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Prof. Quakyi Isabella A.

Prof. Quakyi Isabella A.
Emeritus Professor
iaquakyi@ug.edu.gh

Academic Degrees

  • PhD, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, University of London, England
  • M.Sc., Brunel, London, England
  • B.Sc., University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, England

Primary Departmental Affiliation
Department of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences

Departmental Address
School of Public Health, Main Building Complex, Room C1-C2

Associate Affiliations
Department of Biology, Georgetown University

Research interest

I am a Professor of Immunology and Parasitology, a health researcher and Public Health practitioner. My research and teaching over the past three decades focused on malaria immunity, immunoepidemiology, immunopathology, immunodiagnosis, autoimmunity, molecular immunology and vaccine development. Research on malaria and concomitant infections with measles and HIV/AID has had equal attention. I am passionate about and contribute to biomedical research and capacity Development and Knowledge translation. I have substantial international research capability and capacity, having worked in Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Australia, England and the Netherlands, and have garnered interpersonal skills and academic scholarship necessary for leadership to build needed capacity for public health. As Principal and Co-principal investigator on several research projects and North-South research partnerships, currently with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of International Health Programs, and Centre for Biologics and Evaluation and Research, US Food and drug Administration, Maryland, these programs target faculty development, research and curriculum development and operational research and help promote research and academic excellence. I have the experience, expertise, motivation and leadership skills for the conduct of research activities that span the basic sciences, operational and social sciences that have focused on the socio-cultural context. Currently PI of a Multidisciplinary case control longitudinal malaria field research in a fishing village at Kpone on Sea, Tema, and an operational research on Improving correct diagnosis and treatment of malaria in rural Ghana, namely in Asante Akim North and South Districts in the Ashanti Region, Shama District in the Western Region, West Gonja District in the Northern Region and Kpone on Sea in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Region. I have published widely in high-impact peer reviewed journals and have supervised and continue to supervise several graduate research projects and continue to contribute to the academic, research and extention works at the University of Ghana. I also serve on several expert committees on pathogenesis and applied genomics in infectious diseases, immunodiagnosis and malaria vaccine development.

Honours and Awards

  • 2013 PATH/MVI Vaccine Science Portfolio Advisory Council (VSPAC), Member.
  • 2012 Panelist German-African Cooperation Projects in Infectology
  • 2011 Fellow Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences
  • 2010 Chair WHO/PATH/MVI Vaccine Technical Working Group (TWG)
  • 2010 Member Ghana Health Service Council

 

Teaching

  • BEOH 628 Infection and Immunity – 2 Credit hours
  • BEOH 702 Advances in Infection and Immunity – 3 Credit hours

Recent Publications

  • Stephens, J. K., Ofori, M. F., Quakyi, I. A., Wilson, M. L., & Akanmori, B. D. (2014). Prevalence of peripheral blood parasitaemia, anaemia and low birthweight among pregnant women in a suburban area in coastal Ghana. Pan Afr Med J, 17 Suppl 1, 3. doi: 10.11694/pamj.supp.2014.17.1.3541
  • Babakhanyan, A., Leke, R. G., Salanti, A., Bobbili, N., Gwanmesia, P., Leke, Quakyi I. A., Chen J. J., R. J., Taylor, D. W. (2014). The antibody response of pregnant Cameroonian women to VAR2CSA ID1-ID2a, a small recombinant protein containing the CSA-binding site. PLoS One, 9(2), e88173. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088173
  • Laar, A. K., Grant, F. E., Addo, Y., Soyiri, I., Nkansah, B., Abugri, J., Quakyi, I. A. (2013). Predictors of fetal anemia and cord blood malaria parasitemia among newborns of HIV-positive mothers. BMC Res Notes, 6, 350. doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-6-350
  • Tchouassi, D. P., Quakyi, I. A., Addison, E. A., Bosompem, K. M., Wilson, M. D., Appawu, M. A., Boakye, D. A. (2012). Characterization of malaria transmission by vector populations for improved interventions during the dry season in the Kpone-on-Sea area of coastal Ghana. Parasit Vectors, 5, 212. doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-5-212
  • Mahajan, B., Zheng, H., Pham, P. T., Sedegah, M. Y., Majam, V. F., Akolkar, N., Rios M., Ankrah I., Madjitey P., Amoah G., Addison E, Quakyi I.A., Kumar, S. (2012). Polymerase chain reaction-based tests for pan-species and species-specific detection of human Plasmodium parasites. Transfusion, 52(9), 1949-1956. doi: 10.1111/j.1537-2995.2011.03541.x
  • Mahajan, B., Majam, V, F., Moitra, P., Kozakai, Y., Pham, P. T., Zheng, H., Lanar, D. E., Narum, D. L., Quakyi, I. A., Kumar. S., Multiplex multi-antigen, multi-species, microsphere-based ELISA to detect antibodies to three human Plasmodium species Malar J. 2012; 11(Suppl 1): P119. Published online 2012 October 15. doi: 10.1186/1475-2875-11-S1-P119
  • Quakyi I., Tsui A. 2010. Building Leadership and Capacity in Health Research in Ghana. Proceedings of The International Congress of Parasitoogy. (ICOPA XII). PP245-249.
  • Oni G., Fatusi A., Tsui A., Enquselassie F., Ojengbede O., Agbenyega T., Ojofeitumi E., Taulo F., Quakyi I. 2010. Strengthening public-health education in population and reproductive health through an innovative academic partnership in Africa: The Gates partners experience. iFirst Article: Global Public health journal. 1-17.
  • Laar AK., Ampofo W., Tuakli JM., and Quakyi IA.2009. Infant feeding choices and experiences of HIV-positive mothers from two Ghanaian districts. Journal AIDS and HIV Research. 1: 23-33.
  • Laar AK., Ampofo W., Tuakli JM., Wonodi C., Asante RK., and Quakyi IA. 2009. Factors associated with suboptimal intake of some important nutrients among HIV-positive pregnant adolescents from two Ghanaian districts. Journal of the Ghana Science Association. 11: 25-39.
  • Udeinya JI, Shu EN, Quakyi I, Ajayi FO. 2008 An antimalarial neem leaf extract has both schizonticidal and gametocytocidal activities. American Journal of Therapeutics. 15:108-10
  • Quakyi I.A. 2007: Can a Malaria Vaccine be developed? Proceedings of the 1st Annual College of Health Sciences Scientific Conference.
  • Howard CT, McKakpo US, Quakyi IA, Bosompem KM, Addison EA, Sun K, Sullivan D, Semba RD. 2007. Relationship of hepcidin with parasitemia and anemia among patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Ghana. Am J Trop Med Hyg.77: 623-6
  • Udeinya, I.J.; Brown, N.; Shu, E.N.; Udeinya, F.I.; Quakyi, I. 2006. Fractions of an antimalarial neem-leaf extract have activities superior to chloroquine, and are gametocytocidal Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, 100: 17-22