Title: Consultant in Clinical Development and Medical Affairs
Company: Oriola ClinMed Consulting
Location: Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, United States
Olubunmi Olutoyin Afonja, MD, Consultant in Clinical Development and Medical Affairs at Oriola ClinMed Consulting, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Doctors for dedication, achievements and leadership in advancing hematology-oncology and the development of innovative therapies for rare diseases including inherited genetic disorders.
Dr. Afonja has established a distinguished career as a medical doctor spanning 35 years, including 27 years in pediatric hematology/oncology and 17 years in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. Her early clinical training and practice laid the foundation for her expertise in blood disorders and genetic conditions affecting children, and she is widely recognized for her dedication to advancing innovative therapies for rare diseases including inherited genetic disorders.
Since 2025, Dr. Afonja has served as owner and principal consultant at Oriola ClinMed Consulting, LLC, providing strategic expertise in clinical development and medical affairs. Her work includes medical oversight of clinical studies, medical review and input on regulatory submissions (IND and BLA), and support for medical affairs initiatives for investigational and approved therapies.
From 2024 to 2025, Dr. Afonja was vice president of clinical development at Editas Medicine, a pioneering genome editing company, where she led programs advancing investigational gene-editing therapies for beta-hemoglobinopathies. Earlier, from 2021 to 2024, she served as senior director of clinical development at Editas Medicine, contributing to the design and execution of early- and late-phase studies for ex-vivo gene-editing therapy for beta- hemoglobinopathies.
From 2019 to 2021, Dr. Afonja was global clinical lead for rare diseases, cell, and gene therapy at Bayer Pharmaceuticals, overseeing clinical development activities for the Hemophilia A gene therapy program. Her earlier tenure at Bayer included progressive leadership roles in Medical Affairs spanning more than a decade, including executive director of medical affairs for hematology, medical director of hematology, national director of medical science liaison (aka field medical affairs) overseeing four therapeutic areas, and medical director of oncology. Earlier in her career, Dr. Afonja served as an attending physician at New York University Langone Hospital and Bellevue Hospital from 1998 to 2008, providing direct patient care while mentoring trainees in general pediatrics and pediatric hematology-oncology.
Dr. Afonja earned her Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, in 1990. She completed a residency in pediatrics at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in 1995 and a pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship at NYU Grossman School of Medicine in 1998. She later earned an MBA from The George Washington University in 2010 and holds board certification in pediatric hematology-oncology.
Dr. Afonja’s professional affiliations include the American Society of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, the American Society of Hematology, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, and the European Hematology Association. Her civic engagement includes work with Habitat for Humanity, church initiatives, and community projects in Nigeria, including her medical school (College of Medicine, University of Ibadan), demonstrating a broad commitment to service beyond her professional obligations.
Dr. Afonja’s professional contributions encompass clinical research, bench research, and scholarly publications, recognized in part through a K23 Award from the National Institutes of Health. Her scholarly output includes several primary articles published during her tenure as a bench researcher, which advanced understanding in oncology, as well as ongoing publications throughout her pharmaceutical and biotechnology career, reflecting her continued commitment to advancing scientific knowledge and translating research into clinical and therapeutic innovation.
Shortly after completing her fellowship, Dr. Afonja demonstrated exceptional clinical acumen by diagnosing a child with aplastic anemia and coordinating timely treatment with experts at the National Institutes of Health. She further showcased her expertise and dedication to pediatric hematology by identifying a rare case of cutaneous anthrax complicated by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and coagulopathy, exemplifying her skill in managing complex and uncommon hematologic conditions.
Dr. Afonja attributes her success to unwavering dedication, a deep commitment to patient care and research innovation, and a focus on advancing therapies for rare genetic disorders, hematologic conditions—both malignant and non-malignant—and cancer. She believes strongly in contributing positively to society by addressing unmet medical needs and improving outcomes for patients with complex and high-risk diseases.
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