Research

IMMUNOLOGY LAB

PERSONNEL:

Lab Head:

• Dr. Godwin NCHINDA

Lab Members:

Bertrand SAGNIA

Researcher
E-mail : bertrand.sagnia@circb-cameroun.org

Nadine FAINGUEM

Lab. Technician
E-mail : nadine.fainguem@circb-cameroun.org;

Georgia AMBADA

Lab. Technician
E-mail : georgia.ambada@circb-cameroun.org;

Emmanuel MVE ONDO

Lab. Technician
E-mail : emmanuel.mve@circb-cameroun.org;

Luc Christian GWOM

PhD Student

E-mail : christian.gwom@circb-cameroun.org;

Visiting Scientists:

• Dr. Elisa NEMES, Researcher
• Anne-Sophie BEDIN, Technician
• Benson Omweri NYANCHONGI, Master Student

TRAININGS

• The “International Course on Clinical and Research Applications of Flow Cytometry” has taken place at CIRCB from 8th to 10th October 2009 and has involved 51 people coming from 13 countries (Cameroon, Italy, France, Canada, Morocco, Switzerland, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Gambia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal).
• Internal and Eternal SEMINARS (Dr Nemes):
  10/10/08: “Phenotype and function of HIV-specific T lymphocytes”.
  International course organized by CIRCB in Abidjan, Ivory Coast: “Importance of flow cytometry in the fight against HIV/AIDS: from CD4 count to lymphocyte characterization; from diagnosis to research”.
  05/11/08: “Introduction to flow cytometry”; CIRCB internal seminar.
  20/11/08: “Compensation in flow cytometry”; CIRCB internal seminar.
  10/12/08: “Introduction to immunology: innate immune response”; CIRCB internal seminar.
  15/12/08: “Introduction to immunology: adaptive immune response”; CIRCB internal seminar.
  18/12/08: “HIV vaccines development: challenges and perspectives”; CIRCB internal seminar.
  21/12/09: “FFA-UNESCO paediatric vaccine project: general organization and technical aspects”; CIRCB internal seminar.
  27-28/07/09: “Introduction to flow cytometry and its applications”, Master degree in Microbiology and Immunology, Catholic University of Central Africa, Yaounde, Cameroon.
  10/10/09: “Overview on methods and research applications of flow cytometry” and “Flow cytometry protocol setup and experiment design”, international course on Clinical and research applications of flow cytometry; Yaounde, Cameroon.
  10/11/09: “Immunological studies for the development of a paediatric vaccine to prevent HIV mother to child transmission: preliminary data”, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy

PUBLICATIONS / ABSTRACTS:

1. June 2009: book chapter in Italian: “I linfociti T CD4+ polifunzionali” (polyfunctional CD4+ T lymphocytes); in the book “I CD4 questi (s)conosciuti”, page 105; EDIMES, Edizioni Medico Scientifiche, Pavia.

2. Elisa Nemes, Suzie Moyo Tetang, Nadine Fainguem, Francis Ateba Ndongo, Irénée Domkam, Pierre Joseph Fouda, Vittorio Colizzi, Giulia Cappelli « L’expression du récepteur de IL-7 est un marquer probable du statut immunologique chez les enfants HIV+ pas sous traitement antirétroviral au Cameroun. » « 5eme Conference Francophone VIH/SIDA » Casablanca (Morocco), March 2010.

3. Sagnia Bertrand, Tetang Suzie, Torimiro Ndongo Judith, Meloch Bayambe Renata, Barbieri Ernesta,and Cappelli Giulia “EVOLUTION OF LYMPHOCYTE SUBSETS AMONG HIV-UNINFECTED CHILDREN BORN OF HIV-POSITIVE MOTHERS IN CAMEROON” The 23rd Annual Meeting of the Clinical Cytometry Society October 12–14, 2008 Portland, Oregon.

