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The third workshop on Molecular Biology, Pathogenesis and Diagnostics of Neglected Diseases, sponsored by the Leverhulme trust and the Royal Society has kicked off with exciting sessions.
This year's workshop which started on July 11, 2016 will run till July 22, 2016. It is made possible with the collaborative efforts of the Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) and the University of Cambridge. The opening of the workshop was attended by MPhil and Ph.D. students, international faculty members from other institutes and participants from other sub-Saharan countries.
This workshop is aimed at training graduate, post graduate and healthcare professionals from various institutions in sub-Saharan Africa.  Trainees will participate through presentations, journal club discussions of selected research papers, hands-on laboratory sessions and informal interactions with faculty.

Dr. Gordon Awandare, the director of WACCBIP, in his opening remarks, expressed his gratitude toward the collaborative agreement that has taken place over the past years with the hope that it will accelerate academic interaction. He was also optimistic that the workshop will ignite the passion of participants to undertake more rigorous research. He further indicated that (WACCBIP) has for the last few years focused on becoming a leading research training institute in West Africa.

The Keynote address was delivered by Prof. George Armah of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research on the topic “Sanitation, Disease and Development”: The SANIpath Experience. He shared connective challenges facing Africa with regards to sanitation and the  neglected topics surrounding it. In his presentation, he precisely threw more light on the SaniPath Tool, which has been used to assess potential public health risks as a result of poor access to urban sanitation facilities and unsafely managed fecal sludge in Ghana. He made an observation about the increasing number of people who die yearly to cholera and malaria. He noted that such problems can be tackled by implementing research findings.

Dr. Theresa Manful Gwira, the local organizer of the workshop, thanked and expressed her gratitude for the support of international faculty members.   She advised the students to be interactive and adapt to the standardized format of teaching programs.

Prof. Mark Carrington from the Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge in his preliminary remarks, urged participants to use this platform as a means to network and use the knowledge and skill acquired in their learning and research pursuits.
Some participants shared their experience and expectations on the workshop.

Participating faculty from the University of Ghana include: Dr. Theresa Manful Gwira, Dr. Lydia Mosi, Dr. Gordon A. Awandare, Dr. Nana Yaw Asare Yeboah, Dr. Patrick Arthur, Dr. Osbourn Quaye, Prof. Neils Quashie and Dr. Samuel Doudu. Other international faculty include: Professor Mark Carrington (University of Cambridge), Dr. Jack Sunter (University of Oxford), and Dr. Paula McGregor from University of Cambridge.

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Ghana had the privilege to host the fifth ACE workshop from May 17-19, 2016 at the La-Palm Royal Beach hotel, Accra. Present at the workshop were representatives from the World Bank, Association of African Universities (AAU), National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) and the 22 ACEs in West and Central Africa.

Prof. Jane Naana Opoku- Agyeman, the Minister of Education, Ghana gave the welcome remarks. In her remarks, she reiterated government's commitment to the ACE project.

For the first time, Vice Chancellors from a number of the ACE institutions were present at the workshop including, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey the VC of the University of Ghana, to share their experiences on the implementation of the project.

Progress reports on the status of the ACE projects and an update on disbursement of funds was presented by the AAU and World Bank representatives. During parallel presentations by the 22 ACEs in three breakout sessions (STEM, Health and Agriculture), each ACE presented a brief status update and their awards and achievement were outlined. Other issues on Procurement, Financial Management and Monitoring & Evaluation were discussed.

The sixth ACE project workshop will take place in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso from November 15-17, 2016.

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Dr. Oyebola Kolapo, a postdoctoral fellow at WACCBIP was recently awarded three awards in the following categories:

1. Best PhD Thesis in Sciences, University of Lagos (2014/2015)

2. Overall Best PhD Thesis in The Humanities and Sciences, University of Lagos (2014/2015)

3. Babatunde Shofoluwe Prize for the overall best PhD graduate in The University of Lagos (2014/2015)

The awards were presented to him at the recent convocation ceremony of the University of Lagos, Nigeria.

