with?

My inspiration to work in the field of AMR stems from the interconnectedness of animal welfare, human health, and food security. During my early career as an epidemiology officer, I witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of disease outbreaks on both human and animal populations, as well as the significant strain they placed on healthcare systems and food production. This experience opened my eyes to the broader implications of AMR, where drug-resistant infections in animals can quickly cross over into human populations, threatening both public health and global food supplies.

What truly motivated me was the realization that tackling AMR requires a One Health approach, which considers the health of humans, animals, and the environment together. The opportunity to make a meaningful impact at the intersection of these fields—ensuring safer food chains, healthier livestock, and reduced transmission of resistant pathogens—has driven my passion for this work. I am inspired by the potential to contribute to sustainable solutions that protect both animal and human health while safeguarding food security for future generations.

As an Academic Editor for PLOS ONE, what do you feel is the most important aspect of ensuring a robust peer review process for the manuscripts you are working on?

As an Academic Editor for PLOS ONE, I believe the most important aspect of ensuring a robust peer review process is maintaining objectivity and fairness while upholding scientific rigor. The peer review process plays a critical role in safeguarding the quality and integrity of published research, and it is essential to ensure that each manuscript is evaluated based on its methodological soundness, contribution, and relevance, rather than subjective factors like reputation or origin.

Equally important is selecting expert reviewers with diverse expertise who can critically assess the work from different perspectives. Their feedback should be constructive and aimed at improving the manuscript, helping authors refine their research, and enhancing the clarity and transparency of the findings. Ultimately, the goal is to facilitate the publication of high-quality research that contributes meaningfully to the scientific community while ensuring that the review process remains fair, transparent, and free from bias.

Disclaimer: Views expressed by contributors are solely those of individual contributors, and not necessarily those of PLOS.