Profile: Ayotunde Dokun, MD
Dr. Dokun studies diabetes and peripheral arterial disease.
Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism
FACULTY PROFILE: Ayotunde Dokun, MD
I grew up in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State in Nigeria, the second oldest of six kids. I moved to the U.S. when I was 18, and after completing an MD at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, a PhD in immunology, and a clinical fellowship at Duke, I was recruited to UVA in 2009 by the divisions of Endocrinology and Cardiovascular Medicine. I currently serve as director of the Endocrine elective and selective courses for the School of Medicine’s fourth-year curriculum. I live in Crozet with my lovely wife and two kids.
Why medicine? Why endocrinology?
Both of my parents worked as nurses when I was growing up in Nigeria; occasionally I visited the hospital where they worked, and saw the doctors on rounds with their starched white coats. I liked how they looked — that was my initial attraction! As I grew older, though, I became aware of the essential services physicians provide, as well as the profound shortage of physicians in the area in which I lived.
Dr. Dokun and wife Adeola.
What brought you to UVA? What excites you about your work?
I was recruited here from Duke. As a physician-scientist, I value being able to work in both the clinical and laboratory settings. In my clinical practice, I am privileged to be an instrument of healing; in the lab, I am working to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in diabetic patients, which can lead to loss of limbs.
Proudest achievement outside the professional realm?
Completing my basic training and training as a combat medic in the U.S. Army.
What’s one thing you always have in your fridge?
Obe sauce — a traditional Yoruba dish from western Nigeria made from a blend of peppers, onions, tomatoes and spices. It’s used in my culture to flavor just about any kind of food, so it’s definitely a must-have.
Words to live by?
“Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” (Colossians 3:14)
What about you would surprise us?
People around me might be surprised to know I am a cancer survivor.