Collins Afriyie Appiah

Faculty Biography

Dr. Collins Afriyie Appiah is a lecturer in the Human Nutrition and Dietetics Unit, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, KNUST. Dr. Appiah is currently the Programme Coordinator for the undergraduate (BSc.) Dietetics  degree programme.His research focuses on nutrition intervention in chronic diseases of lifestyle (specifically diabetes, kidney disease, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular diseases including  hypertension and stroke) and dietetics practice, especially in the clinical setting. He has also been involved in maternal and child nutrition intervention studies. Dr. Appiah also has interest in hospital malnutrition in developing country settings.He holds a PhD degree (in dietetics) from the University of the Free State, South Africa. He also holds a Master of Philosophy degree in Dietetics from the School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana. He is a licensed dietitian with the Allied Health Professions Council, Ghana and about 15 years experience in dietetics practice in Ghana.  He also holds a BSc.(Hons.) Biochemistry degree (First Class Division) from the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, KNUST.He was the Principal Investigator of the research work to determine the effect of Bridelia tea consumption on oxidative status in people living with diabetes which culminated in his doctoral degree. He has collaborated with other researchers within and outside the University to publish his research in international peer-reviewed journals and has participated in several national and international scientific conferences. He received an International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS) Travel Grant to present his research at the 2021 International Congress of Dietetics, Cape Town, South Africa. He also received a full travel grant award by the The Nutrition Society, UK and the Nutrition Society of South Africa to present his research at the 2024 Nutrition Congress, Durban, South Africa. Dr. Appiah has been a reviewer for reputable international journals. Dr. Appiah has served as Clinical Practicum Coordinator (2016-2020), Moderator of the affiliate nutrition and dietetics programme at the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Nalerigu, North East Region. He was also appointed as an External Examiner to the Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, University for Development Studies, Tamale (2023).Dr. Appiah is a founding member and currently a member of the Governing Board of the Ghana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (GAND)(https://gandonline.org/lgoverning_board/).  He is also a member of the Ghana Science Association (GSA), Nutrition Society of South Africa (NSSA) and the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA). Upon the completion of his MPhil. Dietetics degree in 2011, he  was offered a full-time appointment as a dietitian at the Diet Therapy Department, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Accra in 2012. As the lead dietitian at the Department of Medicine, KBTH he worked with Gastroenterology, Endocrinology/diabetes and Stroke specialist teams in identifying nutrition problems, designing and implementing nutrition intervention for optimal patient outcomes. He was the dietitian at the Stroke Unit, KBTH at its inception in 2015. In addition to his role as dietitian, he was also involved with the medical team in facilitating workshops on Stroke Management to health professionals within and outside the hospital. He was involved in training undergraduate and postgraduate nutrition and dietetics students-on-clinical training at the KBTH.During his previous role as a Senior Dietitian a the KBTH, he taught diet therapy course, as a part-time lecturer, at the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, KNUST from 2015 to 2016. In 2016,  joined KNUST as a full-time lecturer.  He has since been involved in teaching nutrition and dietetics courses, and supervision of both undergraduate and postgraduate research students.Dr. Appiah played a  key role in setting up the Diet Therapy unit of the KNUST Hospital. He was also involved at the KNUST Wellness Centre and the University Hospital, KNUST to provide nutrition services to the University community, and support clinical training of nutrition and dietetics students. Many of the students he has mentored through his teaching, research and clinical training have proceeded to hold positions in industry as quality control officers, dietitians/nutritionists, and lecturers in Universities in Ghana and Malawi.Dr. Appiah has published 14 scientific papers (Available at: Google scholar) and has presented scientific papers at several national and international conferences. He has also served on several university, national and international committees (Please access his attached CV above for details).Email: caappiah.cos@knust.edu.gh