 
 
 
 
 
Dr. Oyebola Kolapo receiving his awards
In the light of this development, Dr. Emmanuel Amlabu, a visiting research fellow at WACCBIP also received the 1st Prize in Individual Research by Group of Disciplines (Life Sciences and Medicine) category in Nigerian Universities by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Dr. Amlabu is a faculty member from the Department of Biochemistry at the Kogi State University, Anyigba- Nigeria.
For more information visit the web link below:
http://nuc.edu.ng/wpcontent/uploads/2015/01/MB__21st_March_final.pdf.

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A one-week course sponsored by the Volkswagen Foundation (VWF) and the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS)
Location: MRC Unit, Banjul, The Gambia
Date: 19 – 26 November, 2016
This one-week course is open to 35 advanced PhD and MD students and post-doctoral scientists from the Gambia and other West African countries and 5 from Germany. The course will provide an interactive forum with international faculty, focussing on immunology of malaria, tuberculosis, HIV and additional tropical diseases.
All participants will have free access to teaching material via the web-based Immunopaedia platform (http://www.immunopaedia.org.za/teaching-learning-tools/ ) 6 weeks ahead of the course, and are expected to have familiarized themselves with a good knowledge of basic and clinical immunology.
The course will include a practical introduction to flow cytometry.
The registration fee is 50 EUR for African students and 500 EUR for German students. Travel costs (up to 800 EUR) and accommodation will be covered for all participants by the sponsoring institutions.
To apply, please send the following documents as  ONE SINGLE PDF  not later than May 31st, 2016, per email to Prof. Dieter Kabelitz, Institute of Immunology, University of Kiel, Germany (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.):

• one page application letter with statements as to how participation at the course will help to shape your career in Africa


• one page CV


• one page abstract for poster presentation


• one page of (most important) publications, if applicable


• one page letter of support from your supervisor

10 of the submitted abstracts will be selected for oral presentation.
For more information, download the poster  here  and the program details  here.

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The annual Ghana Biomedical Convention (GBC) conference is here.
Theme:  “Accelerating the Momentum for Science in Africa”
Venue:   University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho.
Date:     2-4 August 2016, with satellite workshops on  August 1 and 5.
The registration and abstract submission portal is now open at  http://ghanabiomedicalconvention.org/conventions/current/instructions. You are kindly requested to read the instructions before submitting your abstract.
REGISTRATION:
http://ghanabiomedicalconvention.org/conventions/gbc-2016
The categories for abstract submissions are:

Many abstracts could fall into more than one category, so please select the one you prefer. The scientific committee reserves the right to shift abstracts from the authors' preference to another section in order to balance the programme.   You will also select whether you want your abstract to be considered for a Talk Only, Poster Only, or Either a Talk or Poster. Please be aware that selecting Talk Only is the most competitive choice and your abstract might be rejected.
Regular abstract submission closes on 22  May 2016 at midnight. Late abstract submission closes on  29 May 2016 at midnight. Abstracts submitted AFTER the regular deadline in the LATE period may not be included in the conference booklet.  ALL abstracts must be submitted through the web site on or before  29 May 2016.
In order to reduce the burden of “no-shows”, once your abstract is accepted you will be requested to make a 50 GHS non-refundable deposit towards your conference registration fee. Instructions will be provided on how to make your deposit with your acceptance email. Your registration and abstract submission are not final until the deposit is paid. This does not apply to those residing outside of Ghana, you will be asked to confirm your attendance by email.
Visit  http://ghanabiomedicalconvention.org/conventions/current/workshops

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WACCBIP is organizing the maiden research conference to provide a platform for graduate students of the center to present their research work to a wide audience. The conference will also host several keynote and plenary speakers selected from the local, regional and international partner institutions of the center. The best student presenters will be sponsored to present their work at an international conference.

