Dr Kwadwo Owusu Akuffo

Dr Kwadwo Owusu Akuffo is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Optometry and Visual Science at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana. Currently, he is a visiting fellow working with Professor Naomi Allen at the Clinical Trial Service Unit and Epidemiological Studies Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health at the University of Oxford. Dr Kwadwo and Professor Naomi’s collaboration is part of the Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx) Visiting Fellowship programme.

Dr Akuffo’s research interests include ocular nutrition, ophthalmic epidemiology, low vision, and environmental vision. With a PhD in Vision Science from Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland, his work has earned him numerous awards, including the George Britton Early Investigator of the Year Award at the Brain and Ocular Nutrition Conference. He has co-led multiple international research projects, such as the Low Vision Project in Ghana, funded by the Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation. Dr Akuffo has authored over 40 publications and serves as an Associate Editor for BMC Ophthalmology, demonstrating his commitment to advancing eye health.

During his fellowship at Oxford, Dr Akuffo will focus on his project titled “Socioeconomic Status and Eye Disease: An Analysis Using UK Biobank Data.” This study seeks to explore how socioeconomic factors influence eye diseases like cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy, particularly in relation to genetic predispositions. His research aims to provide evidence that could inform policies addressing health disparities, ultimately improving eye health outcomes for vulnerable communities in Ghana and beyond.