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Trans-Saharan Disease Research Centre
The Trans-Saharan Disease Research Centre was the established by the Management of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai Nigeria in October 2020, with a vision that it will be a foremost Centre for Trans-Saharan (African) disease research and training in disease pathogenesis, pathogen genomics and other omics, host/pathogen interactions, molecular diagnosis, molecular epidemiology, target discovery for vaccine and drug development, drug discovery from biodiversity, bioinformatics/chemoinformatics and nanomedicine.
The leadership structure of the Centre has the Director of the Centre at the apex, who reports to the Vice Chancellor of the University. The other members of the Management Team are the Deputy Director and the Lab Heads for each of the nine Labs of the Centre; Disease Pathogenesis & Immunogenetics, Parasitology, Host-pathogen Interaction & Disease Omics, Non-Communicable Diseases, Molecular Diagnostics & Epidemiology, Target Discovery & Bioinformatics, Drug Discovery from Biodiversity, Vaccine Development, and Nanomedicine.
The Centre is designed to be driven by partnership and collaboration between Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai and some of the top Institutions, Organizations and Laboratories around the world. Our research Associates in the Centre is drawn primarily from the host institutions and from other institutions in Nigeria, other African countries and Europe.
The major source of funding for the Centre shall be by grants. The Centre is thus being positioned to attract, execute and retain grants from international granting agencies.
TDRC is envisioned to be a World-Class Centre of Excellence for Quality and Innovative Research, as well as Capacity Building in Trans-Saharan Diseases. Our capacity building involve hiring graduate students and postdoctoral candidates as part of the Research Associates of the Centre. TDRC also has an ambassadorial programme designed to train undergraduate interns who undertakes their six-month Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) with us.
Trans-Sharan Disease Research Centre (TDRC) was created in October 2020 with a vision to be a World-Class Centre of Excellence for Quality and Innovative Research, and Capacity Building in Trans-Saharan Diseases. The mission of the Centre is Promoting the Awareness and Eradication of Trans-Saharan Diseases through Science, Technology and Partnership. At the moment, we are carrying out some researches to build up the research profile of the Centre so as to be able to apply for major international research grants.
Outlined below are some of the researches we have successfully carried out:
- RESEARCH 1
Topic: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS ON VIRUCIDAL ACTIVITIES OF EXTRACTS OF SELECTED NIGERIAN VEGETABLES WITH POTENTIALS FOR USE AS COVID-19 THERAPY
Funding: IBB University Research Fund
Status: Completed
Major Findings: Several factors have been adduced for the low mortality COVID-19 in Africa. In this study we explored the potentials of diets as conferring protective effect against COVID-19 in Africa. Five vegetables eaten in Nigeria were evaluated for their virucidal properties as a prototype for developing COVID-19 therapy. Two of the samples exhibited potentials for physiological and environmental viral control.
Dissemination: Presented at the 5th Africa International Biotechnology and Biomedical Conference to hold in Kenya in November 2021
Coronavirus research work in the laboratory
Dissemination of the Coronavirus research
- RESEARCH 2
Topic: DIAGNOSIS DEFECT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: INSENSITIVITY OF SALMONELLA-SHIGELLA AGAR IN ISOLATION OF SALMONELLA SPP. FROM STOOL AND MEAT SAMPLES IN NIGER STATE AND THE ROLE OF MOLECULAR TECHNIQUES
Funding: Self/Personal Funding
Status: Completed
Major Findings: Salmonella infections remain a major threat to public health in developing countries and to facilitate adequate treatment, effective and definitive diagnosis of Salmonella spp. is important. This study aimed to present emerging non-sensitivity of Salmonella-shigella agar as culturing media for Salmonella spp. and the use of molecular technique as an alternative choice. A total of 98 samples comprising 72 meat and 26 stool samples were analyzed for the presence of Salmonella spp. while molecular typing was carried out by the amplification of fliC gene in stool and aroC gene in both stool and meat samples. Thirty-one (31) isolates were positive for Salmonella spp. using Salmonella-shigella agar and conventional standard biochemical tests. Result from molecular amplification of the respective genes shows that none of the isolates possess fliC and aroC genes. This study therefore affirms the insensitivity of salmonella-shigella agar as a culture media in Salmonella diagnosis and suggests the use of molecular technique or better sensitive culture media as preferred tool in diagnosis of Salmonella-related infections.
Dissemination: Presented at the 5th Africa International Biotechnology and Biomedical Conference to hold in Kenya in November 2021
Presentation of research output at the 5th AIBBC Conference in Kenya in 2021
- RESEARCH 4
Topic: PREDICTIVE BIOMARKERS FOR CONGENITAL DISEASES USING CORD BLOOD
Funding: Self/Personal Funding
Status: Completed
Major Findings: Cord blood is regarded as a biological waste. However, this project is aimed at primarily establishing early diagnosis of transplacental congenital diseases using cord blood’s biochemical and haematological indices. This study shows that cord blood haematological and biochemical parameters at birth can be used to ascertain the health status of neonates.
Dissemination: Two articles Published: DOI: 10.9734/IJTDH/2021/v42i930483 and DOI: 10.1101/2021.07.29.21261315
- RESEARCH 3
Topic: ANTI-RETROVIRAL THERAPY AND SERUM PROTEIN LEVELS IN HIV- 1 SEROPOSITIVE PATIENTS: A FIVE-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE STUDY
Funding: Self/Personal Funding
Status: Completed
Major Findings: Serum proteins designated as liver function biomarkers are used to evaluate patients for hepatic dysfunction. Hepatic effect of Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) needs further studies in HIV mono-infected patients. In this study, clinically defined patient datasets were analyzed for protein levels in HIV-1 mono-infected seropositive patients with and without ART. Continuous ART did not cause any further significant change in levels of liver function proteins than was observed on ART initiation. Hence, liver damage on continuous ART is not implied.
Dissemination: Published: https://www.hilarispublisher.com/open-access/antiretroviral-therapy-and-serum-protein-levels-in-hiv1-seropositive-patients-a-fiveyear-retrospective-study-53120.html
- RESEARCH 5
Topic: THE COMBINATORIAL APPROACH FOR PREEMPTING GENETIC DISEASES
Funding: Life Sciences Institute of New Jersey, USA
Status: Ongoing
Major Findings: At least 65% of all diseases have a genetic component caused by the insertion of a genetic lesion into the genome as a consequence of the dysregulation of networks of genes for its maintenance. In the long term, a system for preempting these lesions in real time would have an unparalleled and positive impact on Medicine and Humankind. Including in ameliorating Human and Economic burdens on a scale of hundreds of trillions of dollars per annum.
Dissemination: One article Published: DOI: 10.31080/asmi.2021.04.0918
- RESEARCH 6
Topic: MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY OF SALMONELLA ENTERICA TYPHI AND THEIR ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PATTERN IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA
Funding: TETFund National Research Fund
Status: Ongoing
Major Findings: At the end of the research, we will be able to determine the genetic typing of all Salmonella Typhi obtained from all the samples in representative states of North Central Nigeria, the phenotypic resistant pattern of the Salmonella Typhi in North Central Nigeria is established, the types and prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes in Salmonella Typhi in North Central Nigeria are determined, Whole-genome profile of Salmonella Typhi isolates with multi-drug resistant properties are determined, Genetic variability of Salmonella Typhi in North Central Nigeria and evolutionary relationship is established, and the development of policy brief and increased capacity of healthcare practitioners on Salmonella Typhi subtype prediction