Our Leadership Team
BioVana is led by a team combining deep operational experience in Pharma industry and African health systems with scientific expertise in genomics and precision medicine.
Estelle Dogbo
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Estelle Dogbo is a business leader and data infrastructure strategist focused on enabling responsible access to high-quality underrepresented datasets and biospecimens for global research. Former Roche and Sanofi executive, She holds an MSc in Cell Biology (Université Paris Sorbonne Nord) and an MBA in Biotech Management (IONIS STM), and previously served as Head of Africa at 54gene where she supported the development of B2G initiatives and the deployment of large-scale genomic research infrastructure.
As CEO of BioVana, Estelle leads the company’s strategy and partnerships, working at the intersection of biotech, hospitals, biobanks, and regulators to structure research-ready data ecosystems across Africa. Her work centers on aligning clinical data and biospecimen collections with international standards, strengthening governance frameworks, and creating trusted pathways for biotech, pharma, and academic partners to access diverse, well-characterized cohorts. Through this work, she is helping position African research institutions as credible contributors to global discovery and precision medicine.
Dr. Jumi Popoola
Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer
Dr. Jumi Popoola is a scientific leader with over two decades of scientific leadership across global pharma, biotech, and African health-tech. She holds an MSc and a PhD in Molecular Genetics from the University of Sheffield, UK and Executive Leadership Training from Saïd Business School, UK, and has held roles at Cancer Research UK, Merck KGaA, and 54gene. At 54gene, she built one of Africa’s largest high-capacity biobank and high-throughput genomics laboratories, supporting programs in biomarker discovery, research, population genomics and clinical assay development.
As Chief Scientific Officer of BioVana, she leads the company’s scientific strategy, data quality frameworks, and research operations, ensuring that clinical and biobank data are structured to meet international standards for biomedical research and discovery. Her expertise spans sample-to-insight workflows, LIMS/BIMS architecture, molecular profiling, and the development of ethically governed, diverse datasets that support next-generation therapeutics. She also serves as an ISBER EMEA Regional Ambassador, contributing to the advancement of global best practices in biobanking and research infrastructure.
Our Advisors
Ciku Mugambi
Dr. Adedamola Dada
