Dr Thomford completed his undergraduate degree in Biochemistry at the University of Ghana. He completed a degree in Master of Philosophy in Medical Biochemistry at the University of Ghana. He worked at the University of Ghana Medical School, Tamale Teaching Hospital and University of Cape Coast School of Medical sciences, teaching. He completed his PhD under the supervision of Professor Collet Dandara in a project involving pharmacogenomics and was awarded a Faculty of Health Sciences and Harry Crossley Foundation (South Africa) research fellowship to conduct research into Latent reversal agents (LRAs) as potential activators of transcriptionally silent HIV. His research interests are in precision and genomic medicine focusing on pharmacogenomics of herb/drug-drug interactions and genomic basis for diseases in African populations and potential therapeutic targets towards personalized/precision medicine. He has published extensively in peer reviewed journals and has over 1000 citations. He reviews for reputable peer-review journals and has supervised postgraduate students (Hons and MSc). He also serves on the editorial boards of Scientific African Journal (Life Science), Frontiers in Medicine (translational medicine) and Systems Medicine. Dr Thomford is a National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF) Y-rated researcher and an Honorary Research Associate (HRA) of the Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology University of Cape Town (January 2020-December 2025). Dr Thomford is the Group Leader/Principal Investigator of the Pharmacogenomics and Genomic Medicine Group at the University of Cape Coast School of Medical Sciences. He is also a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Medical Biochemistry. Dr Thomford has a project tilted "Pharmacomicrobiomics in Malaria-HIV co-infection (MHC) treatment outcome: Finding causal therapeutic variation in Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) in a Ghanaian population" that is funded by theEuropean and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) (TMA2019CDF-2670 — PHARMABIOME.
Dr. Nicholas Ekow Thomford
Senior Lecturer - ( Senior Member ) Department of Medical BiochemistryDepartmental Registration & Exams Officer
Department of Medical BiochemistryCoordinator
Problem-Based Learning-
Facilitator
Contemporary Issues in Fisheries Management. Fisheries Leadership Short course for Practitioners funded by USAID/Fisheries Recovery Activity Ghana.
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Presenter
International and Regional Fisheries Institutional Frameworks and Bodies. Workshop on Destabilising Impacts of Distant Water Fishing Vessels (DWFV) in the Gulf of Guinea Yaounde, Cameroon.
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Guest Speaker
“Promoting Research Excellence for Impact on Marine Conservation in Africa”, Institute for Oceans and Fisheries Online Seminar Series University of British Columbia, Canada.
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Co-Facilitator
“Grants Proposal Writing Workshop” University for Development Studies.
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Presenter
“Performance of the Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience”, Country Round Table Workshop Association of African Universities (AAU), Online.
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Facilitator
“Regional Political Parties Dialogue on Fisheries: Protecting Our Fish, Securing Our Future, Live Engagement on JoyNews TV Centre for National Culture, Cape Coast.
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Presenter
Professorial Inaugural Lecture on the topic “Our Oceans: Securing Our Common Future through Transformative Research” Medical School Auditorium, University of Cape Coast.
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Presenter
Africa’s Plastic Revolution: Advancing Global Solutions for Healthy Oceans, T.D. Walter Bean Professorship Public Lecture University of Waterloo, Canada.
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Presenter
Expanding the Impact of Research on Africa’s Blue Economy. National Consultative Workshop for the Formulation of a National Blue Economy Strategy for Angola Luanda, Angola.
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Panelist
Regional Steering Committee Workshop for the World Bank West African Coastal Resilience Investment Projects (WACA ReSiP and ReiP2) Banjul, Gambia.
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Facilitator
Coastal Adaptation to Climate Change. Short-term Training Course funded by USAID Ghana.
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Co-Discussant
“Expanding the Impact of Blue Economy in Africa” (with Professor Rashid Sumaila) World Bank Headquarters, Washington.
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Facilitator
Workshop on “Winning Research and Development Grants in a Competitive World” Bolgatanga Technical University, Ghana.
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Facilitator
Workshop on “Proposal and Grants writing” University of Ghana, Ghana.
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Speaker
Study Tour on Sustainable Fisheries Management & Leadership University of Rhode Island, United States.
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Presenter
Vulnerability to Viability (V2V) Ghana Case Study. Bootcamp on moving fisheries from Vulnerability to Viability Puri, Delhi, India.
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Guest Speaker
Workshop Presentation on “Expanding the Impact of Research on Africa’s Blue Economy in Africa Hohai University, China.
