WACCBIP – ACE – Africa Higher Education Centres of Excellence

April 10, 2023May 4, 2023

Building Towards a Vibrant Biotech Start-up Ecosystem in West Africa

Since 2018, WACCBIP began a series of efforts to engage local biotech industries. In the process, the Centre discovered that the biotech ecosystem in Ghana, and by extension, in West Africa, are less dynamic and had little capacity for the uptake of biomedical innovation originating from Ghana. Consequently, the Centre reviewed its strategy to focus on enabling the set-up of biotech startups within Ghana and West Africa. This led to the creation of a cancer immunogenetics start-up, Yemaachi Biotech, a brainchild of a WACCBIP research fellow, Dr. Yaw Bediako. WACCBIP closely supported the start-up and has since partnered with Yemaachi in some of its COVID-19 studies. Yemaachi Biotech, which has raised over $ 4 million, in 2022 performed the first human exome sequencing in Ghana.

To inspire and enable the next generation of the indigenous biotech industry, the Centre’s first step is the develop a Biotech Entrepreneurship programme in collaboration with the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) Innovation Hub, and the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST). The programme will encapsulate a training course, and a business incubation programme, run concurrently. In addition, the centre is implementing a small projects scheme to provide funding support to innovative, industry relevant research projects proposed and run by WACCBIP students and faculty:

The Essentials of Biotech Entrepreneurship Training Course- The Biotech Entrepreneurship Training Course is a one-month sessional course with at least 7 contact sessions. The course will have an in-person format with expert facilitators sourced from our training partners.
The Business Incubation Programme will be a 3-month business ideation and pitch development programme. Outstanding trainees from the training course, as well as other WACCBIP students and alumni with good business ideas, from the training course will be selected for the incubation programme. The incubation programme will provide advanced training in entrepreneurship, product development, finance, etc. Through the incubation process, trainees will develop their products and develop their business models under the mentorship of experienced scientists and biotech industry experts. At the end of the training programme, trainees will have prototypes and feasible business models, ready for execution. The final stage of the programme is a final pitch competition amongst the trainees, to select the most well-developed and feasible ideas for funding. Seed funding will be awarded to selected, outstanding business pitch ideas.
The ‘small projects’ scheme is a funding scheme for innovative, and industry-relevant research projects led by WACCBIP students and faculty. Each year, students and faculty members will be allowed to submit projects, which have the potential to be taken up by the industry. These projects will be screened, with the projects demonstrating the greatest potential, selected for funding.

Moreover, through several networks, WACCBIP is driving innovation in the West African sub region. The centre joins, lead and co-lead a number of projects aimed at enhancing South-South Collaborations and through these are helping to build the innovative capacity of other partners. Currently, WACCBIP is a vaccine development hub for the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA), as well as a coordinating centre for the West African Network of Infectious Disease ACEs (WANIDA). The centre has leveraged these to train partner institutions in Ghana, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin and Togo in next-generation sequencing techniques.

July 25, 2022July 25, 2022

WACCBIP (Ghana) Diagnoses Genetics of Hearing Impairment in Ghana

Written By Millicent Afriyie Kyei

The West Africa Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) hosted by the University of Ghana since its inception in 2014, has been at the forefront of addressing health-related challenges in the region through applied scientific and biomedical research in infectious and non-communicable diseases as well as human genetic research. There have been numerous breakthroughs demonstrating development impact, through the cutting-edge research conducted by the centre. One of the major research innovations is the diagnosis of the genetics of hearing impairment in Ghana.

Adamorobe, a community in the Akuapim South District in the Eastern region of Ghana has a characteristically high incidence of hereditary hearing impairment (HI). It is therefore not surprising that marriages between deaf persons were barred in the town in 1975, to curb the rate of deaf offspring. To further understand the cause(s) of the hearing impairment, WACCBIP, with its modern next-generation sequencing approaches investigated this challenge by recruiting thirty (30) individuals from eight (8) multiplex families (20 affected and 10 unaffected) from the community, and found the families had GJB2 mutations (GJB2 is an important gene for hearing. Specific mutations in this gene causes hearing impairment).

