About

Dr. Anita Adjoa Oppong is a Senior Lecturer in Chemistry at the University of Ghana, specializing in transforming natural products into manufacturable products that bridge tradition and modern science. She earned her PhD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from the University of Rhode Island and holds MPhil and BSc degrees from the University of Ghana. Her research spans drug discovery, OLED materials, UV‑reflective compounds, and sustainable composites, supported by two BANGA‑Africa grants and one UNESCO‑TWAS grant. Beyond academia, she mentors young scientists, CEO of PerAnn Foods Limited and champions women in STEM through GIST. She is a member of several professional bodies such as the Ghana Young Academy, the Ghana Chemical society and Women in Chemistry network. 

Education

Ph.D.: Synthetic Organic Chemistry, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA.  

M. Phil.: Chemistry, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra              

B.Sc.: Chemistry, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra

Research Interest

1. Natural products chemistry and development of chemical library for bioactive compounds from Ghanaian medicinal plants. 
2. Drug discovery and synthesis, particularly identifying active compounds from medicinal plants. 
3. Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and bioactive light-emitting compounds from natural sources (marine endophyte fungi)
4. Organic materials with UV-reflective properties and development of composite materials incorporating UV-reflective compounds. 
5. Recycling, nanotechnology, and sustainable value-added materials development. 

Publications

1.  DFT studies on metal-mediated oxidation reactions. Journal of Molecular Graphics and Modelling and Journal of Molecular Modeling. 
2. Development of sulfonamide-based fluorescent chemosensors for detection of heavy metal ions. Tetrahedron. 
3. Iron-mediated C–H activation and allylic alcohol rearrangement. ACS Omega. 
4. Ecological chemistry studies on plant defence signalling and foliar chemistry. Tree Physiology and Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 
5. Natural product profiling of Cryptolepis sanguinolenta for drug discovery. Journal of Applied Research on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants.