Intergrated Biorepository of H3Africa Uganda

Makerere University College Of Health Sciences, Kampala

Investigators

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Abstract

Summary/Abstract Background: The availability of high quality well annotated biological and environmental specimens for research purposes requires the development of standardised methods for collection, processing, long-term storage, retrieval and distribution of specimens that will enable their future use for research. For this reason, the NIH (in 2013) together with Makerere University established the Integrated Biorepository of H3Africa in Uganda (IBRH3AU), a state-of-the-art facility for sample collection, processing, storage, retrieval and distribution for genomic research for the H3Africa Consortium and other researchers. In the past 10 years, the IBRH3AU has stored samples from both H3Africa researchers and other researchers. The biorepository has been instrumental in the response to COVID-19 through establishment of COVID-19 biobank that was key in providing samples for rapid evaluation of COVID-19 diagnostic Kits and availing samples to the biotech companies developing COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics in Uganda and beyond. As the H3Africa project draws to the end, the Uganda biorepository has critical pending unfunded activities. The overall goal of this administrative supplement request is to ensure the key pending activities are completed. H3Africa projects within Eastern and Central Africa who are finalising with project activities will be able to complete sample deposition to the biorepository. Through the supplement the biorepository will be able to continue processing, storage and distribution of samples to researchers. In addition, there is need for additional funding to analyse the samples of environmental exposure that have been collected and stored in the Uganda Biorepository. Due to COVID-19, the procurement of equipment for analysis of the environmental exposure samples was delayed. The supplement will be useful in further consolidation of our sustainability plan Approach: (a) The Uganda H3Africa Biorepository will use the funding from the supplement to continue to support the H3Africa researchers to finalise sample shipment, processing, storage and distribution. Quality controlled and assured biorepository services will be offered as per ISO 20387 biobanking standard, ISBER best practices and standards, in line with H3Africa Data and Biospecimen Accession (DBAC) policies, (b) In addition to existing and implemented protocols for genomic analyses (Nucleic acid [DNA and RNA] extraction and purification from blood and its derivatives), protocols, Standard operating procedures and practices have been developed and implemented for collecting and storage of samples for environmental exposures (tobacco smoke, trace elements, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, metabolites of pesticides, toxins from mold, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites, volatile organic compounds, etc.) The stored samples are yet to be analysed. The supplement will provide us with a chance to analyse these samples and reveal the extent of the burden in this setting. (c) Through continued implementation of our business plan to ensure sustainability, the biorepository will remain a true scientific transformatory resource beyond H3Africa project. Expected Benefits: • Ensure logical conclusion of H3Africa project activities as the biorepositories collect and store the remaining samples. • Enable analysis of stored samples of environmental exposures to estimate the magnitude of the problem in Uganda • Continue to consolidate the sustainability plan for the Uganda Biorepository