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Draft:Yaw Bediako

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Yaw Bediako, PhD is a Ghanaian immunologist and co-founder and CEO[1] of Yemaachi Biotech, a biotech company based in Accra, Ghana building a cancer bio-database to incorporate African health data into R&D for cancer therapeutics.[1]

Bediako is a specialist in cellular and molecular immunology, with a focus on understanding immune function concerning both infectious and non-communicable diseases, such as cancer,[2] within African populations. He is credited with the development and implementation of the first national SARS-CoV-2 variant tracker on the continent, providing real-time visualization of viral variant distribution.[3][4]

Bediako has a PhD in Immunology from Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, and subsequently undertook post-doctoral fellowships at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Programme[5] in Kenya and at the Francis Crick Institute in London. He served on the faculty at the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) at the University of Ghana.[4]

In November 2021, Yaw was selected as a Calestous Juma Science Leadership[6] Fellow by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Yaw is also a fellow of the Ghana Young Academy and an Affiliate member of the African Academy of Sciences[7]. In January of 2023, he was selected as one of the 100 most influential Africans by the New African magazine.[8]

Early Life and Education

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Yaw grew up in Accra, Ghana.[9] He obtained his undergraduate degree at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, USA,[10] where he studied Biology/Biochemistry. After receiving his Ph.D. at Northwestern University, Bediako pursued a post-doctoral fellowship at the KEMRI – Wellcome Trust Research Programme in Kilifi, Kenya. He then focused on Malaria Immunology, before shifting his focus to cancer immunology.

Research Career

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After completing his PhD, Yaw worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the KEMRI-Wellcome[5] Trust Research Programme (Kilifi, Kenya) from 2013-2015.He then took up a second post-doctoral fellowship at the Francis Crick Institute (London, UK) where he worked from 2015-2019.[11] In 2019 Yaw took up a faculty position at the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens- University of Ghana.[12] In 2020, Yaw co-founded Yemaachi Biotech[13] and has served as Chief Executive Officer since then.[1]

Awards and Honours

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  • Top 100 Most Influential Africans – New Africa Magazine,2022[8]
  • Ghana top 40 under 40 award – Science, Technology, and Innovation, 2022[14]
  • Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellowship, 2021-2026[6]
  • Crick African Network- Career Accelerator Award, 2019-2021[15]

Publications

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  • Repeated clinical malaria episodes are associated with modification of the immune system in children. Y Bediako, R Adams, AJ Reid, JJ Valletta, FM Ndungu- BMC medicine, 2019 - Springer[16]
  • Recommendations for empowering early career researchers to improve research culture and practice, A Antonietti, JM Azam, H Ballhausen, Y Bediako - PLoS, 2022 - journals.plos.org[17]
  • Genomic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 reveals local viral evolution in Ghana. E Obodai, ID Otchere, Y Bediako - Experimental , 2021 - journals.sagepub.com[18]
  • Radiologic patterns of distant organ metastasis in advanced breast cancer patients: Prospective review of computed tomography images. AK Offei, D Hutchful, J Ngoi, Y Bediako - Cancer, 2024 - Wiley Online Library[19]
  • Cellular immune response to SARS-CoV-2 and clinical presentation in individuals exposed to endemic malaria. Y Aniweh, GA Awandare, PK Quashie, Y Bediako - Cell Reports, 2024 - cell.com[20]

