My Philosophy & Vision
Since I began my professional journey, I’ve been lucky to have had the opportunity to collaborate on some exciting projects. I take pride in all that I do and in the long-term relationships I’ve fostered in the process. I firmly believe that hard work eventually pays off, and I know that each day brings me closer to reaching my goals.
My vision is to become a knowledgeable scientist capable of independent thinking, carrying out cutting-edge research and contributing to capacity building.
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Explore my portfolio, and feel free to get in touch with any questions.
READ MY FULL STORY BELOW...
My Journey so far...
My keen interest in the health sciences started during my undergraduate studies.
I undertook a project where I developed a characteristic fingerprint of the bioactive components of a medicinal plant (Waltheria indica) using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) analysis. (Details here)
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In experimental animals, I also showed scientific evidence of the detoxification of a poisonous snake (Naja nigricollis) venom by W. indica. This marked the beginning of my desire to become a world-class biomedical scientist.
Afterwards, I volunteered as a UNICEF Adolescent Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS peer educator during my National Youth Service (NYSC). During this 1 year, I trained over 800 high school students on the dangers and prevention of sexually-transmitted diseases alongside my primary assignment of teaching biology/chemistry. This gave me first-hand experience of the impact of infectious diseases on individuals and their families.
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These experiences inspired me to pursue a career in infectious disease research. Thus, I enrolled for a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree at the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana, Legon-Accra. This was my first scholarship from World Bank through an African Centre of Excellence (ACE) and it opened up an exciting chapter in my career.
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During my MPhil degree, I investigated the role of post-translational modifications (PTMs) and protein-protein interactions on the localization of novel Plasmodium falciparum proteins. My analysis of the protein sequences using online bioinformatics portals and wet laboratory investigations revealed structural features that present them as key players during the malaria parasite development.
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I worked in a large malaria group and was privileged to participate in other myriad projects including; the screening of compounds donated by the Medicine for Malaria Ventures (MMV) for the identification of antimalarial compounds, the design of a multiplex micro-array chip which will be used to screen plasma samples of populations for rapid diagnosis of protozoans, bacterial and viral infections, characterization of a novel P. falciparum surface-related antigen (PfSRA) as a vaccine candidate, and many others (Details on the project page).
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I have presented the findings from my work at various international conferences in Ghana, United States of America (USA) and Germany where I established important connections with funding agencies and established researchers in the field. This will form a future collaborative network for joint research and international support. I have also published in peer-reviewed, international journals and attended several workshops and training.
As such, my two-year extensive, research-based master’s program and my previous experiences equipped me with the requisite skills to advance my career in this field. To this end, I will focus on the identification and characterization of novel antigens or regulatory mechanisms for intervention against malaria, one of Africa’s deadliest diseases.
My goal is to combine knowledge of epidemiology and the molecular basis of malaria disease as a powerful force to drive the wheels of malaria research in Africa. To this end, I look forward to collaborative links and discussions.
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I have worked in a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural setting consisting of researchers and students from over 10 countries and have also acquired basic skills in molecular and cell biology. I am optimistic that these experiences, combined with my passionate interest in infectious disease research, my willingness to learn and my ability to work nicely in a team have prepared me to become an independent researcher capable of capacity building.
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My experience in my field has brought me far, and though I hope to keep growing and developing, I know that I have what it takes to make a real contribution to any group I join. I hope to have the opportunity to grow and add value to my funders, collaborators and partners.
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