Who We Are

Overview

The KNUST-IVI Collaborative Centre, operating under the School of Public Health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), is a multidisciplinary research centre renowned for conducting complex, multi-site biomedical clinical trials, vaccine efficacy studies, disease surveillance programmes, and implementation science projects. Established through a strategic partnership between the KNUST and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), Korea, the Centre was officially commissioned on 5 July 2021. It reflects a longstanding collaboration between the two institutions in the field of vaccine development studies and infectious disease burden research. Under the visionary leadership of Professor Ellis Owusu-Dabo, the Centre has emerged as a beacon of scientific excellence, regulatory compliance, and impactful translational research. With a commitment to evidence-based science and policy influence, the Centre integrates strong quality assurance systems, continuous staff development, and interdisciplinary partnerships to advance Ghana’s public health agenda and contribute to global health innovation.

Our Location

The Centre is located at the Agogo Presbyterian Hospital (APH) in the Asante Akim North District of the Ashanti Region, Ghana. As the district’s main referral hospital, APH provides an ideal base for population-based research, clinical trials, and health systems support. The district, with a predominantly agrarian population of approximately 85,788 (2021 census), provides an important context for the Centre’s work in infectious disease surveillance and intervention.

Our Mission

To serve as a premier African hub for translational research, precision public health, and real-time disease surveillance-bridging science and society to inform health policy and drive sustainable health outcomes innovation.

Our Vision

To lead in the generation and translation of high-quality, ethically sound scientific evidence through integrated biomedical research, clinical trials, pharmacovigilance, epidemiological surveillance, and data science-informing public health interventions and strengthening health systems across sub-Saharan Africa.

Our Core values

Scientific Integrity & Ethics: We uphold the highest standards of scientific rigor and ethical responsibility. Every research activity adheres to Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), while ensuring full compliance with ethical guidelines and community engagement principles.

Operational Excellence: We ensure that every initiative is delivered with precision, transparency, and accountability through efficient project management, harmonized administrative systems, and strong internal governance guided by well-established Standard Operating Procedures.

Innovation & Data Stewardship: We promote the secure and accurate collection, management, and analysis of data. By embracing cutting-edge tools such asbioinformatics, geospatial technologies, we ensure our research remains at the forefront of innovation. Our approach to data is secure, systematic, and aligned with global data protection standards.

Collaboration for Impact: We believe in the power of partnerships. By working across disciplines, institutions, and borders, we co-create impactful solutions that respond directly to local and global health priorities.

Research Focus

The Centre specializes in research on infectious and non-communicable diseases, with emphasis on:
Clinical Vaccine development
Disease surveillance
Vaccination campaigns
Health economics and policy research
Pharmacovigilance and implementation science

Facilities

The Centre is well-equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure that supports end-to-end research and training needs, including;
A modern laboratory block
Teleconferencing and training room
Clinical consulting and resuscitation rooms
Cold chain and vaccine storage units
Secured data and archive rooms
Staff offices and pharmacy
Alternate electricity supply systems
24/7 internet connectivity

Surveillance Sites

Our active surveillance network spans several strategically located sites, enhancing our capacity to monitor, detect, and respond to disease trends in real time. These sites include:
Ananekrom Health Centre
Juansa Health Centre
Maternal and Child Health Hospital
Nyinamponase Health Centre
Tanoah Health Centre
Konongo Government Hospital
Agogo Presby Hospital
These sites support real-time disease monitoring and intervention strategies for the region.

Our Partners

We work in close partnership with institutions and agencies that share our vision for advancing public health. Key collaborators include:
School of Public Health, KNUST
International Vaccine Institute (IVI), Korea
Research Centre for Global Health, Kumasi
Ghana Health Service (GHS)
Agogo Presby Hospital
GHS -Asante Akim North District Health Directorate
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Imperial College London
University of Pennsylvania
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)

;

Purpose

The Centre is a research and training site established to implement ongoing and new collaborative projects, including disease surveillance, vaccine clinical development, vaccination campaigns, and vaccine effectiveness and health economics studies for infectious diseases prevalent to the region such as typhoid and invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella.

;

Staff Composition

Headed by Prof. Ellis Owusu-Dabo, the centre has over 110 staff from diverse research backgrounds, including physicians, medical practitioners, lab scientists, epidemiologists, biostatisticians, pharmacists, and administrative personnel.

Departments/Units

With a modular organizational structure, the Centre operates through six (6) main departments/units:

Administration

Responsible for facilitating project governance, resource allocation, and regulatory communications. Other activities include Contract Administration, Records and Documentations, General correspondences, Procurements, HR Management, Security, Transportation and Flights, etc. The department is headed by the Project Manager. Other staff includes the Assistant Project Manager, Project Administrators, Transport Supervisor, Drivers, Cleaners, Security Officers, Procurement Officer, and Logisticians/ Storekeeper.

Finance

The finance unit is responsible for handling all the financial transactions of the project group. This includes Financial Management, Salary payments, Payroll Administrations, etc. The team is headed by the College Accountant. Other staff includes Project Accountants, Account Staff and Research Assistants.

Data

The department is responsible for handling real-time electronic data capture (EDC), eCRF monitoring, and advanced biostatistical modeling. The Data unit headed by the Data Manager, the unit gather, stores and process all the data of participants enrolled unto the various projects. They also carry out routine census of the catchment areas where trials are being implemented. The team comprises of Data Manager, Assistant Data Managers, Data Staff, Data Entry Clerks and Research Assistants.

Clinical and Field

The department is responsible for conducting site readiness assessments and trainings, community-based engagements and recruitments, participant monitoring, adverse event (AE) tracking, and protocol compliance. They serve as the correspondents between project teams and all other stakeholders in the community within which trials are implemented. The team is headed by the Project Coordinators assisted by medical officers and field supervisors. The team comprises of Project Coordinators, Epidemiologists, Medical Officers, Clinical Trialists, Quality Control Officers, Field Supervisors, Field Staff, Community Health Workers and Research Assistants.

Pharmacy

The department is responsible for managing investigational product lifecycle, dosing protocols, cold chain logistics, and AE/safety signal reporting. The team is headed by a Pharmacovigilance Specialist assisted by a team of pharmacists.

Laboratory

Headed by the Laboratory Manager, the department is responsible for all the laboratory investigations made on participants enrolled into the various projects being implemented at the centre. Some investigations performed are Hematology – Complete Blood Counts, PT and ESR of participants, Chemistry – biochemical profile such as lipid profile, kidney and liver functioning tests, Microbiology – detect microbes, mainly bacteria from clinical samples such as blood, and Immunology – study immune responses to the various antigens, as well as administered vaccines. The department also facilitates the routine maintenance and servicing of all laboratory equipment and tools. Other staff include Clinical Microbiologists, Biochemists, Laboratory Scientists, Laboratory Assistants, Laboratory Technologist, Phlebotomists and Biomedical Scientists.