Vice-Chancellor
Matthew Glover Addo, Professor of Microbiology/Molecular Biology at the Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, is a scholar of international repute. He holds a simultaneous PhD in Biology/Molecular Biology from Université Paris Sud XI, Paris, France (now Université Paris-Saclay) and in Biological Science/Microbiology from KNUST, Kumasi. He was the Director of the Institute of Distance Learning at KNUST. Before then, he was the Dean of the Faculty of Biosciences, the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Biosciences, and the Head of the Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, KNUST.
Professor Addo was born in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region. He started his basic education at the Bekwai Roman Catholic Primary and the Methodist Middle schools. He then proceeded to the Seventh Day Adventist Secondary School (SDASS), Bekwai, where he obtained both his Ordinary and the Advanced Level Certificates. He gained admission into the then University of Science and Technology (UST), now KNUST, and pursued a four-year degree programme in Biological Sciences. He completed the B.Sc. (Hons) Biological Sciences programme and was retained at the Biological Sciences Department for his National Service as a Teaching Assistant.
Professor Addo was awarded a Norwegian Government Scholarship through the Norwegian Lånekassen scheme in 1993 to study Biotechnology at the Universitet i Bergen (University of Bergen) where he obtained both the Candidatus Magesterii and Candidatus Scientiarum in 1996 and 1998 respectively.
Later as a Lecturer, Professor Addo obtained a French Government Scholarship to study for the joint Doctor of Science/Doctor of Philosophy degrees at the prestigious Université Paris Sud IX, Paris, France (now Université Paris-Saclay) and KNUST, Kumasi respectively. During the doctorate research programme, Professor Addo designed an efficient screening method for the identification of genes involved in the mitochondrial genome stability using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism. He worked with the Functions and Dysfunction of Mitochondrial group of the Institute of Genetics and Microbiology where for the first time, he identified four (4) new nuclear genes (Y105E8A.23, dnj-10, atad-3, and phi-37) involved in mitochondrial stability.
Professor Matthew Glover Addo began his academic career in 2002 and has risen through the hierarchy from the lowest position of Teaching Assistant, through the positions of Lecturer (2002-2009), Senior Lecturer (2009-2016), Associate Professor (2016-2020) and to the revered apex rank of Professor in 2020. Through this path, Professor Addo has been a Senior Tutor, Hall Master, Head of Department, Vice-Dean of Faculty, Dean of Faculty and the Director of the Institute of Distance Learning, KNUST.
Professor M. G. Addo, is an academic with considerable experience in University teaching, collaborative research, vast institutional management/administrative experience, board room experience and headship/membership of high-profile University Boards, Committees and Teams. Over the past twenty-three (23) years, Professor Addo has consistently either on his own or a member of Teams writing project proposals for Faculty/student mobility and attract research grants/funds. He has also been able to mobilise resources and generate funds through Consultancy Services for the College of Science/KNUST and also for the running of Republic Hall Residence as a Senior Tutor and as Hall Master.
Prof. Addo is married to Joyce and have three children- Abena Adoma, Kwaku Antwi and Maame Aba.