Profile of Professor Isaac Williams Ofosu
Professor Isaac Williams Ofosu obtained his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Food Science and Technology in 2018 at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He received his Master of Science degree in Food Science and Technology in 2001 after a previous bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry (1993), here at KNUST. He applied and gained lectureship in October 2002. He earned his promotion to the rank of Senior Lecturer in 2010. The experiences he acquired since his last appointment prepared him for greater output over the years under review.
As a scholar, Prof. I.W. Ofosu has a strong background in food chemistry. However, his passion for food toxicology has successfully evolved into a knowledge base food systems chemistry, toxicology and risk studies. His research focus leads to such aspects in food toxicology as pesticide residues, mycotoxicology, and carcinogenic hazards such as acrylamide, dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorobenzenes in foods. Quite often, commodity products, including cocoa beans and vegetable fats, are studied. Currently, his research focus has expanded to include exposures and health concerns of heavy toxic metals, including radionuclides in foods and their mitigations. Prof. Ofosu has published over twenty (20) refereed papers in international journals resulting from his research activities. Some of these international journals include the Scientific African, Journal of Heavy Metal Toxicity and Diseases, Food Quality and Safety, Journal of Toxicology and Risk Assessment, American Journal of Food Science and Technology, Food Control, International Journal of Food Contamination, and Journal of Food Security. He has also made many presentations at Ghana Science Association Research Conferences and Seminars and also at some international fora.
Prof. Ofosu has also successfully supervised several postgraduate projects and undergraduate students over the period under review, including PhD candidates at various stages of their studies. He has made immense contributions in terms of professionally related commitments as well. Among these include his role as a lead collaborator in Radiation Technology Center at GAEC, Kwabenya, Accra. He also partners with Sahel Grains, Techiman as a toxicology expert. On editorial services, he serves on international journals as an editorial board member and a reviewer.
Prof. Ofosu is also passionate about curriculum development and led a team to develop the Masters in Food Quality Management program, which has been running on the distance learning platform since 2012. He is currently serving as an external examiner of the Department of Laboratory Technology, University Cape Coast. He has also served as a reviewer of research articles for the staff promotion of other Universities. Prof. Ofosu has participated on several grant writing teams, some of which include; “Africa Union Research Grants, 2018” ($1,000,000) and “Strengthening Higher Agricultural Education in Africa, 2018 (SHAEA)” ($27,000,000). He is currently collaborating with the Ghana Standard Authority to establish a National Food Toxicovigilance Database. He is also a facilitator of Global Nutrition-Sensitive Food Systems course together with a team from the Department of Food Science, University of Maryland-College Park, USA. He is a co-investigator of the Nestle SAA project, “Leguminous Seeds as an Alternative for Innovative Food Solutions”. Prof. I.W. Ofosu has been promoted to the rank of an an Associate Professor of food systems chemistry, toxicology and risk (effective August 2019), and is currently serving as the head of the department of Food Science and Technology.
Congratulations to Professor Ofosu!