4. Sagnia Bertrand, Judith Torimiro, Meloch Bayambe Renata, Odile OUWE MISSI OUKEM and Giulia Cappelli: Reference values of lymphocyte subsets in healthy HIV-negative adults in Cameroon » International Scientific Conference on aids « CISSIDA08 » A quarter of Century of Research on Aids: Lessons and Challenges Abidjan, 06-09 October 2008.

MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LAB

PERSONNEL:

Lab Head:

Judith Ndongo TORIMIRO

Ph.D., DLSHTM, CIRCB Researcher, Assistant Lecturer in Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Cameroon.
E-mail : judith.torimiro@circb-cameroun.org

Lab Members:

Christelle MBONDJI WONJE, Junior Scientist CIRCB

Junior Scientist
E-mail : christelle.bondji@circb-cameroun.org;

Augustin Désiré TAKOU KOMEGO

Lab. Technician
E-mail : desire.takou@circb-cameroun.org;

Aubin Joseph NANFACK

Lab. Technician
E-mail : aubin.nanfack@circb-cameroun.org;

Georgia AMBADA

Lab. Technician
E-mail : georgia.ambada@circb-cameroun.org;

Elise ELONG LOBE

Lab. Technician
E-mail : elise.elong@circb-cameroun.org;

Luc Christian GWOM

PhD Student
E-mail : christian.gwom@circb-cameroun.org;

Joseph FOKAM

PhD Student
E-mail : joseph.fokam@circb-cameroun.org;

PUBLICATIONS / ABSTRACTS:

1. Judith N. Torimiro, Roberta D’Arrigo, Desire Takou, Aubin Nanfack, Daniele Pizzi, Innocent Ngong, Jean K. Carr, Fouda Pierre Joseph, Carlo-Federico Perno, Giulia Cappelli. 2009. Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 Intersubtype Recombinants Predominate in the AIDS Epidemic in Cameroon. New Microbiologica 32:325-332.

2. Abstract submission to the International AIDS Society conference at Vienna Austria, for selection review using an article manuscript entitled: “Performance evaluation of an in-house Human Immunodeficiency Virus type-1 Protease-Reverse Transcriptase genotyping assay”

3. Céline N. Nkenfou, Anne C. Bisseck, Elise Elong, Martin S. Sosso, Beatrice Dambaya, Christian Gwon, Charlotte Tagimpundu, Georgia Ambada, Nadine Fanguem, Irenée Domkang, Etienne Nnomzo’o, Pascal Milenge, Vittorio Colizzi, Pierre Joseph Fouda, Giulia Cappelli, Judith N. Torimiro. Implementation of HIV Early Infant Diagnosis and viral load determination on dried blood spots as support for the Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) Program. (Manuscript).

SYSTEM BIOLOGY LAB

PERSONNEL:

Head:

Céline NKENFOU, Senior Researcher

Ph.D Biochemistry, Molecular Biology specialist.
E-mail : celine.nkenfou@circb-cameroun.org

IBS LAB

Stands for Informatics Bioinfomatics and Statistics Laboratory

PERSONNEL:

Bioinformatics Lab Head:

Odile OUWE MISSI OUKEM-BOYER, Senior Researcher

Ph.D. Life and Health Science, M.Phil. Advanced Immunology.
Biosketch, Curriculum Vitae
E-mail : odile.oukem@circb-cameroun.org

Lab Members:

Henriette EKOKO, Cordonnator of the Informatics unit

Informatician
E-mail : henriette.ekoko@circb-cameroun.org

Irenée DOMKAM

Biostatistician
E-mail : irenee.domkam@circb-cameroun.org

Oumarou MAHAMAT

Informatician
E-mail : oumarou.mahamat@circb-cameroun.org

STUDENT SUPERVISION:

Léo Aymar GHEMTIO WAFO, Ph.D. Student, University of Henri Poincaré - Nancy I, France

