The Wellcome Trust Advanced Course on ‘Molecular Approaches to Clinical Microbiology in Africa’ organised by the Wellcome Genome Campus Department of Courses and Conferences is the only UK-based programme providing overseas open postgraduate courses and conferences focused on biomedicine. The annual training course hosted by the Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia in Fajara was successfully completed on the 12th March 2016.
This course which was initiated in the UK in 2005, was previously held in a number of African Institutions including; The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), University of Cape Town South Africa, and, Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Research Programme. With the aim of  delivering training that educates, inspires, and transform careers, the 2016 ‘Molecular Approaches to Clinical Microbiology in Africa’ course was taught by a set of highly distinguished team of instructors from all over the world. Originating institutions include; Public Health England, UK, University of Oxford, UK,  Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya, University of Oxford, UK, Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, University of Cape Town, South Africa, University Hospital Galway and Medical Research Council Unit, The Gambia.

The course attracted 20 participants (clinical microbiologists and laboratory scientists working in Africa) from various institutions in Africa including; Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Ghana, Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research, Ghana, Pasteur Institute Dakar, Senegal, University of Bamako, Mali, University of Ibadan, Nigerian, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, University of Calabar, Nigeria, University of Zambia, Zambia, Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute, Tanzania, Buea Regional Hospital, Cameroon, University of Botswana, Botswana, Malawi Liverpool Welcome Trust, Malawi, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kenya, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Nigeria, College of Medicine, University of Lagos,  Nigeria, University of Fort Hare, South Africa and MRC Unit The Gambia.

The participants were introduced to sequence based characterisation of assays, real time PCR, DNA Extraction, data analysis for serotyping/serogrouping and bioinformatics. The course provided participants with a concise yet comprehensive overview of the latest research and practice in biomedicine with emphasis on how techniques can be applied daily in an African setting, especially where resources are limited. Emphasis was placed on approaches that are currently applicable in African laboratories or likely to be applicable in Africa in the foreseeable future which are of value to participants in interpreting the literature and assessing the likely utility of new technologies as they are developed.

The course instructors are: Dr Rebecca Twells, Wellcome Genome Campus Advanced Courses, UK; Mrs Julie Ormond, Wellcome Genome Campus Advanced Courses, UK; Professor Martin Maiden, University of Oxford, UK; Dr Sam Kariuki, KEMRI Kenya Dr Catherine Arnold, Public Health England, UK; Mr Keith Jolley University of Oxford, UK; Dr Chisomo Msefula, Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme,Malawi; Dr Mark Nicol, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Mr Abdi Mohamed, KEMRI Kenya; Dr Carina Brehony, University Hospital Galway, Ireland; Ms Kanny Diallo, Unversity of Oxford; Mr Yonas Ghebrekristos, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Ms Ndaru Kaluwa, Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Malawi; Mr John Kiiru, KEMRI Kenya; Mr Benjamin Kumwenda, Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme, Malawi; Mr Samuel Njoroge, KEMRI, Kenya; Dr Sheikh Jarju, MRC Unit The Gambia, Dr Brenda Kwambana-Adams, MRC Unit The Gambia and Dr Martin Antonio, MRC Unit, The Gambia.

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Wellcome Genome Campus Advanced Courses and Scientific Conferences is the only UK-based programme providing open postgraduate courses and conferences focused on biomedicine. Events are held in dedicated facilities at the https://registration.hinxton.wellcome.ac.uk/home.wt in Hinxton, a short distance from the historic city of Cambridge and home to the world-famous https://registration.hinxton.wellcome.ac.uk/home.wt and https://registration.hinxton.wellcome.ac.uk/home.wt.