This project was coordinated by the ICGEB and implemented in partnership with reference testing laboratories in Africa. ICGEB Member States, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Nigeria, have taken part in a pilot study to assess the efficacy of a novel diagnostic tool in diverse settings. Dr Joseph Fokam (TMA2015CDF1027) was the local PI in Cameroon.
This pilot study, performed during the period September 2020-May 2021, contributed to the accuracy in detecting SARS-CoV-2 in resource-limited settings. It evaluated the diagnostic performance of RT-LAMP in terms of intrinsic (sensitivity, specificity) and extrinsic (positive and negative predictive values) characteristics according to SARS-CoV-2 viral load estimates provided by the conventional RT-qPCR in four LMICs of Sub-Saharan Africa. Results from the study show that RT-LAMP represents a formidable alternative to RT-qPCR. New England BioLabs freely contributed its LAMP technology to the study, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funded the project (INV – 022816).
To learn more about this exciting project visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-xSlulkN-4
The Stop
TB Partnership Working Group on New TB Vaccines (WGNV) and the National
Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)are
co-hosting a workshop on the topic of Recognition and Control of Mtb
Infected Cells: From Basics to the Clinic. This workshop is intended to address
the need for correlates and to identify platforms that measure recognition or
control of the infected cell - especially in humans - as identified in the EDCTP/AIGHD Global Roadmap for
Research and Development of New TB Vaccines and the Strategic Framework for
New TB Vaccines in the Stop TB Partnership Global Plan to End TB 2023 - 2030.
The overall goals of this workshop
are to:
The workshop format will be largely
discussion-based. Each session will have three short presentations that will
provide a high-level overview of key topics within the session theme, followed
by a discussion between the session chairs, speakers, and participants.
Click here
to view the programme and
speakers.
This workshop is free of charge and
open to any participants interested in this topic.
The International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID) and the Swiss
Society for Infectious Diseases (SSI) are inviting applications for their joint
Infectious Diseases Research Fellowship Program. The purpose of this programme
is to support infectious disease physicians and scientists from under-resourced
countries through multidisciplinary clinical and laboratory training at a
select biomedical institution in Zurich, Switzerland. The one-year SSI/ISID
Fellowship programme is open to applicants who are 40 years or younger,
citizens and permanent residents of under-resourced countries or Eastern
Europe. The deadline for applications is 16 June 2023.
More information: https://na.eventscloud.com/eSites/748378/Homepage
The MRCT Center and Medable convened a multi-stakeholder task force to address ethical and regulatory opportunities and challenges related to Decentralized Clinical Trials (DCTs). Join them on June 20, from 10 - 11 AM ET, for a joint webinar entitled, "Ethical Review of Decentralized Clinical Trials (DCTs): Tools, Resources & Best Practices."
During the webinar, Barbara Bierer (MRCT Center), Pam Tenaerts
(Medable) and Leanne Madre (Medable) will present a framework, recommendations,
and tools organized around 3 DCT domains: People, Remote Data Collection, and
Data Oversight. Best practices for the ethical review, approval, and conduct of
DCTs will be provided.
Clinical trial stakeholders (IRB/ECs,
HRPP, sites, sponsors, investigators, and others) to register for the webinar here