Eligibility for participation:

To apply for this conference as a presenter, you must be a graduate student enrolled in BCMB or MCBI programmes, or a WACCBIP postdoctoral fellow.

Application documents:

Visit this weblink: http://bit.do/waccbipRC2016

Deadline for applications is 31st May 2016.

Find more information here

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The Association of African Universities (AAU) is pleased to announce the 2016 session of its Small Grants for Theses and Dissertations Programme. In line with the Association's aim of promoting the core functions of higher education institutions, the Small Grants Programme aims to facilitate timely completion of post graduate research.
For more information visit:  https://blog.aau.org/2016/03/31/small-grants-call-for-applications-issued-march-2016/

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Buruli ulcer is a skin infection that kills the cells and tissue in an affected area and creates ulcers on the skin. It is caused by a bacteria and is the  third most common  bacterial disease after TB and leprosy.
The disease was first reported in the 19th century by British physician  Sir Albert Cook. But it was only in  1998  that the World Health Organisation started to pay attention, addressing it as a neglected tropical disease.
But more than 150 years after buruli ulcer was discovered, scientists still haven't figured out how the mycobacterium that causes the disease is transmitted. There is still no cure or vaccine. The only way to control it is to detect the infection early and treat it with antibiotics.
The disease also has social consequences. Buruli manifests as large skin ulcers. These are unsightly and people who develop them are often  stigmatised. In areas where the disease is endemic on the continent there is also a belief that it is caused by  “witchcraft”  or “allogens” (immigrants).

A disease of the tropics

Buruli ulcer is largely endemic in the tropics and has been reported in more than 30 countries in Africa, South America and Asia, as well as in Australia. In  Africa, the worst-hit countries are concentrated in the west and centre. These include Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Benin and Cameroon.
Of the 33 globally affected countries, 15 are found in Africa. Between 1978 and 1999, up to 22% of people living in communities where the disease was endemic were affected. In this period Côte d'Ivoire reported 15,000 new cases. But at the last World Health Organisation  buruli ulcer meeting, there was a significant decline in most  endemic countries.
The disease is most prevalent in impoverished rural communities. Children under the age of 15 are the worst affected but there is no gender specificity. It often starts as an itchy nodule or papule on the skin. This develops into a massive skin ulcer if left untreated.

This is followed by complications that can include muscle contractions, limbs becoming deformed and, in extreme cases, needing to be amputated, as well as organ failure. In some cases the disease is fatal. In a few cases it can lead to the development of  bone infections  or tetanus, or begin haemorrhaging, with patient death as a result.
The ulcers are not painful, which often leads to late diagnosis. This is largely due to the  nerve cells  around the lesions dying.
 

Unknown transmission mode

Identifying the transmission mode of a disease is important because it helps control and possibly stop the disease spreading. But  studies  have unsuccessfully tried to solve the puzzle of the buruli ulcer's transmission.
What is  known  in laboratory studies is that the bacteria has to be introduced through broken skin, an injection or a deep cut with an object that carries the bacteria.
The disease occurs mainly in areas close to stagnant water and is rarely found in arid areas. As a result, research has focused on trying to find a relationship between humans and the organisms found in the aquatic environment.
Researchers have not been able to directly culture the bacteria from the environment because it grows slowly. It takes at least six months to form colonies of the bacteria in pure culture but these are often contaminated by other faster-growing bacteria.
They have taken two main approaches: detecting the bacteria's DNA in aquatic organisms and in water in endemic regions; and looking at the genetic makeup of the bacteria.
There are challenges in mapping the baterium's DNA in the environment. Various plants, insects, types of soil, water biofilm and waste have tested positive for the bacteria's DNA. This led researchers to believe that the disease could be transmitted through  insect vectors. But these theories have been complicated by the fact that the DNA is also found in snakes, possums, koalas and other small mammals. This makes it difficult to pinpoint one organism as the reservoir for the disease.
Trying to understand the disease through its genetic makeup is also challenging. Research shows that the bacteria is  constantly evolving, which makes it difficult to understand how to tackle it.
To solve both these challenges, researchers are using multi-disciplinary approaches to establish the bacteria's actual environmental reservoir or host. This involves studying how the genome evolves in relation to other environmental mycobacteria that are unable to reproduce outside their host.

Diagnosis and treatment is limited

There are also no simple tools to diagnose buruli ulcer that can be used easily in rural areas where the infection exists.

Doctors still rely on century old microscope and laboratory techniques for diagnosis. Swabs or tissue are taken from the cut, fixed on slides and stained to identify the bacteria. Modern techniques used to diagnose the disease involve amplifying genes to detect the bacteria.
Until 2006 buruli ulcers were treated by cutting them out surgically. But in the past ten years antibiotic chemotherapy using anti-TB drugs has been used with remarkable success in early lesions and also in conjunction with wound healing post-surgery.
Scientists and researchers are still developing urgently needed new anti-mycobacterial drugs. They are  investigating  the viability of various resources, including fungal and plant-derived biologically active compounds that may stop the bacteria from growing during infection. But their efforts are hampered by the slow-growing rate of the bacteria.

Filling the gaps

Given that there is a great deal that's not known about the disease, research is targeting vaccine development, how the disease emerges and is transmitted, early detection and diagnosis, and effective control strategies. These are the priority research areas directed by the World Health Organisation.
In addition, health education campaigns are being directed towards raising the public's awareness about the disease and that medical treatment is preferable to traditional remedies. The World Health Organisation has produced cartoons to help children understand and accept the disease. The campaigns will go a long way to  destigmatise  the disease, which is still marked by the stamp of shame.
Esenam Dzifa Buatsi, a biochemist and molecular biologist at the University of Ghana was integral in the writing of this article.
Author:  Dr. Lydia Mosi
Source:  http://theconversation.com/buruli-ulcer-africas-neglected-but-third-most-common-mycobacterial-disease-56522

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The Wellcome Trust in partnership with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, have launched the International Research Scholars scheme.
This scheme supports early- career scientists from lower and middle income countries who have trained in the UK or US and want to return to a non-G7 country to continue their career and set up an independent research laboratory.
WACCBIP will be very interested in supporting applicants with a keen interest in joining the Centre as faculty.

For more information about the International Research Scholars, please visit the web address below:

http://blog.wellcome.ac.uk/2016/03/29/international-research-scholars-a-new-way-of-supporting-research-outside-the-uk/

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The West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) has introduced a new postdoctoral fellowship programme as part of the Wellcome Trust Developing Excellence in Leadership Training and Science (DELTAS) project. The WACCBIP-DELTAS postdoctoral fellowship programme aims to support recent PhD graduates to undertake research projects in line with WACCBIP research priority areas. The programme will promote the development of leadership skills and networking with other scientists in Africa. After the first call for applications, eight postdoctoral fellowships were awarded to successful applicants. Each fellow will receive grant support of up to $150,000.00 over three years to cover a monthly salary, research costs, and other research-related expenses.   Below are the first batch of WACCBIP-DELTAS postdoctoral fellows:

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July 11 – 22, 2016 at the Department of Biochemistry,Cell and Molecular Biology,University of Ghana, Legon, Accra

The Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology in collaboration with theWest African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens and the University of Cambridge is organising a 10 day workshop on the molecular biology of neglected disease (trypanosomiasis, Leishmaniasis etc) pathogenesis and diagnostic developmentsponsored by a Leverhulme-Royal Society Award
The course is designed for people who already have at least a BSc in a relevant subject from institutions in Ghana and neighbouring countries around Ghana. The workshop will be taught by both an international and local faculty.The workshop emphasizes on student participation through presentations, journal club discussions of selected papers from the literature, hands-on laboratory sessions and informal interactions.

 Participating faculty include:

Registration and participation:

Please download an application form here.

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Mr. Selase Deletsu, an MPhil Part II student of the Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology has been selected to receive support from the  Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research(NMIMR) under its Graduate Research Scheme (GRS) to complete his MPhil programme. The total grant sum is Three Thousand and Five Hundred Dollars ($ 3,500.00).
Mr. Deletsu's research is titled “Genotypic characterization of HIV-1 strains in plasma from HIV-1 infected persons in two regions of Ghana”.
The GRS is an offshoot of NMIMR's training fellowship in infectious diseases at the Post-Doctoral level. The program seeks to enroll ambitious, talented and highly motivated young Africans at the Master of Philosophy (MPhil) level to work on innovative approaches to the control of the following diseases: Malaria, HIV/AIDS, TB, Buruli Ulcer, Neglected Tropical Diseases and other relevant research topics that will contribute to infectious diseases control efforts on the continent.

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The West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) in collaboration with the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) and the Building Stronger Universities (BSU) initiative organized a Workshop on Modern Cell Biology at the Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology (BCMB). The workshop commenced on January 18, 2016 and ended on January 30, 2016.
The objective of the workshop is to help young scientists learn cell biology, methods for studying cells, and how they can be applied in their research work.

The workshop was officially opened by Prof. Isaac Asante, Head of Department- Plant and Environmental Biology who stood in for the Dean of School of Biological Sciences.
Also present were Dr. Gordon Awandare– Director of WACCBIP; Prof. Kwadwo A. Koram – Director of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR); Prof. George Obeng- Adjei; WACCBIP faculty and a member of BSU steering committee and Prof. Dick McIntosh – ASCB representative.

Welcoming participants to the workshop, the Head of Department (BCMB) and Director of WACCBIP, Dr. Gordon A. Awandare expressed his gratitude to the ASCB for sponsoring this workshop since 2009. He added that this is the first time the workshop is being sponsored by WACCBIP and urged participants to seize the opportunity and acquire as much knowledge from the experienced faculty they would be interacting with both formally and informally over the period of the workshop.
The workshop will also serve as a platform to equip graduate students with both theoretical knowledge and technical know -how as they prepare for their comprehensive exams and thesis research.

Prof. George Obeng – Adjei, WACCBIP faculty and a member of the BSU steering committee added that in line with the BSU initiative to make participating institutions stronger, the workshop will help produce skilled and motivated graduates who would employ   innovation, knowledge sharing and provide solutions to local and global challenges through research.

Prof. Isaac Asante in his opening speech indicated that the workshop is consistent with the University of Ghana's strategic vision of becoming a world class research- intensive institution, since the training will provide participants with the requisite knowledge and skill as they advance their respective research and career aspirations.
The workshop will consist of lectures, presentations, journal club discussions of selected papers from literature and hands on laboratory sessions.
Various faculty taught topics including: Protein folding and   structure,   Cell   Growth and Division,   TB   drug treatment and drug   resistance,   Next   Generation of Antibiotics from   Fungal Sources, Manipulating  Gene  Expression  in   malaria  to  fight  drug  resistance, Protein   Trafficking, Cell   Biology of Plasmodium,   Malaria  diagnostics, Naturally acquired immunity to   malaria, Genetic   manipulation  of  cells,  Concept   of  electrophoresis  and   blotting methods for   culturing eukaryotic cells, Flow  cytometry:  theory,  instrumentation and applications, Scientific integrity: image   manipulation, plagiarism, Grant  writing: obtaining   funding  in  Africa.






 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Participating faculty included scientist from the Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) and the College of Health Sciences.
Other international faculty included: Prof John Richard McIntosh (University of Colorado), Prof. Kirk William Deitsch (Cornell University), Martha Cyert (Stanford University) and Joy Power (University of Colorado).

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A compilation of minutes taken during WACCBIP Implementation Committee meetings from  February 2014 to    DECEMBER 2015.
The document is available for download  here.

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