A Professor of Physics and Materials Science at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) has expressed worry over the lack of African scientists in the field of DNA nanotechnology.
DNA nanotechnology is one of the fields that has evolved over the years which involves the use of DNA, the molecule that stores and transmits genetic information in biological systems.
The field of DNA nanotechnology takes this molecule out of its biological context and uses its information to assemble structural motifs and then connect them together.
As a scientist who has been conducting his research in this field, Professor George Amoako says it has been difficult for him to find a collaborator in Ghana and Africa since he started working in this field.
“Since I returned from China [where he pursued a doctorate programme in Materials Science at Jiangsu University, Zhengjiang] in 2014, I have searched and searched to find someone working in the field in Ghana to collaborate with. As I speak, I’m yet to find one researcher in Africa,” he stressed.
He shared this at his professorial inaugural lecture held at UCC on the topic, “DNA Origami: A Template for Patterning Nanostructures.”
Apart from the challenge of finding a collaborator, Professor Amoako also noted how the absence of high-resolution equipment makes his work more challenging.
According to him, some publications started in Ghana had to be completed in China.
“Anytime we do the theoretical work it has to be translated practically in China because of lack of high-resolution equipment,” he continued.
Professor Amoako believes that for cutting-edge technologies to be achievable, universities and the government need to establish research centres with the requisite equipment.
He would want to also see more scientists in the field of DNA nanotechnology soon.
Professor George Amoako was promoted to the rank of Professor of Physics and Materials Science on August 1, 2023.
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Source: Rosemond Asmah/ATLFMNEWS