As part of a nationwide study investigating the genetic causes of hearing impairment in Ghana, the centre collected samples from all 11 schools for the deaf across the country. The study identified a founder mutation (GJB2-R143W) that accounts for over a quarter of inheritable hearing impairment cases in Ghana. The findings also indicated a 1.4 per cent carrier frequency rate among 145 healthy Ghanaians who were screened randomly, suggesting that among every 145 Ghanaians, two are likely to carry the defective gene that can be passed on to their children. Therefore, the number of hearing-impaired patients in Ghana could silently increase if this gene was not checked.

Cumulatively, the GJB2 founder variant accounted for 42% (37/88) of families, with the majority of GJB2 positive cases observed in participants from the Eastern Region, where Adamorobe is located. Evolutionary analysis also revealed that Ghanaian families segregating the variant are descendants of a common indigenous ancestor who lived approximately 385 generations (approximately 9625 years) ago.

As part of its interventions to reduce the burden of the condition, WACCBIP started a public and policy engagement to create awareness for the genetics of hearing impairment. A diagnostic test with high sensitivity and specificity to screen newborn babies for common hearing impairment mutations within the Ghanaian population was designed. In addition, the centre is generating and analysing exome data to identify novel hearing impairment gene variants in the country. Lastly, considering the current findings on the contribution of GJB2 in Ghana, it is imperative to reflect on the previously reported policy document for adoption and expansion of the existing premarital counselling to include GJB2 founder variant carrier testing like how the sickle cell disease counselling is handled.

The diagnosis of the genetics of hearing impairment in Ghana by WACCBIP is an example of how this centre of excellence is addressing a national development challenge because it has been strengthened through the ACE Impact Project to conduct relevant, high-quality and impactful research.

August 11, 2021August 25, 2021

Centres of Excellence Gain Recognition for their Contributions/ Centres’ Faculty and Students Awarded for their Contributions

The ACE Impact project is proud to announce the awarding of numerous milestones for our centres of excellence across the region. ACE Impact seeks to empower universities in Africa to deliver quality education and applied research by providing the needed infrastructure for an enabling environment, laboratories and equipment, training of faculty, among others. In view of this, the ACE Impact Centres are making productive strides in their contributions in addressing developmental challenges within the region. Relentless efforts made by both centre faculties and students in delivering impactful research and remarkable services in their respective fields are being duly acknowledged by the relevant stakeholders through awards.

Notable among these awards include: The 2020 Bailey K. Ashford Medal by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene received by Prof. Christian Happi, Director for the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID) in Nigeria. The award is in recognition of his contribution in research on infectious diseases. Prof. Happi has also been appointed Chair of the Research and Ethics Committee of the Academy of Medicine Specialties of Nigeria.

Prof. Gordon Awandare of the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) received two awards from the University of Ghana during the College of Basic and Applied Sciences (CBAS) Meritorious Awards ceremony. One in recognition of his outstanding service to the College and University and another for his leadership in COVID-19 research to support national response.

Similarly, Prof. Eric Y. Danquah of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) was a recipient of the CBAS Meritorious Awards ceremony for his exceptional service to the College. He is also the 2018 Laureate of the Global Confederation of Higher Education Associations for Agriculture and Life Sciences (GCHERA) World Agriculture Prize.

In addition, Prof. Jacob K. Tona of the Centre of Excellence in Poultry Science (CERSA) in Togo has been awarded by the World Poultry Science Association (WPSA) as winner of the WPSA Education Award. In acheiveing a new milestone, he is the first African recipient to win the award.

Professor Diabate Abdoulaye, the Centre Director for the African Center of Excellence in Biotechnology Innovation for Vector-borne Disease Elimination (CEA/ ITECH-MTV) also received the Newcomb Cleveland Prize for his outstanding research on fighting malaria in Africa.

Regarding students’ excellence, Mrs. Njabeh Rita Bonwi and Mr. Richard Kwame Dogbey pursuing MPhil in Irrigation and Drainage Engineering at the West African Centre for Water, Irrigation and Sustainable Agriculture (WACWISA) in Ghana received an award prize of US$ 2,000 each from the 2020 African Plant Nutrition Scholar Award.

We congratulate the winners for these achievements. The ACE Impact project will continue to provide the necessary support and encouragement to centres in maximizing their potentials.

August 8, 2018

3rd WACCBIP Research Conference

The West Africa Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) hosted its third annual Research Conference from July 18 – 20, 2018 at its new office complex in the University of Ghana.

