The Biomedical Science Department is an interdisciplinary multifaceted section of the NHRC that provides a home for basic research scientists where a range of issues affecting the life and health sciences congregate to provide knowledge of diseases. The Department is structured to encourage collaboration across multiple departments within the institution to further scientific progress and provides laboratory support and technical training for students from various higher institutions carrying out research.
The disciplines of our team include microbiology, parasitology, immunology, genetics, entomology, pharmacology and chemical pathology. The current foci and strengths of the department as far as research is concerned are in medical entomology, molecular biology, immunology, pharmacology, parasitology, microbiology and genetics. It is noteworthy that other areas of interest such as virology and genomics activity are currently being developed through training of identified staff and laboratory upgrades.
In the past five years, there has been a tremendous improvement in the staff training within the department resulting in quite a number of them acquiring higher degrees. The department hosts the biomedical laboratory, insectary and cold rooms which play critical roles in both biomedical research and clinical trials.
The Department has been structured into four broad units;
(1) Parasitology, which handles mainly malaria microscopy, schistosomiasis, helminths and related blood and stool parasites. Also under the parasitology unit is a core Molecular biology laboratory that undertakes protocol-specific molecular assays for all units. The molecular biology laboratory in 2020, when the nation needed to expand its capacity for COVID-19 sample testing was retooled as a matter of national emergency and has since been a COVID-19 testing site for the nation. The laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art Real-Time PCR machines, a workstation and a biosafety containment level II biological cabinet.
(2) Clinical Safety Laboratory provides support for all the drug and vaccine trials that are routinely undertaken by the Centre. This section has been equipped for the assessment of a range of haematological parameters, blood and urine chemistries. The Clinical Chemistry unit was recently equipped with a fully automated high throughput Mindray BS 360E chemistry analyzer with Iron Selective Electrode (ISE). Plans are underway to procure a five-part differential haematology analyzer to replace the old one. A new clinical safety, GCP compliance laboratory is being set up at the clinical trial centre. Workbenches and cabinets have been installed pending the installation of equipment.
(3) Microbiology and Serology laboratory has been restructured to position it to help deliver the strategic vision of the Centre. We now have a dedicated laboratory under the microbiology unit for Pneumococcal surveillance activities to monitor the prevalence of bacterial meningitis in the Navrongo Health and Demographic Surveillance area and to collect anti-microbial response data for evidence-based treatment.
(4) Medical Entomology Unit. The recent expansion of the NHRC laboratories included a new medical entomology block which contains an insectary for breeding mosquitoes (both wild type and susceptible). It has well-trained personnel for field sampling and identification of mosquitoes and for performing standard insecticide resistance tests and related assays.
(5) Others: The laboratory has a cold chain storage facility equipped with freezers for the storage of samples and fridges for the storage of vaccines, reagents and consumables.