Mercy Badu

Chemistry

About

Dr. Mercy Badu is a Natural Products Chemist, whose research seeks to promote indigenous underutilized oilseeds and nuts to address food security challenges in Ghana.Mercy Badu applies novel approaches to identify and characterize the chemical functionality of extracts from different parts of plants, establish their macronutrients, micronutrients, anti-nutritional factors and medicinal properties. This is to address malnutrition and promote good health in line with the Sustainable Development Goals 2 and 3.(To end to hunger through achieving food security, reducing malnutrition and sustainable agriculture to promote good health and well-being by the year 2030).Dr. Mercy Badu has won a number of international awards and fellowships including the Africa Academy of Science - Climate Impact Research and Capacity Leadership Enhancement (AAS-CIRCLE) post-doctoral fellowship (2017) and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) Individual Research Grant (2017 - 2019), the International Foundation for Science (IFS) grant (2018 – 2021), the Leading Integrated Research for Agenda (LIRA) 2030 Africa research grant (2019 – 2021), the Organization for Women in Science in the Developing World (OWSD) Early Career Fellowship award (2019 – 2021) and currently the Cambridge Africa Alborada research grant.In addition to her teaching and research career, Mercy has also been working with a number of organizations to mentor young women pursuing careers in the field of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Such organizations include African Research Academies for Women Ghana (ARAW-G), Campaign for Female Education (Camfed) programme, the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) Internship and Mentoring programme. Mercy has also worked together with three other women scientist to establish the Women in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (WiSTEM) initiative based at KNUST. The aim of the WiSTEM initiative is to inspire and sustain the younger generation in pursuing STEM field careers. WiSTEM works in collaboration with the Vice Chancellor’s Office, KNUST to organize mentoring and Leadership coaching programmes in Ghana.Mercy has mentored and supervised over 100 undergraduate students, who graduated with first class and/or second-class upper division. Additionally, she has mentored and supervised 10 Master of Science and Master of Philosophy students who have completed their programmes and are gainfully employed. Moreover, she has mentored and supervised 2 PhD with 5 postgraduate students currently in her lab at different levels of their studies. Mercy is a member- Ghana Science Association, Ghana Chemical Society, fellow- Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World and fellow- L’Oreal for Women in Science.

Research Summary

(inferred from publications by AI)

The researcher's work spans a wide range of disciplines, including plant and animal biochemistry, environmental science, food safety, and technological innovation. Their research focuses on advancing understanding in these areas through studies across diverse domains such as fruit research, seed biology, ecological diversity, and sustainable practices. Key themes include the adaptability of plants in different environments, the role of fruits like sesamum and moringa in culinary applications, the enhancement of food safety, and the use of advanced technologies for energy solutions. Their work also delves into broader issues in water quality and pollution assessment, contributing to the development of sustainable agricultural practices that improve food safety while enhancing ecological diversity.

Research Themes

All Papers

Nutritional composition and antioxidant properties of three varieties of carrot (Daucus carota)(2021)

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of “Limolanii” grass and perceptions of locals on its survival in the era of changing climate(2022)

Microbial Load and Chemical Composition of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) During Market Storage(2025)

Assessment of the Quality of Water from Hand-Dug Wells in Ghana(2010)

Effects of Lignocellulosic in Wood Used as Substrate on the Quality and Yield of Mushrooms(2011)

Phytochemical screening, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of assorted Carica papaya leaves in Ghana(2016)

Optimization of extraction conditions for polyphenols from the stem bark of Funtumia elastica (Funtum) utilizing response surface methodology(2021)

In-vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial and phytochemical properties of extracts from the pulp and seeds of the African baobab fruit (Adansonia digitata L.)(2024)

Phenolic Content, Antioxidant Properties and Antimicrobial Activities of the Extracts from Funtumia africana and Funtumia elastica(2021)

Investigating the nutritional, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of Tamarindus indica linn seed and pulp(2025)