The Conference which aims to showcase the talent and quality of young African scientists and to provide a platform for the dissemination of research conducted by fellows at the Centre and by visiting scientists from its global network of collaborators.

The three-day conference held under the theme “Translating Molecular Research into Healthcare Solutions for Africa”, brought together world-class scientists from Africa, Europe, and North America, who conduct research into tropical diseases, including malaria and Buruli ulcer, that are prevalent in Africa. The conference afforded young scientists at the Centre the opportunity to interact with seasoned scientists, giving them better insight into their research projects and opening them up to new perspectives from experienced researchers.

In his welcome address, Director of WACCBIP, Prof. Gordon Awandare, explained that the Centre was established with the vision to build and support development of dynamic and internationally competitive talent. He reiterated the Centre’s commitment towards the provision of high-end facilities suitable for advanced training and research and cited the construction of the new WACCBIP building as one of the key achievements towards reaching the Centre’s overarching goal.

He also highlighted the achievements of the Centre saying, “Since we started, we have given fellowships to 90 master’s students, 50 PhD students, and 12 postdocs. That is the largest biomedical training research programme in West Africa. Nobody has done that in the last four years.”

He further entreated Government to provide incentives to encourage the creation of research units in the private sector to absorb the pool of research scientists produced by research institutions across the country.

Also speaking at the event, Professor Keith Gull, Professor at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology at the University of Oxford and Chair of the WACCBIP International Advisory Board, was impressed with WACCBIP’s sustained development of its research and training activities since its establishment.

He explained that WACCBIP’s vision does not end at training scientists but extends to ensuring that their training is translated to relevant research output for the future.“It has always been the vision of WACCBIP and the Department to balance research and teaching, and that is really a critical part of a research-led education. Some of you are here for a degree; a master’s or a PhD. I think that’s one of the least important things about what you’re doing at WACCBIP. You’re not here [only] to get a degree; you are here to engage and end up with something far more precious; it’s called an education.” Prof. Gull said.

Prof. Francis Dodoo, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Research, Innovation and Development at University of Ghana, who chaired the opening ceremony, expressed his delight at the impact WACCBIP has made in mobilising resources to attract a high calibre of scientists to the University.

He said, “WACCBIP is demonstrating precisely the impact an African Centre of Excellence can have by way of contributing to the transformation of our University. This is in line with [the University’s vision of] attaining world class status with respect to quality, quantum, and impact of research.

He added that WACCBIP played an important role in the reorganisation of ORID’s activities as they allowed for collective cultivation of the Centre’s resources within the University.

Other speakers at the event were Dr. Ben Botwe, President of Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana and Dr. Lydia Mosi, Head of Department of Biochemistry Cell and Molecular Biology.

The West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) was set up in 2013 with funding from the Government of Ghana through World Bank’s Africa Higher Education Centres of Excellence (ACE) Project. Since its inception, WACCBIP has grown into a leading Centre of Excellence, building global partnerships with world-class research institutions and funding organisations. The Centre aims to improve diagnosis, prevention, and control of infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa by providing advanced-level training and research excellence on the cell and molecular biology of infectious pathogens.

April 30, 2018

Africa Higher Education Fair 2018

As part of the Ninth ACE workshop, the maiden Higher Education Fair will be organized under the scope of the regional project, Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence (ACE). The ACE Higher Education Fair would be of interest to students, professors, working adults, members of the industry and the general public seeking higher education opportunities in Africa.

Objectives of the Fair

The goal of the ACE Higher Education Fair is to provide an interactive platform and to inform students and faculty, about the programs offered by the ACEs. Specially, the Fair aims to achieve the following objectives:

Provide a platform for all ACEs to present and promote locally and internationally, their programs and activities through currents ACE students and faculty presentations, brochures and picture displays.
Provide faculty exchange opportunities for faculty interested in joining the ACEs.
Provide opportunities to all ACEs to recruit students to their various courses by offering face-to-face interactions with aspiring students, career guidance educators and working professionals planning to pursue further studies Africa.
Provide opportunities to students and faculties to better know World Bank activities and achievements, and be part of the World Bank potential staff roster.

ACE Higher Education Fair, opens to the public on Monday May 7, 2018 at 2iE Campus, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso from 9 am to 5pm.

All Higher Education Institutions (faculty and students), industry stakeholders, government and the general public are invited.

