PhD
- Microbial Pathogenesis
- Antimicrobial Resistance
- Molecular Diagnostics
- Pathogen Genomics
- BCMB 217: Veterinary Biochemistry I
- BCMB 312: Practical III (Microscopy and Microbiology Methods)
- BCMB 417: Practical Biochemistry IV (Molecular Biotechnology Methods)
- MCBI 601: Bacterial and Viral Infections
- BCMB 708: Advances in Biomedical and Infectious Diseases Research
Dr Duodu’s laboratory is a multifaceted group with the goals to advance scientific knowledge in the field of pathogen virulence, survival, and transmission; microbial infection dynamics and pathogenesis; mechanisms and evolution of antimicrobial resistance; microbial diversity and disease diagnostics. We employ different techniques in molecular biology, microbiology, and comparative genomics to achieve these goals.
Some research projects within the group includes:
a. Microbial Stress Response: We investigate pathoadaptive mutations and metabolic regulation of Vibrio cholera virulence under varied stress conditions (temperature, osmotic, oxidative, iron limitation and replete and acidic pH) mimicking what is found in the environment and the human host. These studies are based on a long-term experimental evolution model.
b. Genomic Epidemiology: We conduct genomic analysis to understand the relationship between different genotypes or clones of bacterial pathogens and the factors that drive evolution and transmission of multidrug resistant strains. The focus has been on Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella, where WGS is used to profile different isolates from human, animal, and environmental sources under the One Health concept.
c. Molecular Diagnostics: We are interested in developing and applying new diagnostic tools in infectious disease management. The current focus is on typhoid diagnosis and the use of host-response gene expression or transcriptomic assays to improve differential diagnosis of acute childhood febrile illness in Ghana and The Gambia. This study is part of the Global Health Research Group on Digital Diagnostics for African Health Systems with several partners from the UK, Europe, and other African countries.
d. Infection Biology of fish Pathogens: The Infectious Spleen and Kidney Necrosis Virus (ISKNV) is an emerging disease-causing pathogen of tilapia causing serious mortality in the Ghanian aquaculture. This study seeks to unravel the pathogenesis of ISKNV at both cellular and molecular level by exploiting the autophagy pathways used for viral replication and host invasion. We are also interested in investigating the interplay between heat shock proteins (HSPs) expression and the host immunity in protecting the fish against ISKNV infection. The work is in collaboration with some UK partners.
1. Agbodzi B, Duodu S, Dela H, Kumordjie S, Yeboah C, Behene E, Ocansey K, Yanney JN, Boateng-Sarfo G, Kwofie SK, Egyir B, Colston SM, Miranda HV, Watters C, Sanders T, Fox AT, Letizia AG, Wiley MR, and Attram N (2023) Whole genome analysis and antimicrobial resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from Ghana. Front. Microbiol. 14:1163450. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1163450
2. Adade NE, Aniweh Y, Mosi L, Valvano MA, Duodu S and Ahator SD (2022) Comparative analysis of Vibrio cholerae isolates from Ghana reveals variations in genome architecture and adaptation of outbreak and environmental strains. Front. Microbiol. 13:998182.
doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.998182
3. The Digital Diagnostics for Africa Network (2022) The potential of digital molecular diagnostics for infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa. PLOS Digit Health 1(6): e0000064. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pdig.0000064.s001
4. Sidote MN, Stoler J, Amoako N, Duodu S, and Awandare GA (2022). Animal contact and paediatric acute febrile illness in Greater Accra Region, Ghana. Ghana Med J. 56(3): 221-230http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/gmj.v56i3.13
5. Kotey FC, Awugah SA, Dayie NT, Tetteh-Quarcoo PB, Duodu S, Osei M-M, Bentum JN, Nyarko MY, Neizer ML, Alsharif KF, Halawani IF, Alzahrani KJ and Donkor ES (2022) High prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carriage among infants at the Children’s Hospital, Accra, Ghana. J Infect Dev Ctries 16:1450–1457. doi: 10.3855/jidc.14839
6.Anafo RB, Atiase Y, Kotey FCN, Dayie NTKD, Tetteh-Quarcoo PB, Duodu S, et al. (2021) Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal carriage among patients with diabetes at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. PLoS ONE 16(9): e0257004. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257004
7. Sumabe BK, Ræder SB, Røst LM, Sharma A, Donkor ES, Mosi L, Duodu S, Bruheim P and Otterlei M (2021) Nucleoside Analogues Are Potent Inducers of Pol V-mediated Mutagenesis. Biomolecules. 11(6):843. https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11060843
8. Olwal CO, Nganyewo NN, Tapela K, Djomkam Zune AL, Owoicho O, Bediako Y, Duodu S (2021). Parallels in Sepsis and COVID-19 Conditions: Implications for Managing Severe COVID-19. Front Immunol.12:602848
9. Ramírez-Paredes JG, Paley RK, Hunt W, Feist SW, Stone DM, Field TR, Haydon DJ, Ziddah PA, Nkansa M, Guilder J, Gray J, Duodu S, Pecku EK, Awuni JA, Wallis TS, Verner-Jeffreys DW (2021). First detection of infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV) associated with massive mortalities in farmed tilapia in Africa. Transbound Emerg Dis.;68(3):1550-1563. doi: 10.1111/tbed.13825.
10. Danso EK, Asare P, Otchere ID, Akyeh LM, Asante-Poku A, Aboagye SY, Osei-Wusu S, Opare D, Ntoumi F, Zumla A, Duodu S and Yeboah-Manu D (2020). A molecular and epidemiological study of Vibrio cholerae isolates from cholera outbreaks in southern Ghana. PLoS ONE 15(7): e0236016. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236016