Professor Bernadine Idowu is a graduate of King’s College London (KCL), where she has continued to contribute to the academic community as a Visiting Senior Lecturer within the Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, while also collaborating with other departments across the University. She obtained her PhD from the Interdisciplinary Research Centre (IRC), Queen Mary University of London.

Professor Idowu is currently Professor of Biomedical Sciences at the University of West London (UWL). She was recruited in 2019 to co-create a new School of Biomedical Sciences, which has since developed into the School of Medicine and Biosciences. She currently serves as Head of Subject and Course Leader for Biomedical Sciences and Biosciences, providing academic leadership across the disciplines and contributing to the development of the next generation of biomedical scientists.

She is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA), recognising her leadership and sustained contribution to teaching and learning in higher education

Professor Idowu is an award-winning scientist who has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals. Her most notable publication in the journal Histopathology was awarded the Roger Cotton Prize of €10,000 for the best paper published in the journal that year.

A passionate advocate for an inclusive culture, Professor Idowu previously held a part-time role within KCL’s central Diversity and Inclusion team, courtesy of former KCL President Sir Ed Byrne. In this role, she contributed to the delivery of several projects addressing the action plans arising from the Race Equality Charter Mark. Her interrogation of institutional data highlighted a lack of representation at lecturer level and above, prompting her to establish the Black Minority Ethnic (BME) Early Career Researcher (ECR) “How to Stay in Academia” Conference.

Professor Idowu served as the inaugural Co-chair of the Medical Research Council (MRC) Black in Biomedical Research Advisory Group (BBRAG). Backed by £3.7 million in funding over three years (2022–2025), the initiative sought to identify and address barriers, strengthen representation and create greater opportunities for Black researchers across the Biomedical research landscape.

In 2026, the BME ECR “How to Stay in Academia” Conference celebrated its 10th anniversary, marking a decade of supporting and empowering researchers from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds. The milestone was commemorated with a special two-day celebration with the theme Reflection, Recognition and Renewal held on 9–10 July 2026. On the 9th the inaugural BME ECR Legacy Awards dinner was introduced, whilst on the 10th  a conference with a difference was held. What began as an initiative to address disparities in academic representation has grown into an international annual conference and a network of more than 2,000 people.

Professor Idowu is deeply passionate about improving diversity and representation in Biomedical science, recognising the importance of engaging and inspiring students from an early age. She is the Founder of the Black in Biomedical Science Undergraduate Conference, which celebrated its fourth year in 2026. The conference aims to inspire the next generation of Biomedical scientists, raise awareness of opportunities within the field, and create a supportive community for aspiring researchers.

In July 2025, Professor Idowu was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS), recognising her contributions to Biomedical science and her leadership in advancing equality, diversity and inclusion within the sector. In January 2026, she was invited to serve as Co-chair of the Academy of Medical Sciences’ Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Advisory Committee, further recognising her expertise and longstanding commitment to creating a more inclusive Biomedical research environment.