ABOUT IBRH3AU BIOREPOSITORY

IBRH3AU is an integrated biorepository under the H3Africa Biorepository Initiative located at Makerere University College of Health Sciences (MakCHS) a Center of Academic Excellence, Health Care and Collaborative Research. MakCHS was historically established as an informal paramedical teaching center within Mulago National Referral & Teaching Hospital in the late 1890’s by Sir Albert Cook, it has evolved into a constituent college. Today, MakCHS boasts of conducting some of the most relevant and high-impact research in infectious and non-infectious diseases.

The college is closely affiliated with and exploits Mulago National Teaching and Referral hospital that handles over 500,000 patients per year. MakCHS has established North-to-South, South-to-South academic and research collaborations. IBRH3AU provides a resource of well characterized and annotated quality biospecimens to be used by future studies. This resource is utilised by communicable and non-communicable disease researchers in an African population.

OUR VALUES

In line with MakCHS’ Vision “A leading and transformational institution for academic excellence and innovation in health sciences in Africa”, IBRH3AU Vision is “Facilitating African Scientists and Research Institutions in the use of genomics and new approaches to address African Health problems and disease.”

To develop and maintain a state-of-the-art world class biorepository of well annotated stored biospecimens available to H3Africa Consortium, African and International researchers for genomic discovery projects.

  1. Setting up a frame work for a state-of-the-art biorepository in Africa and Uganda
  2. Developing capacity for fresh tissue biobanking and creation of cell lines in Africa.
  3. Developing the local expertise in biorepository operations
  4. Demonstrating feasibility of biobanking and biorepository activities in Uganda

  1. Identify problems in the biobanking field and provide solutions.
  2. Encourage high professional standards in biobanking.
  3. Provide high value membership services for key actors in the biobanking field.
  4. Encourage participation from a wide range of repositories across the region.
  5. Provide a strong united voice for biobankers in the region, to influence development of their field.
  6. Partner with other organizations involved with, or related to biobanking.
  7. Encourage and support public-private biobank-related partnerships
  8. Promote stakeholder support for biobanking

The ultimate goal of this effort is to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of illness and the promotion of health throughout society. Biological banking offers an opportunity to answer new questions or test old questions with new methods. Stored Biospecimens will also provide a unique opportunity to African scientists to study the genetic characteristics of microorganisms (such as HIV, M. tuberculosis, HPV) to establish transmission modalities in the local or worldwide settings, or to perform additional analysis on old biospecimens when new questions arise or new pathogens are suspected to appear.