Samson Pandam Salifu
Department of Biochemistry and BiotechnologyHealth SciencesLife SciencesPhysical SciencesSocial Sciences

Samson Pandam Salifu

35 Publications25 Research Themes30 Open Access
Research Overview & Focus

The researcher's work is interdisciplinary, integrating advancements in genetics, bioinformatics, microbiology, pharmacology, and biotechnology to address critical public health issues. Leveraging cutting-edge technologies like CRISPR and genomics, the researcher has contributed significantly to understanding diseases such as malaria, lichi erosion, HIV/AIDS, and cancer, applying innovative approaches across genetics, microbiology, pharmacology, and biotechnology. Their work underscores the potential of genomics and bioinformatics in driving innovation and development for health, particularly in African contexts, where they play a vital role in disease prevention and treatment.

Faculty Biography

Dr. Samson Pandam Salifu holds a BSc. Medical Science from Gazi University, Ankara, MSc. with Distinction in Biomedical Science and PhD in Comparative Viral Genomics from Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK. Dr. Salifu has been a Research Fellow at Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh and has held the position of Head of Laboratories at Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research (KCCR), a prestigious research and clinical diagnostic Centre with cutting-edge facilities.Dr Salifu has special interest in application of genomics to profiling species, development of novel tools for diagnostics of infectious pathogens of human, animal and environmental health. He has extensive experience in running and management of research and diagnostic laboratory facilities. He has a considerable experience in a range of molecular biology methods. He has been an external quality control assessor for Ghana National TB Control Programme and member of Ghana TB diagnostics laboratories technical advisory committee.Over the years he has worked in bioinformatics, proteomics as well as sequencing and comparative genomics. He was the Co-Chair of the User Support-working group and also a member of the Education and Training Working Group of H3ABioNet. He has organized and delivers bioinformatics training locally in Ghana and he was a primary trainer on Sequence Analysis module for Introductory Bioinformatics Training across the African content, administered by H3ABioNet. He is also a member of the H3ABioNet Bioinformatics Curriculum Development Task Force and has contributed to the development of the Sequence Analysis Module for the MSc Bioinformatics program.Dr. Salifu joined the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biosciences, College of Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in December, 2014 as a lecturer and has been the Coordinator for postgraduate degree programmes for Biotechnology and Forensic Science. He is the chairman of the Department’s laboratories and a co-chair of research grant and research committee.At the graduate level, Dr. Salifu teaches, Crime Scene Investigation, Advanced DNA Technology, Molecular Biology Techniques, Forensic Toxicology, Forensic Pharmacology and Toxicology and Principles of Forensic Investigation.

Key Research Themes (25)
Health Sciences

Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases

Health Sciences

Advances in Oncology and Radiotherapy

Life Sciences

Bacterial Infections and Vaccines

Physical Sciences

Bacteriophages and microbial interactions

Life Sciences

Bioeconomy and Sustainability Development

Physical Sciences

Biofuel production and bioconversion

Health Sciences

Brucella: diagnosis, epidemiology, treatment

Health Sciences

Cervical Cancer and HPV Research

Social Sciences

Competency Development and Evaluation

Life Sciences

CRISPR and Genetic Engineering

Physical Sciences

Enzyme Structure and Function

Health Sciences

Ferroptosis and cancer prognosis

Life Sciences

Forensic and Genetic Research

Life Sciences

Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Biomedical Research

Life Sciences

Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies

Life Sciences

Gut microbiota and health

Life Sciences

Infections and bacterial resistance

Health Sciences

Lymphoma Diagnosis and Treatment

Health Sciences

Malaria Research and Control

Life Sciences

Microbial Metabolic Engineering and Bioproduction

Life Sciences

Molecular Biology Techniques and Applications

Life Sciences

Reproductive tract infections research

Life Sciences

Soybean genetics and cultivation

Life Sciences

Vector-borne infectious diseases

Health Sciences

Virology and Viral Diseases

Publications (35)

Unlocking the African bioeconomy and strengthening biodiversity conservation through genomics and bioinformatics

Open Access
2025CRISPR and Genetic EngineeringDOI: 10.1038/s44185-025-00102-9

Molecular characterization of soybean accessions using ssr markers and unveiling the genetic diversity

2025Soybean genetics and cultivationDOI: 10.1007/s11033-025-10652-7

Against the clock: Effect of late detection of a mumps outbreak in the Western North Region of Ghana, 2022

Open Access
2025Virology and Viral DiseasesDOI: 10.37432/jieph-d-24-02036

Unlocking African bioeconomy through biodiversity genomics and bioinformatics

Open Access
2025Bioeconomy and Sustainability DevelopmentDOI: 10.31219/osf.io/dhcxp

Establishing African genomics and bioinformatics programs through annual regional workshops

2024Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Biomedical ResearchDOI: 10.1038/s41588-024-01807-6

Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer in Africa

Open Access
2024Advances in Oncology and RadiotherapyDOI: 10.1016/j.adro.2024.101488

Establish grassroots genomics and bioinformatics programs to train 400 Africans yearly

Open Access
2024Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Biomedical ResearchDOI: 10.31219/osf.io/c92rk

Comprehensive microbial network analysis of gastric microbiome reveal key species affecting gastric carcinogenesis

Open Access
2023Gut microbiota and healthDOI: 10.1016/j.microb.2023.100009

RNA-seq research landscape in Africa: systematic review reveals disparities and opportunities

Open Access
2023Molecular Biology Techniques and ApplicationsDOI: 10.1186/s40001-023-01206-3

Modelling the Transmission Dynamics of Meningitis among High and Low-Risk People in Ghana with Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

Open Access
2022Bacterial Infections and VaccinesDOI: 10.1155/2022/9084283

Genes associated with diagnosis and prognosis of Burkitt lymphoma

Open Access
2022Lymphoma Diagnosis and TreatmentDOI: 10.1049/syb2.12054

New Clues to Prognostic Biomarkers of Four Hematological Malignancies

Open Access
2022Ferroptosis and cancer prognosisDOI: 10.7150/jca.69274

Guidelines for developing and updating short courses and course programs using the ISCB competency framework

Open Access
2021Competency Development and EvaluationDOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5418103

Plant genomics in Africa: present and prospects

Open Access
2021Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Biomedical ResearchDOI: 10.1111/tpj.15272

RNA-seq analyses: Benchmarking differential expression analyses tools reveals the effect of higher number of replicates on performance

Open Access
2020Genomics and Phylogenetic StudiesDOI: 10.1101/2020.06.10.144063

Unravelling the transcriptome landscape of African Burkitt’s lymphoma patients

Open Access
2020Lymphoma Diagnosis and TreatmentDOI: 10.7490/f1000research.1118201.1

The H3ABioNet helpdesk: an online bioinformatics resource, enhancing Africa’s capacity for genomics research

Open Access
2019Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Biomedical ResearchDOI: 10.1186/s12859-019-3322-3

The Diversity, Multiplicity of Infection and Population Structure of P. falciparum Parasites Circulating in Asymptomatic Carriers Living in High and Low Malaria Transmission Settings of Ghana

Open Access
2019Malaria Research and ControlDOI: 10.3390/genes10060434

Current perspectives on the transmission of Q fever: Highlighting the need for a systematic molecular approach for a neglected disease in Africa

Open Access
2019Vector-borne infectious diseasesDOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.02.032

A comparative study of different laboratory storage conditions for enhanced DNA analysis of crime scene soil-blood mixed sample

2018Forensic and Genetic ResearchDOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.09.007

Designing a course model for distance-based online bioinformatics training in Africa: The H3ABioNet experience

Open Access
2017Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Biomedical ResearchDOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005715

Designing a course model for distance-based online bioinformatics training in Africa: The H3ABioNet experience

Open Access
2017Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Biomedical ResearchDOI: 10.60692/aktfv-2ms94

Development of Bioinformatics Infrastructure for Genomics Research

Open Access
2017Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Biomedical ResearchDOI: 10.1016/j.gheart.2017.01.005

Effect of Different Sets of Pleurotus ostreatus and Aspergillus niger Hydrolysis of Cassava Peelings on Bioethanol Yield

Open Access
2017Biofuel production and bioconversion

Comparative Study on Fungal Pretreatment and Hydrolysis of Cassava Peelings and Rice Husks for Second-Generation Bioethanol Production

2017Biofuel production and bioconversion

Bacterial etiology of sexually transmitted infections at a STI clinic in Ghana; use of multiplex real time PCR

Open Access
2016Reproductive tract infections researchDOI: 10.4314/gmj.v50i3.5

Sero-prevalence and occupational risk factors for Brucella infection among slaughterhouse workers and butchers in Kumasi, Ghana

Open Access
2016Brucella: diagnosis, epidemiology, treatmentDOI: 10.5430/jer.v3n1p17

Genotypic characterisation of human papillomavirus infections among persons living with <scp>HIV</scp> infection; a case–control study in Kumasi, Ghana

Open Access
2015Cervical Cancer and HPV ResearchDOI: 10.1111/tmi.12645

Variations in levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in type 2 diabetes mellitus between rural and urban Ashanti Region of Ghana

Open Access
2015Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic DiseasesDOI: 10.1186/s12902-015-0047-9

P12.12 Bacteria aetiology of sexually transmitted infections at sexually transmitted infection clinic in kumasi, ghana; use of multiplex real time polymerase chain reaction

Open Access
2015Reproductive tract infections researchDOI: 10.1136/sextrans-2015-052270.492

Isolation and characterization of soilborne virulent bacteriophages infecting the pathogen <i>Rhodococcus equi</i>

2013Bacteriophages and microbial interactionsDOI: 10.1111/jam.12194

Genome and proteome analysis of phage <scp>E</scp> 3 infecting the soil‐borne actinomycete <i> <scp>R</scp> hodococcus equi </i>

Open Access
2012Bacteriophages and microbial interactionsDOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.12028

Complete genome sequence analysis of Rhodococcus equi Phage E3 and Insight into R. equi Phage Diversity

Open Access
2011Infections and bacterial resistance

Cloning and analysis of two alanine racemase genes fromBacillus licheniformis

Open Access
2008Microbial Metabolic Engineering and BioproductionDOI: 10.1007/bf03175331

Gene cloning and characterization of a second alanine racemase from Bacillus subtilis encoded by yncD

Open Access
2008Enzyme Structure and FunctionDOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2008.01151.x
Academic Metrics
DepartmentDepartment of Biochemistry and Biotechnology
Total Publications35
Research Themes25
Open Access Papers30

Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

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