Current molecular testing for the diagnosis of infectious diseases in the country are very costly since virtually almost all of these kits are imported all over the globe. Locally developed and produced nucleic acid-based assays for the diagnosis of life threatening diseases may allow access to this technology even among indigent patients. As an initial project, BIOTECH-MANILA has delved into designing rapid diagnostic tests combining the expertise of the research staff with the latest facilities and equipment available in the country. These include diagnosis for typhoid fever from spiked specimens using standard PCR methods, profiling of antibiotic resistance in multiple drug resistant tuberculosis strains in the Philippines and Dengue detection and simultaneous
serotyping using conventional heminested PCR, multiplex RT-PCR and Real Time RT-PCR (multiplex Taqman and SYBR Green I). The end goal, upon optimization and completion of these tests is to provide Juan de la Cruz with his rightful privilege of advanced healthcare without hurting his pockets.
The UPM - IBBC is organizing a Training Program for Laboratory Biosafety and Biosecurity Officers to commence in the second quarter of 2016. The main objective of the program is to develop a pool of local trainers who will undertake advocacy and continuing education on laboratory biosafety and biosecurity. At the end of the training, the trainers are expected to be competent in the following areas:
*Biosafety and biosecurity risk assessment *Laboratory vivarium Biosafety and Biosecurity *Biocontainment practices and procedures *Biocontainment facilities *Use of safety equipment *Incident response procedures *Infectious substance transport *Biosafety program management *Management of transgenic materials *Regulatory framework of transgenic materials
The training will entail at least ten modules, each of which with duration of two weeks, scheduled on July 18-29, 2016; September 18- October 1, 2016; and November 20- December 3, 2016.
For more information please click the download link: Download