My name is Priscilla Kolibea Mante, a pharmacist, neuropharmacologist and senior lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. In addition to my training in Pharmacy, I have a Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmacology. My research interests are in drug development for neurological conditions with great emphasis on epilepsy. I also work in epilepsy genetics. I choose to work in science because I believe science is a tool for the benefit of humanity.
After my Pharmacy degree, I met my first mentor at the University who is a neuropharmacologist also. He had very noble dreams of developing cures for many medical conditions affecting the brain. After realising that my aspirations aligned with these goals, I opted to do my Ph.D. in Neuropharmacology under his supervision. Through my Ph.D. research, I developed the skills in sourcing and testing of new compounds with medicinal properties from nature, in the quest to find new agents that have the potential to be more effective than the current medicines that we have on the market. I am specifically interested in epilepsy because it has no known cure. I want to provide hope for the millions of people living with the condition that they will one day be free of it.
However, neuropharmacology research can be very challenging. Progress towards significant results is often slow and even slower in the development of new therapeutic agents. The slow pace of progress may be largely due to the complex nature of brain disorders. However, working in this area has been rewarding for me. Working as a researcher in this field means you get to investigate very interesting questions and add on to the already existing knowledge – This eventually gets us closer and closer to the solutions we need for our patients.
Why traditional medicine? In Africa, traditional medicine is widely used as it is highly accessible. There are beliefs that traditional medicine is safer due to its natural source. Traditional medical practice nonetheless is not entirely based on scientific principles. This is therefore one of the quests for researchers like me – to work to standardize these herbal medicines and make them safer to use in routine therapy. A lot of the medicines we currently use have their origins in nature. Nature has the richest source of active substances and hence can bring us the potential cures we currently lack. During my time as a researcher, I have worked on several medicinal plants from Africa that hold great promise for conditions such as epilepsy, pain, anxiety and depression. These herbal medicines nevertheless could benefit from additional rigorous testing prior to use.
A neuropharmacology qualification can lead to a fulfilling career. Depending on your training and interests, neuropharmacology can be applied in a variety of roles. Examples include academic or clinical research, design and conduct of clinical trials, drug or chemical assessment in regulatory bodies (food, drugs, environmental) or even in industry. Specialising in neuropharmacology may require a lot of work but it is a very active field of research with major public health implications and promise of a rewarding career.
It is a world of endless possibilities. Step up to following your passion! Career takes time and you should be willing to pay the price to meet the balance.
Dr. Priscilla Kolibea Mante, PhD
Pharmacist & Neuropharmacologist