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NAME: Phillips, Richard Odame
POSITION TITLE: Professor of Medicine
EDUCATION/TRAINING
INSTITUTION AND LOCATION | DEGREE
| Completion Date
| FIELD OF STUDY
|
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi Ghana (KNUST) | BSc. | 05/90 | Human Biology |
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi Ghana | MB. ChB | 12/93 | Medicine |
St George’s University of London, London UK | PhD | 08/05 | Infection and Immunity |
West African College of Physician, Ibadan | MWACP | 10/06 | Internal Medicine |
West African College of Physician, Ibadan | FWACP | 10/08 | Internal Medicine |
Ghana College of Physicians, Accra Ghana | FGCP | 12/13 | Internal Medicine |
My vision is to see highly improved management of skin NTDs with respect to its diagnostic confirmation and treatment. I developed interest in M. ulcerans disease in 1997 when together with colleagues we established an outreach program to detect early skin lesions, which could be excised in endemic villages. This was linked to an educational program, teaching villagers to recognize Buruli ulcer at this early stage. This highly successful project was published in 2003 and it became a model for management of early disease. As a Clinician, I have taken the lead in setting up a growing network of treatment centres for Buruli ulcer in endemic areas where young physician specialists work with village health workers to diagnose and manage M. ulcerans disease. I have provided oversight and encouraged suitable physician specialists to participate in clinic activities and to obtain training in research methods.
During my research training I developed a robust PCR for the IS2404 repeat sequence of M. ulcerans which is set up in Kumasi with technicians working under my supervision at the KCCR. I undertook to determine the sensitivity of PCR for diagnosis of M. ulcerans infection in samples obtained by punch biopsy of non-ulcerated lesions and subsequently tested it on less invasive FNA samples. This is now the standard method for diagnosis of non-ulcer lesions. I have contributed considerably to understanding the biodiversity of mycobacteria that affect patients presenting with skin ulcers as well the development of antibiotic treatment of Buruli ulcer. When WHO antibiotic guidelines were produced, I led one of the first observational studies with antibiotics showing the effectiveness of antibiotics and also demonstrating the recovery of the immune response during treatment. I was co-principal investigator on the WHO study investigating the benefit of full oral antibiotic regimen for treatment of Buruli ulcer which has just been closed. The results of this trial has changed policy in the care of Buruli ulcer patient. I currently coordinate diagnostic confirmation of tuberculosis at the KCCR in KNUST. Our initial data from the middle and norther sections of Ghana show that NTMs are emerging but unrecognised.
I am working with teams in Ghana to improve the management of Leprosy, Yaws and Buruli ulcer. Considering the lack of critical mass of research scientists particularly in the area of neglected and emerging infectious diseases, I am equally passionate about leaving behind a legacy of world class researchers that are able to address pressing research questions in Africa. Indeed the generation of local research, and the ability to innovate and to use research results are essential for good policy making and ultimately for better health outcomes.
Positions and Employment
1995-1997 | House Officer posts, Department of Surgery/Medicine/ Obstetrics and Gynaecology/Paediatrics, KATH, Kumasi |
1997-2002 | Senior Medical Officer, Department of Medicine, KATH, Kumasi |
2002-2005 | Research Fellow (Infectious Diseases), St George’s University of London, London |
2006- 2010 | Physician Specialist, KATH, Kumasi Ghana |
2007-2011 | Research Fellow, Department of Medicine, KNUST, Kumasi Ghana |
2008-2016 | Senior Specialist, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital(KATH), Kumasi Ghana |
2010-2016 | Senior Lecturer in Medicine KNUST, Kumasi Ghana |
2014- | Head, Infectious disease unit, Department of Medicine, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital |
2016- | Consultant in Infectious disease, Department of Medicine, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital |
2016- | Associate Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, KNUST, Kumasi Ghana |
2017- | Scientific Director, Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research (KCCR), KNUST, Kumasi |
2020- | Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, KNUST, Kumasi Ghana |
Other Experience and Professional Memberships
1993 – | Member, Ghana Medical Association |
2003 – | Member, British Infection Society |
2007 – | Member, Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for Buruli ulcer |
2009-2018 | Associate Editor for PLOS Neglected Tropical Disease |
2016 – | Member, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene |
2019 | Deputy Editor for PLOS Neglected Tropical Disease |
2020- | Vice Chair, Ghana NTD Intracountry Coordinating Committee (ICCC) |
Honors
2002 | Wellcome Trust Training Research Fellowship |
2005 | Best Doctor in Medicine award, KATH Kumasi |
2008 | Ghana-Tanzania-UK Royal society networking award |
2015 | WHO/ TDR, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases co- sponsored by UNICEF, UNDP, the World Bank and WHO Impact Award |
2016 – | Excellence Award Winner, Department of Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) |
2017 | Senior Fellowship Award, European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership |
