Omotola Olagunju is a lecturer in Food Safety in the School of Health and Life Sciences. She obtained a doctoral degree in Food Science and Technology from Durban University of Technology, South Africa (2019). Her research interests include Food Safety (food pathogens and toxins) and Fermentation Technology. As an academic, Omotola has authored and co-authored research articles in internationally recognised and peer-reviewed journals, as well as book chapters that focus on identification of microbial food contaminants and management strategies to achieve decontamination. She has presented some of her research findings on food safety management at local and international conferences.  A member of national and international scientific associations including the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST), she has several  years of experience teaching in the higher education sector. Omotola is internationally recognized as a Global Talent under the Exceptional Promise category by the Royal Society in the United Kingdom (August 2022).

Omotola's research focuses on microbial interactions in the food supply chain-their communities, growth, reproduction, survival, competitiveness, metabolite production, beneficial applications, spoilage activities etc. Previous studies have identified the prevalence of food pathogens in agricultural food produce and RTE foods, and interventions to achieve safety of consumer goods. With the drift in consumers' choice of food products from chemically preserved foods to 'clean label' foods, her research interests in recent times has focused on bio-preservation, including the use of Lactic acid bacteria, LAB postbiotics and bacteriophages as bio-control agents of food pathogens. Other potential research interests include the applications of Gene-editing in Food Safety as well as Safety Considerations of Cell-Cultivated Meat.

Omotola is the Module Leader for Food Safety Management, a module offered by MSc Food Science & Biotechnology and MSc Food Processing Engineering courses. She is also a Module Tutor for Food Sciences and Systems, an Apprenticeship Module. She supervises Postgraduate Students in Research Project and Advanced Applied Practice, as well as mentoring Postgraduate Students.