Period : 2007 - 2010
Supervision : Dr. Bernard MAIGRET, Dr. Odile OUWE MISSI OUKEM.
Funding : Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Project N° 52034)
Theme : Numeric Simulation and Knowledge-Oriented Approach for the Discovery of new Therapeutic Molecules (Abstract)

Levis Dieunedort KAMGAN, Master Student, University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon

Period : 2010
Supervision : Pr. Henri GWET, Dr. Odile OUWE MISSI OUKEM, M. Irenée DOMKAM.
Funding : CIRCB
Theme : Estimation de l'incidence de l'infection par le VIH-1 chez les enfants de moins de 15 mois au Cameroun à partir des données du Programme National de Diagnostic Précoce (Abstract)

PUBLICATIONS / ABSTRACTS:

1-Publications:

1. Leo Ghemtio; Michel Souchet; Appolinaire Djikeng; Lionel Keminse; Dave Ritchie; Bernard Maigret; Odile Ouwe-Missi-Oukem-Boyer. HIV-PDI (Protein Drug Interactions) resource for clinical and structural analysis of HIV drug resistance. 2. Example of use and proof of concept. Health & Medical Informatics 2.1 2011 (doi : 10.2157-7420.1000105).
   
   
2. Leo Ghemtio; Malika Smaïl-Tabbone; Appolinaire Djikeng; Marie-Dominique Devignes; Lionel Keminse; Joseph Fokam; Bernard Maigret; Odile Ouwe-Missi-Oukem-Boyer. HIV-PDI (Protein Drug Interactions) resource for clinical and structural analysis of HIV drug resistance. 1. Concept and associated database. Health & Medical Informatics 2.1 2011 (doi : 10.2157-7420.1000104).

2-Oral presentation:

1. Ghemtio L, Smaïl-Tabbone M, Djikeng A, Keminse L, Devignes MD, Souchet M, Ritchie D, Maigret B, Ouwe-Missi-Oukem-Boyer O. Envisioning the future for HIV infected individuals in Africa: setting up of a bioinformatics resource dedicated to drug resistance problems. ISCB-Africa ASBCB Conference on Bioinformatics, 9-11 March 2011, Cape Town, South Africa.
   
   
2. Ghemtio L, Smaïl-Tabbone M, Djikeng A, Keminse L, Devignes MD, Fokam J, Souchet M, Maigret B, Ritchie D, Ouwe-Missi-Oukem-Boyer O. Design and setting-up of an integrated 3D molecular interaction resource dedicated to HIV drug resistance problems. 9th International Conference on Anti Virals for Neglected and Emerging Viruses Symposium, 10-13 October 2010, Luebeck, Germany.
   
   
3. Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer, Léo Ghemtio, Malika Smaïl-Tabbone, Appolinaire Djikeng, Lionel Keminse, Marie-Dominique Devignes, Florent Petronin, Joseph Fokam, Bernard Maigret. Design and setting-up of a bioinformatics plateform dedicated to HIV drug resistance problems. ISCB Africa ASBCB joint conference on Bioinformatics on Infectious diseases. 30 November-3 December 2009, Bamako, Mali.

3-Poster presentation:

1. Ouwe-Missi-Oukem-Boyer O , Ghemtio L, Smaïl-Tabbone M, Djikeng A, Keminse L, Devignes MD, Petronin F, Fokam J, Maigret B. Design and setting-up of a Bioinformatics platform dedicated to HIV drug resistance problems. Grand Challenge in Global Health Meeting organized by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. 18-21 October 2009, Arusha, Tanzania.

INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS UNIT

PERSONNEL:

Head:

Odile OUWE MISSI OUKEM-BOYER, Senior Researcher

Ph.D. Life and Health Science, M.Phil. Advanced Immunology.
Biosketch, Curriculum Vitae
E-mail : odile.oukem@circb-cameroun.org

Administrative Staff Members:

Thomas Michel ANANA BETILENE

Administrative Assistant of the Intl. Projects Unit from june 2009 to june 2011
Currently Head of the Library
Ethics committee secretary.
E-mail : thomas.anana@circb-cameroun.org

Clémence Rochelle AKOUMBA

Administrative Assistant (intern)
E-mail : clemence.akoumba@circb-cameroun.org

Aliou OUMAROU

\(From March to September 2011)

Accountant of CANTAM Project

Project Staff Members:

Marie Florence MAKAMCHE, Researcher

Ph.D. Biochemestry

Currently WHO/TDR fellow at JANSSEN TIBOTEC BEERSE, Belgium
E-mail : florence.makamche@circb-cameroun.org

Nelson SONELA

PhD Student
E-mail : nelson.sonela@circb-cameroun.org

NCHANGWI Syntia MUNUNG

Research Fellow
E-mail : syntia.munung@circb-cameroun.org

Rolande Isabelle FOUASSONG TAMELI TIKENG

Librarian
E-mail : rolande.fouassong@circb-cameroun.org

STUDENT SUPERVISION:

Nelson SONELA, Ph.D. Student, University of Yaounde I, Cameroon

Period : 2009 - ongoing
Supervision : Pr. Wilfred MBACHAM, Dr. Odile OUWE MISSI OUKEM.
Funding : EDCTP - NACCAP (Project N°GC_cb_07_41700 006)
Theme : Impact of Intermittent Preventive Treatment in Pregnancy (IPTp) on the Cellular Physiology of Immune cells and the Development of pathogen specific immunity in Malaria/HIV co-infected Infants

Laure Stella GHOMA LINGUISSI, Ph.D. Student, University of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Period : 2009 - ongoing
Supervision : Pr. Jacques SIMPORE, Pr. Francine NTOUMI, Dr. Odile OUWE MISSI OUKEM.
Funding : EDCTP - NACCAP (Project N°GC_cb_07_41700 006)
Theme : Diversité Génétique et Résistances Primaires du VIH-1 chez des Patients Coinfectés avec Mycobacterium tuberculosis a Brazzaville

Laure Sandrine KOUAM, Master Student, Catholic University of Central Africa, Cameroon

Period : 2010 - ongoing
Supervision : Pr. Benjamin Alexandre NKOUM, Dr. Odile OUWE MISSI OUKEM.
Funding : None
Theme : Identification des Facteurs Determinants de l'observance du traitement antiretroviral pediatrique au Cameroun

COMPLETED GRANTS:

1. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) – Grand Challenges Explorations Round 1: Project N° 52034 «Design and Setting-up of a Bioinformatics platform dedicated to HIV drug resistance problems». October 2008 – May 2010; Total cost: 100, 000 USD.
   
   Project Staff:
   Dr. Odile OUWE MISSI OUKEM (Principal Investigator), Lionel KEMINSE (Bioinformatician), Joseph FOKAM (PhD Student).
   
   Collaborations:
   1- The LORIA, Vandoeuvre lès Nancy, France: Dr. Bernard MAIGRET, M. Leo GHEMTIO PhD Student, Dr. Malika SMAIL TABBONE, Dr. Marie Dominique DEVIGNES, M. Birama NDIAYE.
   2- Harmonic Pharma, Villers lès Nancy, France: Dr. Michel SOUCHET, M. Stephane GEGOUT, Dr. Dave RITCHIE, M. Florent PETRONIN, Mme Patricia KLEBERT.
   3- Dr. Appolinaire DJIKENG, JCVI, Rockville, MD, USA / BecA Hub-ILRI, Nairobi, Kenya.
   
