Dr. Samuel Nkansah Darko has a broad background in biochemistry, with specific training in the chemical pathology of metabolic syndromes. His expertise is in type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension research in both hospital and community-based set-ups. He further has a rich experience in the field of clinical diagnostics with expertise in immunological, molecular and mass spectrometric methods. Samuel has been trained both locally and regionally on health research methodology focusing on operational research to improve current health standards. Notable among these facilitating institutions are the Ghana Health Service, The West African Health Research Network and the Novartis/University of Basel Next Generation Scientist Program. These experiences together with working in the multi-national RODAM consortium has built him up not only in the area of planning and executing of projects, but also in the area of collaborating with international partners.
Samuel’s research has focused on the growing scourge of non-communicable disease, particularly of diabetes and hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa. His body of work together with findings from the larger RODAM study has contributed to policy discussions on indigenous African and African migrant health and continue to provide evidence in relevant research scope.
In addition, Dr. Darko with a team of collaborators, have directly documented various high and low-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV) prevalent in women living with HIV compared with apparently healthy women. This study highlighted the need to consider such populations in the design and rolling out of HPV vaccinations in the prevention of cervical cancer.
Samuel is currently a faculty member at the Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. He is also, a researcher with the Ellis Owusu-Dabo Research Group which spearheads a number of clinical trials that target the elimination of Typhoid with vaccines in both adult and pediatric populations with roles of study biochemist and quality control officer. And a fellow of the Frimpong-Manso Institute thematic area for Science, Technology and Health.
Samuel is married to Mrs. Lois Nkansah Darko and they are blessed with three (3) adorable children.