Akologo, Rita Nyaaba

Senior Research Assistant, Centre for Research in Applied Biology (CeRAB), University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Ghana
MPhil Candidate in Microbiology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)

Miss Rita Nyaaba Akologo is a Senior Research Assistant at the Centre for Research in Applied Biology (CeRAB), University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), and an MPhil Microbiology candidate at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). As an early-career researcher, her research focuses on the development of biomarkers for the early detection of preventable and re-emerging diseases. She has led and supported cervical cancer and female genital schistosomiasis screening projects in underserved communities, with a deep understanding of the contextual challenges influencing screening uptake across sub-Saharan Africa.

As a Social Media Ambassador for the International Papillomavirus Society (IPVS), Rita is passionate about health advocacy and community engagement. She actively promotes awareness of HPV-related research and innovations in Ghana, throughout Africa, and globally. Her current efforts are centered on supporting the rollout of HPV-based cervical cancer screening programs and driving the rapid dissemination of best practices to ensure broad adoption.

Her research initiatives are supported by the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH), where she is one of the 2024 early-career grant awardees.