Poku, Rosemary
Ph.D., MPhil, B. Pharm
Biography
Rosemary A. Poku is an Assistant Professor of Pharmacology in College of Medicine, CMU. She teaches pharmacology to first- and second-year medical students. She also co-directs the Reproduction and Human Development Course for first year medical students. She joined the College of Medicine in August 2017. She attained her PhD in Pharmaceutical sciences (Pharmacology and Toxicology) from Florida A&M University, Tallahassee Florida in 2016. She was a post-doctoral fellow at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. She earned her Bachelor of Pharmacy and MPhil in Natural Product Pharmacology Degrees from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, West Africa. She served as Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at Central University, Miotso, Ghana from 2008-2011 and practiced as a Community Pharmacist for more than 5 years. Her current research is focused on therapeutic targeting of aberrant monomeric G-proteins such as Rac-1, Cdc-42 and Rho A in melanoma using synthetic lethal screening approach. She mentors medical students and undergraduates in her laboratory.
More about Rosemary Poku
Publications & Presentations
Poku R, Amissah F, Alan JK (2023). PI3K Functions Downstream of Cdc42 to Drive Cancer phenotypes in a Melanoma Cell Line. Small GTPases.
Poku RA, Jones KJ, Van Baren M, Alan JK, Amissah F (2020). Diclofenac Enhances Docosahexaenoic Acid-Induced Apoptosis in Vitro in Lung Cancer Cells. Cancers.
Nkembo AT, Amissah F, Ntantie E, Poku RA, Salako OO, Ikpatt OF, Lamango NS (2019). Polyisoprenylated Cysteinyl Amide Inhibitors Deplete K-Ras and Induce Caspase-dependent Apoptosis in Lung Cancer Cells. Current cancer drug targets.
Poku RA, Salako OO, Amissah F, Nkembo AT, Ntantie E, Lamango NS (2017). Polyisoprenylated cysteinyl amide inhibitors induce caspase 3/7- and 8-mediated apoptosis and inhibit migration and invasion of metastatic prostate cancer cells. American journal of cancer research.
Ntantie E, Fletcher J, Amissah F, Salako OO, Nkembo AT, Poku RA, Ikpatt FO, Lamango NS (2017). Polyisoprenylated cysteinyl amide inhibitors disrupt actin cytoskeleton organization, induce cell rounding and block migration of non-small cell lung cancer. Oncotarget.
Nkembo AT, Ntantie E, Salako OO, Amissah F, Poku RA, Latinwo LM, Lamango NS (2016). The antiangiogenic effects of polyisoprenylated cysteinyl amide inhibitors in HUVEC, chick embryo and zebrafish is dependent on the polyisoprenyl moiety. Oncotarget.
Nkembo AT, Salako O, Poku RA, Amissah F, Ntantie E, Flores-Rozas H, Lamango NS (2016). Disruption of actin filaments and suppression of pancreatic cancer cell viability and migration following treatment with polyisoprenylated cysteinyl amides. American journal of cancer research.
Poku RA, Amissah F, Duverna R, Aguilar BJ, Kiros GE, Lamango NS (2014). Polyisoprenylated methylated protein methyl esterase as a putative drug target for androgen-insensitive prostate cancer. Ecancermedicalscience.
Aguilar BJ, Nkembo AT, Duverna R, Poku RA, Amissah F, Ablordeppey SY, Lamango NS (2014). Polyisoprenylated methylated protein methyl esterase: a putative biomarker and therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer. European journal of medicinal chemistry.
Amissah F, Duverna R, Aguilar BJ, Poku RA, Kiros GE, Lamango NS (2014). Polyisoprenylated methylated protein methyl esterase overexpression and hyperactivity promotes lung cancer progression. American journal of cancer research.
Amissah F, Duverna R, Aguilar BJ, Poku RA, Lamango NS (2013). Polyisoprenylated methylated protein methyl esterase is both sensitive to curcumin and overexpressed in colorectal cancer: implications for chemoprevention and treatment. BioMed research international.
Credentials, Certifications & Awards
Florida A&M University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Dr. Israel Tribble, Jr. Award - For demonstrating excellent academic knowledge and communication to enhance the African-American Community
D AND C MRIDHA SPIRIT OF TEACHING AWARD The purpose of the award is to honor those faculty members who combine outstanding accomplishments and effective teaching; recognize contributions of faculty members who strive to maintain and enhance the reputation of the college as an outstanding medical school; reward and honor faculty who inspire, stimulate, challenge and motivate their students.
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology - Graduate Travel Award to 2013 EB Conference (Boston, MA
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology - Graduate Travel Award to EB 2014 Conference (San Diego, CA)
Florida A&M University graduate Students Poster competition - 2nd Prize Award in Pharmaceutical Sciences
Florida A&M University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Student Excellence Award - In recognition of outstanding publication record as a graduate student
2nd Florida Prostate Cancer Research Symposium, Orlando fl. – 1st Place winner in poster presentation
Graduate Research Association of Students in Pharmacy (GSRAP) - 2nd place winner, Poster Presentation
Education
M. Pharm, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi
Baccalaureate, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi