Dr. John K. Mensah is a senior research scientist and the current head of Forest Improvement and Productivity Division (FIPD), Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (CSIR-FORIG). John holds a PhD from the Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, United States of America. John has expertise in forest health, tree host-pathogen interactions, pathogen-insect interactions, fungal biology and ecology, tree physiology. His research interest at CSIR-FORIG is focused on identification of new substrates for oyster and paddy straw mushroom cultivation, and the sustainable management of the medicinal plant Tetrapleura tetraptera. He is a member of Research Staff Association of CSIR, Ghana Science Associarion (GSA), Alabama Academy of Science, The Scientific Research Honor Society (SIGMA Xi).

Opuni‐Frimpong, E., Mensah, J. K., Adu‐Gyamfi, A., Okyere‐Agyapong, E., Sarfo, K. B., Attiah, G., & Bosu, P. P. (2023) Tragocephala nobilis Fabricius (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae): A new insect pest threatening the domestication of Tetrapleura tetraptera (Schum and Thonn.) in Ghana. African Journal of Ecology, 61(3) 759-762

Mensah, J.K.; Sayer, M.A.S.; Nadel, R.L.; Duwadi, S.; Fan, Z.; Carter, E.A.; Eckhardt, L.G. (2022). Effect of Leptographium terebrantis on Foliage, New Root Dynamics, and Stemwood Growth in a Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.) Plantation. Forests, 13(8), 1335. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13081335

Opuni-Frimpong, E., Owusu, S.A., Opoku, E.M., Mensah, J.K., & Storer, A.J (2022). Sustainable production of mahogany in plantations: Biology of mahogany shoot borer (Hypsipyla robusta Moore) on artificial media and associated natural enemies. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science. 42:2635-2644

Mensah, J. K., Devkota, P., & Eckhardt, L. G. (2022). Sapwood growth and tolerance of Pinus taeda trees to Leptographium terebrantis inoculation. Forest Pathology, Vol 52 (2), 1-7.

Mensah, J. K., Sayer, M. A. S., Nadel, R. L., Matusick, G., Fan, Z., Carter, E. A., & Eckhardt, L. G. (2021). Leptographium terebrantis inoculation and associated crown symptoms and tree mortality in Pinus taeda. Fungal Ecology, Vol. 51, 1-10.

Obiri, B. D., Obeng, E. A., Oduro, K. A., Apetorgbor, M. M., Peprah, T., Duah-Gyamfi, A., & Mensah, J. K. (2021). Farmers’ perceptions of herbicide usage in forest landscape restoration programs in Ghana. Scientific African, Vol. 11:1-16.

Mensah, J. K., Sayer, M. A. S., Nadel, R. L., Matusick, G., & Eckhardt, L. G. (2020). Physiological response of Pinus taeda L. trees to stem inoculation with Leptographium terebrantis. Trees, Vol. 34:869-880

PhD Forestry (Pathology) Aburn University, Aburn, Alabama, USA (2016-2020)

Forest health, tree host-pathogen interactions, pathogen-insect interactions, fungal biology and ecology, tree physiology.

Tree pathogens, fungi, insects, and tree disease management.

2023-present Senior Research Scientist, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research - Forestry Research Institute of Ghana.

2009- 2016 Research Scientist, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research -Forestry Research Institute of Ghana.

2006-2007 – Teaching Assistant, Botany Department, university of Ghana, Legon.

2024-Present Head of Forest Improvement and Productivity Division.

Research Staff Association of CSIR

Ghana Science Association (GSA)