Page 13 - Science in Africa

rofessor Isabella Akyinbah Professor Isabella Quakyi
Quakyi is a professor of
immunology and parasitology
and the foundation dean of
the School of Public Health,
PCollege of Health Sciences,
University of Ghana and a 2014 laureate of
the prestigious African Union Kwame
Nkrumah Award for Women in Science.
She is a fellow of the Ghana Academy of
Arts and Sciences, a fellow of the African
Academy of Sciences and immediate past
member of the Ghana Health Service Council
and the chair of the Ghana Malaria
Vaccine Technical Working Group.
She completed her PhD in
Immunoparasitology at the
University of London, UK, in
1980.
She returned to the
University of Ghana Medical
School’s department of
haematology as a lecturer in
immunology and later established
the immunology unit at the Noguchi
Memorial Institute for Medical research,
University of Ghana, from 1980 to 1983.
From June 1983 to 1990, she joined an
international research team at the National
Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland,
US, directed by Doctor Louis Miller, to
conduct malaria vaccine development
malaria: immunity, immunoepidemiology, SWATTING
research. She moved to Georgetown
University from 1990 to 2001.
Professor Quakyi’s research and teaching
over the past three decades focused on

immunopathology, immunodiagnosis,
autoimmunity, molecular immunology and
vaccine development. malaria away
Her contributions to the field of malaria
immunoparasitology and cellular and
molecular immunology include the cloning of
Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein
and subsequent peptide vaccine development. sequencing and vaccine development of the She is credited for the fine-tuning of
These events led to testing of the first human 25kDa (Pfs25) ookinete protein of P. membrane feed assays for transmission
malaria vaccine. falciparum. blocking immunity and biological relevance of
Her research provided the first direct She mapped B cell and T cell epitopes on the in-vitro P. falciparum gamete IFA assay.
immunological evidence that 230kD – a Pfs25 by the use of synthetic peptides and Her work is also contributing to research
gametocyte antigen (Pfs230) – is a major demonstrated that these can be made more on concomitant infections with measles and
target of transmission blocking immunity. immunogenic by the use of adjuvant and HIV/Aids, and she has initiated and
Her work was also central to the cloning, cytokine IL2. participated in key global health activities.

Doctor Bernard Effah

He sees the wood for the trees

Doctor Bernard Effah works in the fields of from the Kwame Nkrumah . European Microscopy Society (full
composite materials, microscopy and University of Science and member).
spectroscopy, surface analysis, nanotechnology, Technology in Ghana. He holds His teaching and professional
wood science, materials characterisation, professional membership of the experience includes:
engineered wood and bioenergy (biomass). following societies: . Centre for Wood Sciences –
He obtained his PhD from Stellenbosch . Society of Wood Science and University of Hamburg (research
University. The subject of his dissertation was Technology – US (full member); stay);
wood and wood products science. . AEEC Member, EEC – UK (full . Kumasi Technical University –
He has a Galileo master certificate in member); senior lecturer;
biomass from the European Energy Centre and . Royal Microscopical Society – UK (full . Kumasi Polytechnic – lecturer;
an MSc in Wood Technology and Management member); . Ghana Education Service, Kumasi – teacher.
SCIENCE IN AFRICA 13