Complete List of Published Work in My Bibliography: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1ro0zDdnElxAu/bibliography/public/
Ongoing Research Support
2023-2026 | Awarding body: DFG Role: Co PI Grant Code: JA 1479/14-1 Title: Non-tuberculous mycobacteria in pulmonary disease patients with presumptive tuberculosis from Ghana Amount: €360489 (€ 648625)
|
2022-2023 | Awarding body: BMBF (GIZ) Role: Co PI Grant Code: 81281778
Title: Global Health in the Time of COVID-19 – Disease Control Pilots in Ghana Amount: €88,435.90
|
2023-2026 | Awarding body: DFG Role: Co PI Grant Code: 461611374 or AOBJ:687959 Title: Microbiome and Resistome of Mycobacteriun ulcerans lesions Amount: €791571 (€ 995,881)
|
2021-2025 | Awarding body: UNIZAR Role: Co PI Grant Code: Title: Shortening Buruli Ulcer treatment: WHO recommended vs. A novel beta-lactam-containing therapy – Phase III evaluation in West Africa Amount: €135,215 (€1,810,033)
|
2021-2021 | Awarding body: WHO Role: PI Grant Code: 2021/1126815-0 Title: Proposal to train health workers and to implement case detection for skin ntds in Ghana Amount: GHS290,040
|
2021-2021 | Awarding body: AREF UK Role: Co PI Grant Code: C0857 Title: AREF Excell-2 RESEARCHER AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME Amount: €19,999.39 |
2020-2023 | Awarding body: Else Kroner Fresenius Stiftung Role: Co PI Grant Code: 2019_A150 Title: Diabetes in Ghana and Germany-Immune pathology of early versus late disease onset and influencing genetic and environmental factors Amount: €347,235.00 |
2020-2023 | Awarding body: European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) Role: Co PI Grant Code: CSA2019ERC- 2671 Title: Building and Enhancing Regulatory Capacity in Africa Amount: €281,038.75 |
2019-2023 | Awarding body: National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) UK Role: Co PI Title: Improving experiences of severe stigmatizing skin diseases in Ghana and Ethiopia Amount: £4,999,182.00 |
2017-2022 | Awarding body: European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) Role: PI Title: Evaluation of a nitric oxide generating dressing (EDX) to improve management of Buruli ulcer disease. Amount: €499,962.50 |
2018-2020 | Awarding body: ANESVAD Role: Co- PI Title: Laboratory support for the control and elimination of NTDs in Ghana (Buruli ulcer, leprosy, yaws) Amount: €132,812.00 |
2017-2021 | Awarding body: European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership Role: Co-Investigator Title: Pan-African Network for Rapid Research, Response, Relief and Preparedness for Infectious Diseases Epidemics (PANDORA-ID-NET) Amount: € 9,997,501.25 |
2017-2020 | Awarding body: Wellcome Trust Investigator Award to Rachel Simmonds, University of Surrey Role: Co-PI Title: Investigating the role of coagulation in the pathogenesis of Buruli ulcer” Amount: £71,200.00 |
2018-2021 | Awarding body: German Research Foundation (DFG) Role: Co-PI Title: Mansonella perstans effects on BCG vaccine-induced protection against childhood tuberculosis (TB) as well as TB disease severity and recovery in Ghana and Cameroon” Amount: €411,310.00 |
Completed Research Support
2014-2017 | Awarding body: German Research Foundation (DFG) Role: Co-PI Title: Co-infection of M. tuberculosis or M ulcerans with Mansonella perstans in Ghana, Benin and Cameroun Duration” Amount: €776,790.00 |
2017 | Awarding body: EDIXOMED small grants award Role: PI Title: Pilot study on a nitric oxide generating dressing (EDX) to improve management of Buruli ulcer disease Amount: £7,000.00 |
2016-2017 | Awarding body: WHO/ TDR, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases co-sponsored by UNICEF, UNDP, the World Bank and WHO Impact Award Role: PI Title: Training and field evaluation of new diagnostic tool for Buruli ulcer in Ghana Amount: $49,700.00 |
2012-2017 | Awarding Body: UK Medical Research Council (MRC) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) Role: Principal Investigator Title: Pathogenesis and management of M. ulcerans disease, Buruli ulcer Amount: £499,015.00 |
2014-2017 | Awarding body: German Research Foundation (DFG) Role: Co-Principal Investigator Title: Co-infection of M. tuberculosis or M ulcerans with Mansonella perstans in Ghana, Benin and Cameroun Amount: €404,000.00 |
2010-2017 | Awarding body: American Leprosy Mission through World Health Organisation Role: Co-Principal Investigator Title: “RCT comparing efficacy of 8 weeks treatment with clarithromycin and rifampicin versus streptomycin and rifampicin for buruli ulcer Ghana and Benin” Amount: $214,000.00 |
2013-2017 | Awarding body: Faculty Resources Grant, Loyola University Medical Center Role: Co-Principal Investigator Title: Chronic HCV infection and recovery among a cohort of HCV positive in Kumasi, Obuasi municipality and Daboya communities. Amount: $60,000.00 |
2010-2014 | Awarding body: Leverhulme-Royal Society Africa award Role: Co-Principal Investigator Title: HIV and Hepatitis B virus co-infection; Antiviral therapy and drug resistance; HIV genetic variability. £149,000.00 |
2010-2013 | Awarding body: EU FP7 Cooperation Collaborative Project Award Role: Co-Principal Investigator Title: Identification and development of vaccine candidates for Buruli Ulcer Disease Amount: €5,000,000.00 |
2008-2011 | Awarding body: European Foundations Initiative on Neglected Tropical Diseases (EFINTD) Role: Principal Investigator Title: Development of an oral regimen for treatment of (Mycobacterium ulcerans disease (Buruli ulcer). Amount: €90,000.00 |
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