Profile
John A. Larbi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi. He holds a PhD degree in Biological Sciences with expertise in Parasitology and Immunology. He is a DAAD scholar having won a scholarship (Sandwich) from the German Academic Exchange Service to undertake his PhD at the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene/University of Hamburg in Germany and KNUST. He had his bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences as well as an MPhil Biological Sciences (Parasitology) degree at the KNUST.
He has several years of experience in teaching and research. His research interest focuses on infectious parasitic diseases of public health importance. He is particularly interested in epidemiology of parasitic infections in children and wildlife [notably, Soil transmitted helminths, filarial worms and other Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)], genetic diversity of zoonotic parasites, host-parasite interactions including immune and inflammatory responses, as well as parasite ecology. He also has an interest in water quality, vector-borne diseases, risk assessment and infection control. He has collaborated with both local and international researchers especially in postgraduate training of research students. Prior to becoming a lecturer he had worked at the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research (KCCR) on the filariasis projects as an Assistant researcher, then a research scientist, and then held the position of Head of Laboratories (acting; 2004-2006) at the KCCR; a state-of-the-art research facility in Kumasi.
Prof. J. A. Larbi has served on a number of committees and boards, and is currently the Vice Dean, Faculty of Biosciences, College of Science, KNUST. He has authored and co-authored many impactful scientific articles published in reputable journals.