Prof. Martins Ekor

About

Prof. Martins Ekor obtained Bachelor and Master degrees in Pharmacology from the University of Lagos and PhD in Toxicology from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Currently, he is a member of faculty in the Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape Coast. His main research interests include medicinal plant/natural product pharmacology, drug discovery and toxicology. He has vast experience in evaluating cellular mechanisms of drug action and toxicity and in research involving biochemical and immunological alterations associated with exposure to xenobiotics and identification of useful biomarkers for monitoring health and safety. Prof. Ekor is the immediate past Head of Department of Pharmacology. He continues to serve the University on various committees and boards, and through active contribution to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, demonstration of scholarship through engagement in high quality research, publication and international collaborations to enhance visibility of the University. He has over sixty peer-reviewed scholarly publication in reputable journals to his credit. Prof. Ekor is a member of several prestigious local and international learned bodies including Society of Toxicology, West African Society for Pharmacology, and Convention of Biomedical Research Ghana. He offers professional services as a reviewer to several reputable journals like the European Journal of Pharmacology, Drug Research, Human and Experimental Toxicology, Toxicology and Industrial Health, to mention a few.

Focus & expertise

Specializations

Biochemical Toxicology and Natural Product Pharmacology

Academic interests · number = colleagues who share it

Pharmacology and Toxicology

Background

★ Career & positions

Head of Department

Department of Pharmacology

until Sep, 2020

Provost

College of Health and Allied Sciences

Jul, 2021 to Jul, 2026

Teaching & projects

The fundamental goal of teaching is to foster learning and active learning fosters critical thinking. My philosophy of teaching, therefore, is predicated on the firm belief that the student who has truly learned is one that is capable of critical thinking and able to apply knowledge acquired in the classroom to improve delivery of healthcare or advance the course of science. I believe learning has taken place when students are capable of thinking outside the box and not just committed to preserving the status quo without improving on existing knowledge. Therefore, imparting good understanding of the science of medicine is fundamental to producing quality health professionals. In teaching, I make conscious effort to encourage critical thinking by helping students to understand and appreciate the scientific basis of therapeutics. As much as possible, I discourage the act of learning pharmacology by rote. Rather, I help students to derive drug actions from first principles by helping them to appreciate how the drugs modulate normal physiological and biochemical processes or modify pathological states. My attitude over the years has been to stimulate students’ interest in learning and make the subject of pharmacology as simple and easy to comprehend as possible in a lively and very interactive atmosphere which encourage students’ participation.

Teaching philosophy