Dr. Kwadwo Owusu Akuffo wins BCGE Flexible Travel Funds
Dr. Kwadwo Owusu Akuffo, a Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Optometry and Visual Science at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has completed a research visit (12th to 27th November 2022) to the Charité Universitätsmedizin in Berlin, Germany. The Charité Universitätsmedizin is one of the largest university hospitals in Europe and is renowned for its research and innovation in medicine. He worked with Professor Hanna Zimmermann at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Experimental and Clinical Research Center.
The visit was part of a project titled "Research collaboration to bridge the Evidence Gap in Ophthalmic Research in Ghana," which was awarded a grant of €3798 from the Berlin Center for Global Engagement (BCGE) Flexible Travel Fund. The project aimed to build competency in ophthalmic imaging, develop skills in analyzing large epidemiological datasets, acquire practical experiences in the protocols for retinal image analyses in relation to eye disease, and access mentorship in ophthalmic research. The BCGE at the Berlin University Alliance (BUA), consisting of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin along with Charité Universitätsmedizin, is a platform for projects in the fields of research on, from, and with the "Global South," science diplomacy, and academic freedom. BCGE offers international short-term travel grants for up to four-week stays at the Berlin University Alliance to foster collaborative projects and research cooperation. Dr. Akuffo expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to work with Professor Zimmermann and the support of the BCGE.