   Executive Summary:
   Given the burden of HIV/AIDS worldwide, and the lack of follow-up of patients put under antiretroviral therapy in developing countries, we proposed to investigate on the challenging question of HIV drug resistance, and to focus on sub Saharan Africa. Initially, we based our concept on both an intensive literature assessment and field experiences in several African countries concerning the problem of resistance to antiretroviral drugs. Actually, our main idea was to set up a bioinformatics platform and associated resources and tools dedicated to HIV mutations and their consequences on drug efficiency. In particular, clinical and biological data, and also structural and physico-chemical information and 3D interaction data concerning the targets (HIV proteins) and the drugs (ARVs) were meticulously included in our database. Our approach was innovative because despite the availability of a large number of preexisting databases focusing on various aspects of HIV/AIDS disease management, to our knowledge, there was no single database integrating all these data with a central focus on the resistance of the HIV virus to ARVs, and highlighting the 3D structure of the target-drug interaction. Our ultimate goal was to provide clinicians with an additional tool for the decision making process about the choice of the most adapted treatment for their patients, which would be used not only in Sub-Saharan Africa, but universally. Watch the video of the Grand Challenge Exploration program

ACTIVE GRANTS:

1. The Elsevier Foundation – Program on innovative libraries in developing countries «Building on an operational health network to develop a health information library network in Cameroon». January 2009 – December 2011; Total cost: 100, 000 USD.
   
   Project Staff:
   Dr. Odile OUWE MISSI OUKEM (Principal Investigator), Dr. Suzie Tetang (Pediatrician), Henriette EKOKO (Informatician), Miss NCHANGWI Syntia MUNUNG(Research Fellow), Irenée DOMKAM KAMMOGNE (Biostatistician).
   
   Collaborations:
   1- Dr. Appolinaire DJIKENG (Co-principal Investigator), JCVI, Rockville, MD, USA / BecA Hub-ILRI, Nairobi, Kenya.
   
   Executive Summary:
   In Cameroon and in most Sub Saharan African countries, healthcare professionals still suffer from the digital divide. It is clear that the reduction of this divide will improve their access to up to date biomedical information relevant to their efforts for the control of several infectious diseases with devastating impact in public health. In addition addressing the digital divide would provide them with relevant tools to accelerate the transmission and documentation of biomedical information in the context of control (diagnostics, treatment and vaccination) of several diseases including but not limited to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Furthermore, promoting the integration of informatics tools to the management and control of infectious diseases would also set the stage for efficient and early reporting of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases (new and unknown infections, known and re-emerging infections, drug resistant strains of known and usually treatable infections, etc…). We proposed to take advantage of a network of collaborating institutions for research and control of HIV/AIDS to establish a library information system in selected health institutions in Cameroon (nodes) and linking them to the CIRCB (the hub).
   
   Additional Information's:
   1- 2010 Annual Progres Report
   2- Elsevier Newsletter n°4-November 2010
   3- Video of the Elsevier project at CIRCB
   4- Bibliographic References on HIV/AIDS per themes:

   
   

2. CIRCB - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) - The Elsevier Foundation : Internal project ; HIV bibliography in Cameroon; January 2009 - To date.
   
   Project Staff:
   Dr. Odile OUWE MISSI OUKEM (Principal Investigator), Miss NCHANGWI Syntia MUNUNG (Research Fellow)
   
   Collaborations:
   1- Dr. Laurent VIDAL (Co-principal Investigator), IRD, Cameroon.
   
   Executive Summary: Cameroon’s contributions in the fight against HIV- A look at Cameroon’s research output.
   
   Cameroon like most developing countries has in the past years been actively involved in the fight against the HIV pandemic. Cameroon which has an HIV prevalence of 5.1% (UNAIDS /WHO, 2008), has been host to a number of research studies, indicating that the country is very dedicated in fighting the disease. Interestingly enough, basically, every sector in the country is involved in research on HIV. This includes: government authorities, research institutions, universities and the civil society. People of all works of life (students, lawyers, journalist, biologist, social scientist, politicians, epidemiologist, clinicians etc.) have contributed a quota in the fight against HIV in Cameroon.
   
