Improving microbiology laboratories in Africa

Research summary

We will make use of Finnish research expertise to improve the laboratory infrastructure, management practices, and education of the local personnel, first in Burkina Faso and then elsewhere in Africa.

Description

We are developing modular laboratory packages that can be marketed first to Africa, and later to other developing countries. Depending on local needs, it would be possible to set up a whole new laboratory or to improve an existing one. There are four modules for local organizations to choose from: the actual physical furnishings and equipment, methods, educational tools, and laboratory working standards. The laboratories will represent different fields of microbiology: health, food and water quality, or questions relating to agriculture and the environment. They’ll be working on issues such as the study of pathogens and prevention of epidemics, studying antibiotic resistance, blue-green algae, and food and water hygiene.

A team formed by Co-op Bionautit members and the University of Helsinki researchers is also participating the Helsinki Challenge competition http://challenge.helsinki.fi/blog/improving-laboratories-in-africa. The team wants to become a link between the academic world, business and industry, as well as local communities in the target countries.

Research info

Research title
Improving microbiology laboratories in Africa

Research timeline
1.11.2014 - 1.11.2017

Keywords
antimicrobial resistance capasity building Education food hygiene laboratory microbiology public health water

Region
Africa

Countries
Burkina Faso, Finland

Institution
Co-op Bionautit
Helsinki, Finland

Head of research
Kaisa Haukka

Research team
Christina Lyra, Leena Räsänen, Edina Rudner, Isidore Bonkoungou

Partners
University of Helsinki, Finland and National Public Health Laboratory in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Contact information
Kaisa Haukka
+358407494815
kaisa.haukka@bionautit.fi
Open link

Record last updated
7.1.2015