December 11, 2017

WACBIPP undertakes maiden medical outreach programme

The West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), carried out its maiden medical outreach programme which benefited over one thousand residents in the Ablekuma South and West Municipalities and Ga West Municipality of Accra, Ghana.

This initiative falls in line with WACCBIP’s goal of creating awareness towards the prevention and control of infectious diseases. It also ties in with the ACE Project’s goal of impacting on societies, through its centers.

Beneficiaries were screened and tested for Tuberculosis, hypertension, blood sugar levels, diabetes, malaria and HIV/AIDS.

The AAU commends WACCBIP for undertaking this laudable community service and entreat other Centres to undertake and continue undertaking similar initiatives aimed at positively impacting on societies.

November 28, 2017March 1, 2022

WACBIPP undertakes maiden medical outreach programme

Beneficiaries were screened and tested for Tuberculosis, hypertension, blood sugar levels, diabetes, malaria and HIV/AIDS.

August 1, 2016

West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) holds Research Conference on Improving Health through Advanced Research and Training

A delegation from the Association of African Universities (AAU) participated in the maiden West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) Annual Research Conference. WACCBIP is one of the 22 African Centres of Excellence under the World Bank ACE Project. The AAU is the Regional Facilitation Unit of the ACE project.

Blog Article Chaired by the out-going Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Ernest Aryeetey, this event was held from July 14- 15, 2016 at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, in Accra-Ghana

The conference was attended by over 150 participants from both the international and local scenes, and had as its theme – Improving Health through Advanced Research and Training

Among others, WACCBIP organised the conference to provide the platform for its trainees to present their research work, interact with their peers and WACCBIP faculty members from all the regional and international partner institutions.

It further served as a forum for WACCBIP faculty to engage policy makers and private sector players on the nation’s health research priorities.

Leading scientists within the African region and international collaborators from the grp_blog article following universities participated in the event; University of Pittsburgh, USA; University of New Mexico, USA; American Society for Cell Biology, US; University of Cambridge, UK; University of Oxford, UK; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK; Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, UK; University of Copenhagen, UK; Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC), University of Bamako, Mali; Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme (CNRFP) ; Burkina Faso Centre MURAZ Research Institute; Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso; Center Suisse de Recherche Scientifique (CSRS), La Cote d’Ivoire ;Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI-WTRP), Kilifi, Kenya; Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kisumu, Kenya; University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa

In his opening remarks, the Director of WACBIPP, Dr. Gordon Awandare said that WACCBIP is working to;

Build capacity by providing full training pipeline: from graduate internships, through Masters and PhD programmes to Postdoctoral
Create an environment for high quality training and development of research leaders
Provide trainees with the skill-set for independent research in the peculiar research environment in Africa
Build a network of young scientists who would be bonded together through their training and will continue to collaborate as independent scientists
Generate innovations in molecular diagnosis and drug/vaccine development
Bring scientists and policy makers together to discuss Africa’s health research priorities
Invite corporate friends into the conversation about funding biomedical research and training

Whilst acknowledging current partners for their immense support to the Centre, Dr. Awandare called on governments and other institutions to partner WACCBIP and other scientific institutions in producing the one million new PhDs needed by Africa for its development.

More information on WACCBIP can be accessed from https://www.waccbip.org/

July 14, 2016March 1, 2022

West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) holds Research Conference on Improving Health through Advanced Research and Training

The conference was attended by over 150 participants from both the international and local scenes, and had as its theme – Improving Health through Advanced Research and Training

It further served as a forum for WACCBIP faculty to engage policy makers and private sector players on the nation’s health research priorities.

In his opening remarks, the Director of WACBIPP, Dr. Gordon Awandare said that WACCBIP is working to;

Build capacity by providing full training pipeline: from graduate internships, through Masters and PhD programmes to Postdoctoral
Create an environment for high quality training and development of research leaders
Provide trainees with the skill-set for independent research in the peculiar research environment in Africa
Build a network of young scientists who would be bonded together through their training and will continue to collaborate as independent scientists
Generate innovations in molecular diagnosis and drug/vaccine development
Bring scientists and policy makers together to discuss Africa’s health research priorities
Invite corporate friends into the conversation about funding biomedical research and training

More information on WACCBIP can be accessed from https://www.waccbip.org/