Brief Bio

In 1996, Dr Matthew N Tanko graduated with an MBBS degree from the University of Jos in Nigeria.  From 1999 to 2004, he had his post graduate specialization programme with the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria graduating with specialization in pathology.
From 2004 to 2006, Dr Tanko worked as Lecturer and Consultant Pathologist with the University of Jos and Jos University Teaching Hospital respectively.  In 2006, Dr Tanko was seconded to Uganda by the Federal Government of Nigeria as a volunteer technical expert. From 2006 to 2008, Dr Tanko was appointed Founding Head of the Department of Pathology and later on Founding Dean of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Kampala International University, Uganda.
At the end of his volunteer service in 2008, Dr Tanko was employed as the Founding Head of the Department of Pathology of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana He served as the Director of the clinical programme of the MBBS curriculum. 
In 2012, Dr Tanko was a recipient of the Geraldine C Colby Scholarship under the Mayo Visiting Clinician Programme for the study of pulmonary pathology and cytopathology at Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
In 2013, Dr Tanko went to Israel to study Health Systems Management at the Galilee International Management Institute, Mizra.
He returned to Botswana and in 2014, Dr Tanko was appointed Vice Dean for Medical Education until November 2015.
In November 2015 until he joined Nazarbayev University in July 2017, Dr Tanko was the Interim Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana. 
Dr Tanko also held several leadership positions in some government departments and parastatals including being a member of the Botswana Health Professions Council and a Board member of the Botswana University Hospital. 
Dr Tanko has been passionate about Advancing pathology education and service in Africa and has pioneered the establishment of departments of pathology and training programmes including a 4-year Master of Medicine programme at the University of Botswana in conjunction with the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa. Under the umbrella of African Strategy for Advancing Pathology, Dr Tanko established strong links with pathology professional societies in Europe and the USA including the College of American Pathologists CAP), the British Division of the International Academy of Pathology (BDIAP), and the Scottish Pathology Network (SCN).

Dr Tanko’s Research Interest is on Breast cancer, Gastrointestinal and Liver Pathology