Dr. Kofi Donkor is the Deputy Executive Director at the Centre for Plant Medicine Research (CPMR), Mampong-Akuapem, Ghana, where he also serves as Head of the Coordinating Office for Research and Innovation (CORI). He attended the Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School (PRESEC), Legon, and holds a PhD in Pharmacology from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Ghana. Since joining CPMR in 2005, Dr. Donkor has played a leading role in the research, development, and commercialization of herbal medicines for conditions including COVID-19, malaria, hypertension, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Before moving to head CORI, he served as the head of the Scientific Information Department of the CPMR for seven years, where he led a team of dynamic data and computer scientists in digitalizing and transforming the electronic operations of the CPMR.
His work spans product innovation, technology transfer, intellectual property for indigenous knowledge, and the strengthening of quality and regulatory systems for traditional medicine, supported by competitive grants from organizations such as the COVID-19 National Trust Fund, Seeding Labs, GIZ, the Ghana Skills Development Fund, and international partners including WHO, UNOPS, and Wellcome/IBRO. He has coordinated multiple national and international training programs on herbal medicinal products, good manufacturing practices, and advanced instrumental analysis, and has contributed to building research and laboratory capacity in Ghana and beyond.
Dr. Donkor has authored and co-authored peer-reviewed publications on the safety, efficacy, and pharmacology of medicinal plants, and has presented his work at numerous international conferences. He is regularly invited as a speaker and panellist at global forums on traditional medicine, including WHO traditional medicine summits and regional scientific meetings. He is a member of the West African Network of Natural Products Research Scientists (WANNPRES) and the Ghana Science Association (GSA), and is actively involved in postgraduate training, thesis examination, and supervision across African and international institutions.