Dr. Cheedy Jaja is an Associate Professor of Nursing whose passion for improving outcomes for sickle cell patients drives his global health research and clinical practice across the USA and Africa.

Dr. Jaja is one of only a few nurse scientists prepared to use pharmacogenetics strategies in pharmacotherapy for sickle cell disease. His groundbreaking work focuses on developing tailored pharmacogenetics algorithms that optimize drug selection, dosing, and monitoring strategies specifically for sickle cell disease pain management, leading to critical advancement for improving patient outcomes.

Dr. Jaja’s exceptional contributions have earned him prestigious recognition, including selection as a 2016 NIH Future Research Leader, a 2018 Fulbright Program Scholar, and induction as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 2020.

His unique perspective as a nurse scientist brings vital interdisciplinary insight to the Symposium’s scientific program, ensuring that research advances translate into practical, patient-centered care improvements.