Professor Samuel Kojo Kwofie has officially assumed office as Director of the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) at the University of Ghana, effective August 1, 2025. His appointment as Director, coincides with his promotion to full Professor of Biomedical Engineering, recognizing his distinguished academic contributions and transformative leadership in applied science, technology, and innovation.

Prior to this role, Prof. Kwofie served as Head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the School of Engineering Sciences. His transition to IAST is widely seen as a strategic move to strengthen the Institute’s role in translating scientific research into practical sustainable solutions that support Ghana’s socio-economic development.

Prof. Kwofie is widely respected for his pioneering work in artificial intelligence, bioinformatics and computational bioengineering for novel drug discovery and diagnostics, areas in which he has developed innovative tools and technologies that are addressing critical health challenges. Among his innovations are TubPred, EBOLApred and AICpred, which are AI-based applications that support the identification of potential drugs for cancers, Ebola virus disease and inflammations, respectively. He developed BuDb, the first ever drug discovery database for Buruli ulcer. He and his collaborators have a pending US patent for the use of mycolactone (mln) and derivatives thereof for the treatment of microbial infections.

He is a founding board member of the Convention of Biomedical Research Ghana, and Ethics Committee for Basic and Applied Sciences at the University of Ghana. Also, a former Vice President of the University Teachers’ Association of Ghana, University of Ghana Branch.

Prof. Kwofie is a Life Member at Wolfson College and was a CAPREx Research Fellow at the Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge. He was an Affiliate Assistant Professor at the Loyola University Medical Center, Chicago, USA. Also, a Distinguished Visiting International Lecturer at Coastal Carolina University, USA, and currently serves on the Board of the Engineering Program.

Prof. Samuel K. Kwofie and Mr. Charles Kwamena Ackom (CEO of Mangel Kicks

He attended the Ghana Secondary Technical School, Takoradi and thereafter earned Bachelor of Science (Honors) in Biochemistry from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi. His academic excellence earned him the prestigious Carnegie Corporation of New York Scholarship for a Masters in Structural Biology jointly awarded by the University of Cape Town and University of the Western Cape. He earned a PhD in Bioinformatics at the South African National Bioinformatics Institute, awarded by University of the Western Cape.

Prof. Kwofie successfully completed an intensive course in public relations, advertising and marketing from the Ghana Institute of Journalism. He previously worked with Kinapharma Limited, a local pharmaceutical manufacturing company as a Marketing and Research Manager.

He has been at the forefront of student internship, industry partnerships and potential commercialisation of translatable research output. Beyond research, Prof. Kwofie is a passionate advocate for STEM education, especially among girls and students from underserved communities. He is also a prominent voice in raising awareness about Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) through public forums and policy dialogues.

A Bold Vision for IAST

As Director of IAST, Prof. Kwofie brings a strategic and future-oriented vision aimed at strengthening the Institute’s role in solving pressing national and global challenges through applied science and innovation. A central pillar of his leadership is the promotion of interdisciplinary collaboration; bringing together diverse academic fields to develop practical, research-driven solutions to address the sustainable development goals.

He is equally committed to commercializing academic research, ensuring that breakthroughs in science and technology are transformed into scalable solutions with real-world impact across sectors such as health, agriculture, education, climate and environmental sustainability.
Recognizing the importance of public engagement, Prof. Kwofie has also placed emphasis on enhancing the visibility and influence of IAST through deliberate communication, branding, digital outreach, and storytelling. He aims to ensure that the Institute’s contributions are not only recognized but also drive broader change.

A team from the University of Ghana and Mangel Kicks during Prof. Kwofie's send off

Another key component of his vision is policy influence. Prof. Kwofie is determined to reposition IAST as a foremost source of expert knowledge that informs both national and regional policymaking processes. By contributing to public discourse and engaging with stakeholders, the Institute will play a more active role in shaping development strategies. To support this, he is working to build robust cross-sector partnerships with industry, government agencies, and civil society organizations to expand the Institute’s reach, relevance, and resource base.

In an interview, Prof. Kwofie emphasized the need for IAST to go beyond academic excellence. “IAST must not only be a centre of excellence; it must be seen, heard, and felt by industry across Ghana and beyond. We will strategically position the Institute to influence the national innovation agenda. Based on my transdisciplinary background, I am poised to provide transformative leadership to IAST.

Throughout my career, my focus has been promoting industry-academia partnerships, and how this nexus will leverage the findings of research into translatable solutions and products” he noted.

About the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST)

IAST is primarily a multidisciplinary Institute drawing upon expertise and resources from the entire university to spearhead industry-driven knowledge, technology and innovation transfer. The Institute as a place of excellence play a major role in sustainable and resilient academia-industry collaborative solutions for commercialisation and market uptake.

IAST is a hub that leverages local and foreign funding to provide entrepreneurial support and identify commercially viable projects with industry applications. IAST’s works spans critical sectors such as on food processing, agribusiness, material technology, infrastructure development, water and sanitation, energy solutions and climate change mitigation. The Institute also pioneers innovations in natural resource management and sustainable exploitation, health and traditional medicine development and manufacture, artificial intelligence, engineering, humanities, education and business. At the core of IAST’s mission is a commitment to commercialization-ready projects, ensuring research outcomes translate into marketable products and services.

The Institute prioritizes industry-led R&D, working hand-in-hand with businesses to solve pressing challenges while fostering innovation through tech labs and start-up incubators that nurture entrepreneurship.
Leveraging data science, digitization, and AI, IAST develops smart, scalable solutions that drive efficiency and competitiveness. Through global networking and grantsmanship for wealth creation, the institute secures international partnerships and funding to amplify its impact, while industry-centric exhibitions and trade fairs provide a platform to showcase breakthroughs and forge strategic alliances.

Knowledge exchange is further strengthened through guest lectures, conferences, and workshops, connecting academia, industry, and policymakers. To cultivate talent, IAST offers industry immersion programs, giving students and researchers hands-on experience in real-world settings. The Institute also engages in curricular co-creation, aligning academic programs with evolving market needs, and facilitates company-sponsored capstone projects, where businesses and researchers collaborate on high-impact problem-solving initiatives.