Martin Antwi Boasiako: Dreaming from a broken situation

Martin smiling in his lab coat in the laboratory. — Martin Antwi Boasiako is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences. Photo courtesy of Martin Antwi Boasiako.

This piece was written in the spring of 2025 by GRAD 5144 (Communicating Science) student Martin Antwi Boasiako as part of an assignment to write a personal narrative about his research.

I believed it was all over when, at the age of six, I lay on the X-ray machine with a broken leg in the only hospital in our small village. I overheard the doctors discussing my case among themselves, given its seriousness: “The only way to save him is to amputate his leg to prevent further complications.”

My parents objected to this idea, and my leg was not amputated. Instead, my leg was set and treated with locally used medicinal plants. I had my broken leg wrapped with palm fibers mixed with local herbs, which were beaten together, and covered with a bandage for several weeks until I fully recovered. The idea that a broken leg could heal through treatment with medicinal plants rather than conventional medical techniques sparked a curiosity in my young mind that eventually grew into my current interest in biomedical research.

In high school biology class, I saw an amoeba for the first time under a microscope. I found it fascinating to learn there was more to the world than meets the eye — that we are not alone on our planet; we have company! By the time I reached college, microbiology had become my favorite subject. I volunteered in research lab internships and outreach programs, focusing on understanding diseases that pose major public health threats in Ghana.

Martin is pictured in the laboratory, examining images on a computer. — Martin Antwi Boasiako's graduate research uses parasite physiology to identify novel treatments for infection. Photo courtesy of Martin Antwi Boasiako.

Over time, I developed my skills in clinical microbiology techniques and conducted an independent study in which I identified and characterized four medicinal plant species native to Ghana. I discovered that these plants contain bioactive compounds that could work synergistically against the rising drug-resistant bacterial strains causing severe typhoid in Ghana. This milestone marked the beginning of my journey in disease research and reminded me of my childhood experience.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I stepped up as a frontline worker in the lab, contributing to diagnostic testing and tracking the viral spread in Ghana through seroprevalence and genomic studies.

These experiences, from my childhood injury to my opportunities in college and beyond, have shaped my current research focus on infectious diseases. Here in the United States, I am focused on identifying novel treatment targets against the widespread zoonotic parasite Toxoplasma gondii by understanding its molecular oxygen pathways for survival within the host. My enthusiasm about this research stems from the idea that this strategy may lead to the first discovery of a drug that is capable of eliminating the parasite cyst from an infected host!