Prof Samuel Kombian

Prof Kombian is a pharmacist, neuropharmacologist and electrophysiologist, trained at University of Alberta, Edmonton, where he worked on the neurotoxicological effects of hydrogen sulfide. He has published widely on synaptic plasticity in a reward related area of the limbic system and his seminal work showed how cocaine and amphetamine affected this neural circuit.

Prof Kombian worked at University of Calgary and studied synaptic plasticity in an autonomic nervous system, describing a unique plasticity in magnocellular neurons of the supraoptic nucleus that enable them to respond to peripheral peptide hormone requirements.

Prof  Kombian is a founding member of the Kuwait University Faculty of Pharmacy where he became a full professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Prof Kombian has held several academic positions in Kuwait University including department chair of Pharmacology and Therapeutics and Vice-Dean for Academic Affairs and Research. He has attracted competitive funding of over US$1.5M to support his research work.

Prof Kombian’s research areas are in cellular and synaptic physiology of the central nervous system (CNS) and preclinical drug testing of novel neuroactive compounds using in vitro and in vivo models of diseases e.g. epilepsy and dementia. Research in Prof Kombian’s laboratory focuses in three areas: the role of peptides in synaptic physiology and plasticity and substance abuse; the pathophysiology of seizures and actions of novel anticonvulsant compounds; and in vitro drug testing of novel compounds in age-related CNS disorders. Prof Kombian is currently a professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology in the School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, University for Development Studies in Ghana.