Dr Daniel Boakye, Parasitology Unit, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, P O Box LG 581, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, GHANA
Telephone: 233 21 501178 - Email: DBoakye@noguchi.mimcom.net
NOGUCHI MEMORIAL INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH
The Institute was established in 1979 as a semi-autonomous Institute of the University of Ghana in memory of the distinguished Japanese scientist, Hideyo Noguchi, who arrived in the then Gold Coast (Ghana) in 1927 and died of yellow fever in Accra, Ghana in 1928 during his research on that disease. The Institute has nine scientific Departments; Animal Experimentation, Bacteriology, Clinical Pathology, Electron Microscopy and Chemical Pathology, Epidemiology, Immunology, Nutrition, Parasitology and Virology, each headed by a Senior Scientist. The present staff strength is 289 and it comprises of 104 scientists, 65 technical staff and 120 non-scientific staff. The current Director is Professor Alexander Nyarko.
Since its inception in 1979, the Institute has focused on its three-fold mandate of
(i) Conducting research into the major communicable and non-communicable diseases of the tropics
(ii) Providing training opportunities in medical research for undergraduates and postgraduate students in tertiary institutions, and
(iii) Providing high end laboratory diagnostic and monitoring services in support of public health programmes
The research focus of the Institute covers
- Infectious & Communicable Diseases
- Nutrition
- Phytomedicines
- Emerging Infectious Diseases of Public Health Importance
- Non-communicable Diseases of Public Health Importance
Some of the facilities available at the Institute are:
- FACScan
- Elispot assay
- Sequencer
- Abbot/Roche systems – CD4, Viral load
- Molecular biology techniques
- Electron Microscope, Histopathology, immunohistochemistry
- HPLC
- Heavy metal analysers
- SPF animals/Experimentation wing
Parasitology Department
The Parasitology Department is one of the nine Research Departments within the NMIMR. The Department’s expertise spans parasite diagnostics, molecular parasitology, parasite immunology and traditional and molecular entomology. The Department coordinates the activities of West African Centers for International Parasite Control which uses a school based control of soil transmitted helminthiasis and schistosomiasis as an entry point for the control of parasitic diseases in communities. The Department has extensive network of collaborations with research groups within and outside Ghana. There has been recent interest in the studies of allergic diseases and prevalence studies of inhalant and food allergens and the Department has started working with Institutions in Europe study the link between infections and allergies.
The view on the top is as 2000. Since then there has been new additions to the Institute which include a Clinical Research facility, the West African Center for International Parasite Control, the Lymphatic Filariasis Support Center for Africa etc.
The Ghana team at Noguchi
Dr. Irene Ayi, Mr. Daniel Boamah, Ms. Naa Adjeley Tawiah, Prof. Kwabena M. Bosompem,
Prof. Daniel A. Boakye and Mr. Joseph Otchere
Not in picture: Dr Ben Gyan, Dr Justice Hoffman, Dr Philip Narh and Dr Edmond Brakohiapa
Hilde van de Lest and Simone Boersema, two students from the Erasmus MC,
University, Medical Centre Rotterdam, The Netherlands on Research training at NMIMR on the project