References

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  1. ^ a b c AGBETILOYE, ADEKUNLE (7 March 2024). "Ghana's Yemaachi Biotech and global team SAMBAI secures $25 million Cancer Grand Challenges award".
  2. ^ Hove, Mike (25 May 2022). "Ghana Startup Vows to Change Global Cancer Research".
  3. ^ "Investigating the Immune Kinetics of COVID-19 Vaccine Responses Between European and African Populations". gcgh.grandchallenges.org. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  4. ^ a b "Covid-19: As many as 1.2 million may have been affected in Accra – Dr. Yaw Bediako (2-11-20)". November 2, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Yaw BEDIAKO". ICGEB. 2022-05-01. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  6. ^ a b "Yaw Bediako". gcgh.grandchallenges.org. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  7. ^ "Ghanaian Yaw Bediako fights cancer with technology". 19 April 2022.
  8. ^ a b "100 Most Influential Africans". newafricanmagazine.com. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  9. ^ "The Ghanaian researcher who came home". Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  10. ^ "Yaw Bediako". gcgh.grandchallenges.org. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  11. ^ "African Academy of Sciences welcomes Crick African Network fellows". Crick. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  12. ^ Admin, WACCBIP. "Yaw Bediako - West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens". www.waccbip.org. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  13. ^ "Quest for Research Freedom Fuels African Biotech Boom". 1 June 2021.
  14. ^ "Under 40 young entrepreneurs, business leaders recognised". 4 October 2022.
  15. ^ "African Academy of Sciences welcomes Crick African Network fellows". Crick. 2024-07-09. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
  16. ^ Bediako, Yaw; Adams, Rhys; Reid, Adam J.; Valletta, John Joseph; Ndungu, Francis M.; Sodenkamp, Jan; Mwacharo, Jedidah; Ngoi, Joyce Mwongeli; Kimani, Domtila; Kai, Oscar; Wambua, Juliana; Nyangweso, George; de Villiers, Etienne P.; Sanders, Mandy; Lotkowska, Magda Ewa (2019-03-13). "Repeated clinical malaria episodes are associated with modification of the immune system in children". BMC Medicine. 17 (1): 60. doi:10.1186/s12916-019-1292-y. ISSN 1741-7015. PMC 6415347. PMID 30862316.
  17. ^ Kent, Brianne A.; Holman, Constance; Amoako, Emmanuella; Antonietti, Alberto; Azam, James M.; Ballhausen, Hanne; Bediako, Yaw; Belasen, Anat M.; Carneiro, Clarissa F. D.; Chen, Yen-Chung; Compeer, Ewoud B.; Connor, Chelsea A. C.; Crüwell, Sophia; Debat, Humberto; Dorris, Emma (2022-07-07). "Recommendations for empowering early career researchers to improve research culture and practice". PLOS Biology. 20 (7): e3001680. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.3001680. ISSN 1545-7885. PMC 9295962. PMID 35797414.
  18. ^ Ngoi, Joyce M; Quashie, Peter K; Morang'a, Collins M; Bonney, Joseph HK; Amuzu, Dominic SY; Kumordjie, Selassie; Asante, Ivy A; Bonney, Evelyn Y; Eshun, Miriam; Boatemaa, Linda; Magnusen, Vanessa; Kotey, Erasmus N; Ndam, Nicaise T; Tei-Maya, Frederick; Arjarquah, Augustina K (16 December 2020). "Genomic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 reveals local viral evolution in Ghana". Experimental Biology and Medicine. 246 (8): 960–970. doi:10.1177/1535370220975351. ISSN 1535-3702. PMC 7746953. PMID 33325750.
  19. ^ Jimah, Bashiru Babatunde; Amoako, Emmanuella; Ofori, Emmanuel Owusu; Akakpo, Patrick Kafui; Aniakwo, Luke Adagrah; Ulzen-Appiah, Kofi; Imbeah, Emmanuel Gustav; Morna, Martin Tangnaa; Koggoh, Patience; Akligoh, Harry; Tackie, Randy; Manu, Aida; Paemka, Lily; Sarkodie, Benjamin Dabo; Offei, Asare Kweku (13 February 2024). "Radiologic patterns of distant organ metastasis in advanced breast cancer patients: Prospective review of computed tomography images". Cancer Reports. 7 (2): e1988. doi:10.1002/cnr2.1988. ISSN 2573-8348. PMC 10864737. PMID 38351553.
  20. ^ Tapela, K.; Prah, D. A.; Tetteh, B.; Nuokpem, F.; Dosoo, D.; Coker, A.; Kumi-Ansah, F.; Amoako, E.; Assah, K. O.; Kilba, C.; Nyakoe, N.; Quansah, D.; Languon, S.; Anyigba, C. A.; Ansah, F.; Agyeman, S.; Owusu, I. A.; Schneider, K.; Ampofo, W. K.; Mutungi, J. K.; Amegatcher, G.; Aniweh, Y.; Awandare, G. A.; Quashie, P. K.; Bediako, Y. (24 July 2024). "Cellular immune response to SARS-CoV-2 and clinical presentation in individuals exposed to endemic malaria". 50 Cell Reports. 43 (8). doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114533. PMC 11372439. PMID 39052480.
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