WAGMC Project Leadership
Professor Solomon Ofori-Acquah
CENTRE LEADER
Professor Ofori-Acquah was appointed Dean of the School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana in January 2017, and Associate Professor of Medicine and Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, USA in 2013. He is the Centre Leader of the West African Genetic Medicine Centre (WAGMC), and, Director and Principal Investigator of the Sickle Cell Disease Genomics Network of Africa (SickleGenAfrica).
Professor Ofori-Acquah’s research is focused on pathogenesis, genomics and innovative therapy in SCD. He established the first mouse model of the Acute Chest Syndrome. His research has continuously been funded by the NIH and other funding agencies since 2004. He is an Expert NIH Reviewer with service on multiple committees focused on Respiratory Biology, Hematology and Genomics. In 2016 he received an Appreciation Award as Founder of the Ghana Biomedical Convention. As Centre Leader of WAGMC, he is spearheading efforts to train the first cohort of postgraduate genetic counsellors and medical genetics scientists in West Africa reflecting his continued efforts to promote all aspects of biomedical science in the region.
Professor Lorna Awo Renner
DEPUTY CENTRE LEADER
Prof. Lorna Awo Renner MB. CHB, Dip Health Econs (Curtin), MPH (Liv), FRCPCH (UK), FGCPS, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Child Health, University of Ghana Medical School and the Senior Consultant in charge of the Paediatric Oncology Unit, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra. She is also in charge of the Paediatric HIV service at the hospital.
Melissa Nuno
Administrator / Project Manager
Melissa Nuno is the WAGMC Administrator/ Project Manager. She has a degree in Psychology from the University of Ghana. She continued on to pursue a Master’s degree in Human development (Psychology) at the Laurentian University in Ontario, Canada. Melissa also holds a certificate in business Administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). Her work experience ranges from working with children with developmental disabilities, customer service and education administration.
Dr. Dwomoa Adu
Research Coordinator
Dr. Dwomoa Adu is an Honorary Consultant Nephrologist, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Accra, Ghana. Prior to that Dr. Adu was a Consultant Nephrologist, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, and Senior Clinical Lecturer, University of Birmingham. He was a member of the council of the Royal College of Physicians from 2003 to 2005 and then became Chairman of the Renal Association of International Committee in 2007 until 2009. Dr Adu is particularly active in postgraduate education in Nephrology. His Clinical research is oriented towards assessing disease activity and damage in patients with Lupus nephritis, vasculitis, and chronic kidney disease.Â
Prof. Annabella Osei-Tutu
Education and Training Coordinator
Prof. Annabella Osei-Tutu is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Psychology, University of Ghana. She is a Volkswagen Postdoctoral Fellow. She received her PhD in Counselling Psychology from the Virginia Commonwealth University, USA and a Master of Philosophy in Health Promotion from the University of Bergen, Norway. Her research interest lies in the intersections of psychology and culture particularly focusing on mental health and well-being. She has published on a variety of issues relating to cultural prescriptions of mental illness late and professional mental health practices in Ghana forgiveness and internalised colonialism.
Dr. Yvonne Dei-Adomakoh
Sectoral Liaison Officer
Dr. Yvonne Dei-Adomakoh received her MBBS from the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria. She has over twenty years of medical practice as a hematologist in both clinical and laboratory aspects. Dr. Dei-Adomakoh manages patients with hematological malignancies such as leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, deep vein thrombosis as well as hematological diseases such as sickle cell disease (SCD) and other hemolytic anemias.
Dr. Esther Brobbey
Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer
Dr. Esther Brobbey, PhD, is the Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer of WAGMC. She is the responsible faculty for developing and designing policies to ensure the safety of staff, students, participants and the environment, working closely with the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer. Dr. Brobbey is an environmental scientist with a PhD from the University of London. She will be assisted by the Physical Development and Municipal Services (PDMSD) Directorate of UG, which is staffed with architects, planning experts and other staff who will be critical in insuring the Centre is in compliance with all aspects of social safeguards related to the construction of the Centre’s building.
Dr. William Kudzi
Monitoring & Evaluation Officer
Dr. William Kudzi is a Senior Research Fellow at University of Ghana Medical School. He is also a Senior Lecturer in Pharmacogenomics. He has a Ph.D. in Pharmacogenetics from School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth (UK). Dr. Kudzi has rich experience using HPLC based methods and Molecular biology techniques. His research interest is focused on Pharmacogenomics as it relates to drug efficacy, adverse drug reactions, and diseases. His vision is to work at bridging the Human genomic knowledge gap between the developed and the developing worlds including Ghana through research. Dr. Kudzi is currently Molecular Laboratory and Biorepository Core Lead for Sickle Cell Disease Genomics Network of Africa. He has published a number of peer-reviewed papers on pharmacogenomics and clinical pharmacology