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Participant
6th ACE Impact Regional Workshop of the World Bank and the Association of African Universities Accra (Online).
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Panelist
Seaweed (Sargassum) Invasion on the Ghanaian Coasts, Implications for the National Economy and Management Live TV Broadcast, GTV.
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Guest Speaker
“West African Fisheries”, Workshop by the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) University of Makerere, Kampala, Uganda.
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Grant
International Foundation of Science
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Bill and Melinda Gates Global travel Award
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
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TMA Career Development Fellowship/Grant
European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP)
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postgraduate publication incentive
University of Cape Town, Faculty of Health Sciences
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Faculty of Health Sciences Research Fellowship
University of Cape Town
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Faculty of Health Sciences Research Fellowship
University of Cape Town
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Editor
Scientific African Journal
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Review Editor
Frontiers in Medicine
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member
Southern African Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
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member
Southern Africa Society for Human Genetics
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member
African Society for Human Genetics
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Principal Investigator
Immunogenetics of HBV
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Principal Investigator
Pharmacomicrobiomics of Malaria-HIV co-infections
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Principal Investigator
Cardiogenetics
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Co-PI
Pre-eclampsia genetics
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Team member, Contract for services to deliver a short course on Marine Litter under the OCPP
Cefas/UKAID
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Panel Chair, Reviewed Environmental Impact Statement of PECAN Energies for Offshore Exploration of Oil & Gas
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Ghana, Secondi/Takoradi
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Team member, Contract for development of a short course on Marine Litter for the West Africa Region
Ocean Country Partnership Program (OCPP) funded by Cefas/UKAID
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Team member, Contract services to conduct data collection surveys on abandoned lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) in Ghana
Ocean Country Partnership Program (OCPP) funded by Cefas/UKAID
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Lead Consultant, Contract for the Development of Fishery Courses Syllabi for Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences (DoFAS), University of Liberia
IDA-V3100
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Panel Chair, Evaluation of Applications for recruitment of Environmental, Social Safeguards Officers for Ghana’s Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI)
World Bank funded West Africa Coastal Areas Management Programme
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Lead Consultant, Consultancy to review and align national fisheries and aquaculture polices and laws with the PFRS, regional instruments and global best practices for 15 AU Member States
African Union – InterAfrican Bureau of Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)
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Lead Consultant, Mechanisms to Facilitate the Domestication of Global Instruments and Initiatives (2022)
African Union – InterAfrican Bureau of Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)
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Lead Consultant, Identification of Issues for SIDS, Development of Draft Strategic Positions for SIDS
African Union – InterAfrican Bureau of Animal Resources (AU-IBAR)
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Team member, Environmental Systems Analysis of the Avu Lagoon Protected area
Calgary Zoo Foundation
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Trainer, Conduct Marine Spatial Planning Workshop in Ghana
University of Liverpool
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Team member, Pre-feasibility study for nature-based intervention for Anlo Beach community in Ghana
Valued at US$32,365.00
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Team member, Marine Plastic Pollution Study in Liberia
Conservation International
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Team member, Vulnerability, Adaptation and Resilience in a Changing Climate - WACA -VAR Workshop
World Bank
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Consultant, Support Development of Multi-sector Resilience Investment Programme for the West Africa Coastal Area Management Program
World Bank
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Consultant, Issues and Opportunities in the Ghanaian Fishery Sector: Addressing the context, prospects and challenges
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), United Kingdom
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Consultant, Estimations on renewable energy investments in Ghana
Highland Star Group (HSG) of Companies, Geneva, Switzerland
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Team Member, Regional Mapping of Experts and Institutions in Coastal management
World Bank
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Lead Consultant, Review of the Fisheries Act 2002 (act 625) and the Development of Draft Regulations for the conduct of Fisheries Impact Assessments
Ghana Industrial Trawlers Association (GITA) and GOGIG funded by DFID/UK
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Team member, Environmental baseline survey of water bodies in the Great Consolidated Diamond Ghana Limited (GCDGL) mining concession
AERC Ltd.
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Team member, Scoping Study on the Dredging of the Whin Estuary in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis
UCC Consultancy Unit/Consolidated Energy Ltd.
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Team member, Social Ecology of Anlo Beach Wetland of Ghana
Friends of the Nation/IUCN/French Global Environment Facility (GEF)
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Principal Investigator, Biodiversity Assessment of Urban Wetlands in the Western Region, Ghana with focus on Essei and Butuah Lagoons and the Whin River Estuary
USAID through Friends of the Nation