Dr. Kwabena Obeng Duedu is currently a senior lecturer at the Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences. In April 2020, the Vice-Chancellor appointed him to head the UHAS COVID-19 Testing Centre.
He is a Cellular and Molecular Microbiologist with interests in Microbial & Disease Genomics, Antimicrobial Resistance, Biotechnology, and Public Health. He is a Medical Laboratory Scientist licensed by the Allied Health Professionals Council of Ghana. Dr. Duedu also serves as the Dean of Student Affairs.
Education
He had his undergraduate education in Medical Laboratory Science and masters in Microbiology at the University of Ghana. He pursued a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Edinburgh, UK. In addition, he undertook independent studies and wrote examinations for the award of a Diploma in Human Resource Management from the Institute of Commercial Management, UK.
He completed postdoctoral training under the African Partnership for Chronic Disease Research PostDoc Fellowship programme as well as completed the Novartis Global Health Fellowship in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States.
He studied Academic Practice by the Institute for Academic Development, University of Edinburgh following which he was admitted as an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in recognition of attainment against the Professional Standards Framework for teaching and learning support in higher education in the United Kingdom.
Work Experience
Dr. Duedu practiced as a Medical Laboratory Scientist for 4 years in the Ghana Health Service. He worked at the National Public Health and Reference Laboratory (NPHRL) and the Clinical Laboratory Unit (CLU), Korle-Bu.
He participated in the organization of Trainer of Trainer workshops on malaria diagnosis as well as undertook supervisory monitoring of the USAID Funded Improving Malaria Diagnostics project implemented by the Medical Care Development International in Collaboration with the Ghana Health Service and Ministry of Health.
He at one point coordinated the HIV external quality assurance programme at the NPHRL, Korle-Bu. He was a part-time lecturer for a year at the School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana where he taught parasitology to medical, dental and medical laboratory science students.
He was also a tutor at the University of Edinburgh, UK for three years involved in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. He supervised student research at both the University of Ghana and the University of Edinburgh, UK.
Science/Research Output
Dr. Duedu has worked on several projects ranging from epidemiology to engineering of bacteria for bioprocessing. His current research is focused on understanding the role of microbial communities in the spread and evolution of antibiotic resistance, disease pathogenesis and polymer degradation. He is currently building capacity and applying functional metagenomics approaches to investigate genes and pathways involved in various processes.
Some specific areas of work currently include investigating horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance determinants among microbial communities in humans, the environment and animals. He is also investigating how microbial communities degrade plastics and other biomass as well as investigating dysbiosis in sickle cell disease.
He currently runs a laboratory equipped with cutting-edge molecular biology and microbiology tools (eg. Real time & traditional PCR, Oxford Nanopore Sequencing and microbiological culture capabilities).
Source: uhas.edu.gh