Every day, we take part in diverse activities ranging from cognition, movement to emotion. These activities are controlled by the brain. Nerve cells of the brain learn and form memories of our experiences with the physical and social environments through the process of synaptic plasticity. This mechanism takes place at synapses between neurons of the brain. These synapses serve the purpose of transmission of information as well as regulation of the flow of information between neurons. Neurodegenerative diseases affect synaptic transmission. Therefore, our ability to engage in seemingly simple as well as complex activities become challenging.

Daniel’s research interest is in synaptic plasticity with a focus on gaining an in-depth understanding of the structural and functional changes synapses undergo in pathophysiological states. Various cytoplasmic and membrane proteins play very crucial roles in both the induction and spread of neurological diseases. Ongoing projects include the regulatory role of synaptic proteins in chronic medial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE), cognition among drug naïve TLE patients as well as cognitive deficit in cerebrospinal meningitis. Also, he is currently working on HIV/AIDS-associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND) in Cape Coast (Cape Coast HAND Study). He has published in peer-reviewed journals in his field and has presented his work at both local and international conferences.

Additionally, Daniel is a member of many prestigious professional bodies such as the Norwegian Neuroscience Society, Canadian Association for Neuroscience, Federation of European Neuroscience Society and Ghana Neuroscience Society. He was a Norwegian Quota Scholar and a product of the University of Ghana (BSc.), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (MSc.), University of Education, Winneba (PGDE) and University of Oslo, Norway (PhD).

He is a youth advocate and earnestly believes in the immense potential of the youth.

 

Editorial Board Membership/Journal Reviewership:

• Scientific African (Elsevier)
• World Journal of Emergency Medicine
• Environmental Disease (Wolters Kluwer)

 

Conferences/Workshops Attended:

• 2nd National Research Communication on Science Research Communication and Public Engagement, organised by the Research and Grant Institute of Ghana (REGIG), 4 – 6 November, 2020; Online. [Facilitator/Organiser].
• Workshop (staff training) on Online Teaching and Learning Management System (Moodle) organized by College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Cape Coast, 11 – 13 Feb., 2020, Cape Coast, Ghana.
• Continuing Professional Development Workshop organized by the School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape Coast, 12 Sept., 2019, Cape Coast, Ghana.
• Workshop on Turnitin application for senior members organized by Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy, University of Cape Coast, 22 May, 2019, Cape Coast, Ghana.
• 11^th Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum of Neuroscience, 7 – 11^th July, 2018, Berlin, Germany. [I presented a poster].
• Ghana Neuroscience Symposium organized by Ghana Neuroscience Society and the University of Ghana School of Pharmacy, 19 – 20^th, 2017, Accra, Ghana. [I presented a paper].
• 1^st Nordic Neuroscience Meeting, 10 – 12^th June, 2015, Trondheim, Norway. [I presented a poster].
• 2^nd National PhD Conference in neuroscience organized by the Norwegian Research School in Neuroscience, 22 – 24^th, 2014, Trondheim, Norway. [I presented a poster as well as blitz presentation].
• Problem-based learning (PBL) workshop organized by the School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, July, 2014, Mankessim, Ghana.

 

Conference Proceedings/Abstracts:

• 11^th Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum of Neuroscience in Berlin, Germany from 7 – 11^th July, 2018: Egbenya, D. L., Hussain, S., Lai, Y. C., Xia, J., Anderson, A. E. and Davanger, S. Changes in synaptic AMPA receptor concentration and composition in chronic temporal lobe epilepsy.
• Ghana Neuroscience Symposium organized by Ghana Neuroscience Society and the University of Ghana School of Pharmacy in Accra, Ghana from 19 – 20^th, 2017: Hussain, S., Egbenya, D. L., Lai, Y. C., Dosa, Z. J., Sorensen, J. B., Anderson, A. E. and Davanger, S. (2017). The calcium sensor synaptotagmin 1 is expressed and regulated in hippocampal postsynaptic spines. Hippocampus, 27(11): 1168 – 1177.
• 1^st Nordic Neuroscience Conference organized for the Nordic and Baltic countries in Trondheim, Norway from 10 – 12^th June, 2015: Egbenya, D. L., Lorgen, J.O., Hussain, Hammer, J., S., Lai, Y. C., Sonnewald, U., Anderson, A. E. and Davanger, S. Decrease in synaptic AMPA receptor expression in the rat hippocampus in chronic medial temporal lobe epilepsy.
• 2^nd National PhD Conference in neuroscience organized by the Norwegian Research School in Neuroscience in Trondheim, Norway from 22 – 24^th, 2014: Egbenya, D. L., Lorgen, J.O., Hussain, Hammer, J., S., Lai, Y. C., Sonnewald, U., Anderson, A. E. and Davanger, S. Decrease in synaptic protein expression in chronic medial temporal lobe epilepsy.