Proximate Composition, In vitro Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Properties of Adansonia digitata and Belanites aegyptiaca Seeds(2021)

In-Vitro Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties of Solvent Extracts of the Fruit Pulp and Seeds of the African Baobab Plant (Adansonia Digitata L.)(2023)

African locust bean (Parkia biglobosa) seed coat: A source of phenolic compounds(2023)

In Vivo Anti-Inflammatory Activity, Acute Toxicity Profiling, and Sub-Acute Toxicity Profiling of Extracts from the Fruit Pulp and Seeds of African Baobab (Adansonia Digitata L.)(2024)

In vivo anti-inflammatory activity, acute toxicity profiling, and sub-acute toxicity profiling of extracts from the fruit pulp and seeds of african baobab (Adansonia digitata L.)(2025)

Cancer risk from heavy metal contamination in fish and implications for public health(2025)

ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF METHANOL AND ETHANOL/WATER EXTRACTS OF TETRAPLEURA TETRAPTERA AND PARKIA BIGLOBOSA(2012)

Antimicrobial properties of metal piperidine dithiocarbamate complexes against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans(2021)

Determination of the triacylglycerol content for the identification and assessment of purity of shea butter fat, peanut oil, and palm kernel oil using maldi-tof/tof mass spectroscopic technique(2016)

Determination of Physical Properties and Crystallization Kinetics of Oil From Allanblackia Seeds and Shea Nuts Under Different Thermal Conditions(2018)

Levels of selected heavy metals in canned tomato paste sold in Ghana(2012)

Levels of selected heavy metals in canned tomato paste sold in Ghana Part B Surveillance(2012)

Proximate Composition, Antioxidant Properties, Mineral Content and Anti-nutritional Composition of<i>Sesamum Indicum, Cucumeropsis Edulis</i>and<i>Cucurbita Pepo</i>Seeds Grown in the Savanna Regions of Ghana(2020)

Investigating the effect of solvent on anti-antioxidant properties of Sesamum indicum seeds(2024)

Mediating Knowledge Co-Production for Inclusive Governance and Delivery of Food, Water and Energy Services in African Cities(2021)

Gd-doped ZnO-g-C3N4 nanocomposite: a novel photocatalyst for the photodegradation of eosin yellow dye in water(2025)

Development of TiO2-based dye-sensitized solar cells using natural dyes extracted from some plant-based materials(2021)

Green Bio-Based CaO from Guinea Fowl Eggshells(2018)

“Working with little:” Access to market infrastructure and its effect on food handling and food safety among vegetable traders in an African city(2022)

Evaluation of InBios Scrub Typhus Detect IgM Rapid Test in acute fever cases from Southwest and East India(2024)

Assessment of sachet water quality in Kumasi, Ghana(2023)

Antioxidant Properties and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Cucumeropsis Edulis (Seeds)(2021)

Ethnobotanical Study of Indigenous Knowledge on Medicinal Plants Used in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region of Ghana(2025)

Replication Data for Optimization of Extraction Conditions for Polyphenols from the stem bark of Funtumia elastica (Funtum) using Response Surface Methodology(2021)

Microbial Contamination and Changes in Chemical Composition of Tomato (Lycopersicon Esculentum) During Market Storage(2024)

Optimization of the Reaction Conditions in Biodiesel Production: The Case of Baobab Seed Oil as Alternative Feedstock(2024)

Acute poverty affects Ghana’s savanna region: how oilseeds could help boost local diets(2020)

Anti-Prostatic Carcinoma Activity of Entandrophragma angolense and Methyl Angolensate: In Vitro and In Silico Analyses(2025)

Collaboration Network

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Research Collaboration Map

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About This Profile

This profile is generated from publicly available publication metadata and is intended for research discovery purposes. Themes, summaries, and trajectories are inferred computationally and may not capture the full scope of the lecturer's work. For authoritative information, please refer to the official KNUST profile.