Peter Oyefolu is a fourth-year PhD student in Chemical and Biological Engineering focused on advancing downstream purification strategies for adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors used in gene therapeutics. However, Peter’s journey has not always focused on creating effective and economically accessible medical treatments. Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, the most populated city in Africa, Peter was alarmed at extensive use of carbon emission gasoline generators and second-hand vehicles that contribute significantly to air pollution. While the use of biofuels as an alternative to conventional petroleum-based fuels has been extensively studied, implementation has been stalled by the high cost of production, concerns of food scarcity, and other obstacles. As an undergraduate student at the University of Benin, Peter sought opportunities to research low-cost alternatives while investigating waste-to-energy solutions that may alleviate pollution and the energy crises. In his third year studying chemical engineering, he took a biochemical engineering course, spent hours outside of class reading research news on ScienceDaily, followed what universities around the world were publishing, and tried to understand how biology could be used to solve problems that chemistry alone couldn't. His research focused on developing novel techniques for sustainable biofuel production; for his undergraduate thesis, he worked on turning waste cooking oil into usable fuel. He used a catalyst that was both effective and cheap enough to be practical in Nigeria. The existing approaches had problems: some catalysts were too hard to separate from the final product; others would degrade or lose potency after a few uses. Peter developed a novel bifunctional heterogeneous catalyst that combined rubber seed and eggshell biomass, two things that are abundant and typically discarded in Nigeria, to simultaneously handle the competing chemical reactions needed to produce biodiesel cleanly. He was also a finalist in the KPMG Nigeria Innovation Challenge and an EducationUSA Opportunity Funds Scholar.
Outside the lab, Peter contributed to the profession as General Secretary of the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineering Students, where he co-chaired what became the first skill acquisition and exhibition workshop for engineering undergraduates at the University of Benin. As a result, soaps, detergents, bleach, and perfume were all manufactured by students in the workshop using the concepts of heat and mass transfer, separation process, and fluid flow. In his final year, Peter was nominated as one of the Most Influential Students; an award given by the Student Union Government to students making significant impacts. He was recognized for making complex courses understandable through free lectures and study tools and for an unselfish commitment to other students' academic achievement. He served the off-campus community as well. On World Cleanup Day, September 17, 2022, he volunteered with the non-profit SustyVibes creating awareness of climate actions in Oshodi Market, Nigeria’s busiest and biggest market. He engaged with local business owners around climate matters resulting in greater awareness of environmental pollution.
Upon completing his bachelor's degree, Peter became a research assistant at the Bioresources Valorization Laboratory, focusing on valorization of biological materials, heterogeneous catalysis, biofuels, organic acids, and pollution management. This work resulted in co-authorship of 8 papers in top Elsevier journals with over 200 citations.
Peter set his sights on earning a PhD in Chemical Engineering to explore the application of synthetic biology in biofuel production and the catalytic conversion of biowaste materials into energy-rich fuels. He enthusiastically joined RPI’s Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS) because it is built on a culture of collaboration between the historically siloed disciplines of chemical engineering, biology, and medicine. The caliber of the chemical engineering faculty, who publish papers, file patents, engage with industry, and treat real-world impact as part of the mission, exemplified a culture that matters to Peter. Building on his previous work, He has been supported by the NIH NIGMS T32 fellowship and the Howard P. Isermann departmental fellowship,
Peter’s intended focus for his PhD was on bioresource valorization. But the more he learned about biotechnology and the cost of modern medicines, the more he was drawn toward a different set of problems. He decided to pivot toward gene therapy, and he hasn’t looked back. Biological medicines like adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs) can now treat diseases like hemophilia and spinal muscular atrophy that were once considered untreatable. The science is remarkable. But a single dose can cost millions of dollars, which means most people who could benefit from these therapies never receive them. That gap between what's scientifically possible and what's actually accessible is where Peter intends to make the biggest impact.
His research focuses on the downstream purification of AAVs — the manufacturing step where these viral vectors are isolated and refined for clinical use — which is one of the primary cost drivers in producing these therapies. He is developing methods to make that process more efficient and scalable so that the cost of production comes down and the treatments that already exist can reach more of the people who need them. This work has already produced two provisional U.S. patents.
Spring and Summer of 2026, Peter completed a co-op at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, where he gained hands-on experience in process development for monoclonal antibody purification and contributed to process development for protein therapeutics at scale. The experience sharpened his ability to carry laboratory insights into manufacturing realities.
While contributing to multiple ongoing projects, Peter endeavors to improve drug delivery systems, resulting in a pending patent, a forthcoming publication, and multiple conference presentations. His plan after graduation is to go into industry to research downstream bioprocessing for protein and viral vector therapeutics. His long-term goal, driven by a passion for translational research, is to establish his own research laboratory and biotech startup focused on bio separations and gene therapy. He intends to contribute to bridging the gap between academia and industry.
Beyond his research, Peter actively serves the RPI community through various leadership roles including the 56th Students Senate, Graduate Council, National Society of Black Engineers, and Black Graduate Students Association, earning induction into the Senior Leadership Honors Society (Phalanx). “I care a lot about young people having access to the kind of guidance and encouragement that can change the direction of their lives,” says Peter. He has spoken on capacity development for youth multiple times on live television through Voice of the People TV, a Nigerian news channel. Peter embodies a commitment to individual mentorship, stating, “There's something about being able to speak directly to a young person who's figuring out what's possible for them that I don't take lightly.” His contributions and delightful personality are appreciated by students and faculty alike. “I am really enjoying working with Peter and our collaborators on this important project to advance the state of the art of AAV downstream bioprocessing” states his advisor, Steven Cramer. “Peter is becoming an excellent researcher in this space and his positive attitude and enthusiasm is contagious. In addition, Peter and I share a love for music and playing piano which we enjoy doing together during lab parties at my house.” Peter also runs an “Elite Book Readers Club,” which has grown into a large community of people that take reading and talking about ideas seriously.