   Bibliographic studies are fast becoming an integral part of research in every institution around the world and the importance of such studies cannot be downplayed. William Thomson puts in the importance of such studies in the following words:
   “If you can measure that of which you speak and express it by a number, you know something of your subject; but if you cannot measure it, your knowledge is meager and unsatisfactory”
   
   Thus, there is an unquestionable need to highlight important and promising areas of research, if the ever urgent questions by policy makers, universities and funders, of which research project should be funded and which researchers should be beneficiaries of more support is to be answered. However, this is not just the only significance of such a study. There is a need to make available to researchers and other stakeholders involved in research, information of which studies have been done already to avoid duplicate studies, considering that funding for research is limited. This could also throw more light on what still has to be done. Equally the results of many research studies are usually unavailable to researchers since some of them are published in book of abstracts only, or in journals that require subscription (a hindrance to most researchers in developing countries). More so, the research output and need of an institution can only be evaluated through bibliometrics. Institutions therefore have to rely on the analysis of research performance to guide decision making- which aspect of research to concentrate on, which staffs to hire, areas of research that need capacity building, the output of their staffs in terms of research. It equally provides a clue on the stance of the institution at the international level. The list is almost endless.
   
   Last year (2009), the CIRCB, under the leadership of Dr. Odile Ouwe M. Oukem-Boyer and the Institut de Recherche pour le Development (IRD) under the tutelage of Dr. Laurent Vidal, initiated a project on constituting a bibliography of studies on HIV/AIDS in Cameroon with a bid of accessing Cameroon’s research output since the discovery of the virus and to evaluate Cameroon’s research performance. Unlike most bibliographic studies carried out in institutions and countries around the world, this study is unique in that it involves a wide range of publication types; journal articles, conference proceedings, thesis/dissertations, books, book sections etc. It is the first time such a study is being carried out in Cameroon. In fact, bibliometrics or Scientometrics is still at its infancy in Cameroon.
   
   As of 2010, close to 2000 publications on HIV/AIDS in Cameroon have been collected. This was collected using numerous means. Web searches, visits to various research institutions and documentation centers (Universities of Buea, Douala, Ngoundere and Yaoundé, the Catholic university of Central Africa, Yaounde, OCEAC, WHO, UNESCO etc), email to researchers and research institutions etc. The team hopes to provide an analysis of Cameroon’s research performance on HIV/AIDS. It is hoped that the finding of the study would guide researchers (on which area of research requires some attention), students (in search of mentors and institutions that could assist them meet their academic objectives), Research institutions, Funders, government officials (on the country’s research needs) as well as librarians having problems with which journals to subscribe to, reading materials to order for their libraries etc.
   
   The publications collected in this study would be made publicly available both as electronic and hard copies. Hard copies of the publication would be placed at a dedicated site (Documentation Centre of the CIRCB). Plans are on the way to make the database publicly available to all in the hope that a click of the mouse would be sufficient to provide access to the information. This is therefore going to be an asset to those interested in the collection and located anywhere around the world to have specific information on HIV/AIDS in Cameroon.
   
   The team involved in this project therefore calls on researchers to kindly contact them with a list of their publications especially conference proceedings on HIV/AIDS in Cameroon, electronic copies of their journal articles, student’s thesis and dissertations on HIV in Cameroon, books and book sections for further inclusion in the database.
   
   By: Nchangwi Syntia M.
   
   Additional Information's:
   -> Bibliographic References on HIV/AIDS per themes:
   1. Epidemiology   4. Social Sciences
   2. Information     5. Clinical
   3. Programmatic  6. Biology

   
   

3. European Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) and the Netherlands-African partnership for capacity development and clinical interventions against poverty-related diseases (NACCAP), Project N° GC_cb_07_41700 006 «Establishment of the Central Africa Network on Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria for the conduct of clinical trials (CANTAM)». January 2009 - December 2011; Total cost 2 468 400 €.
   
   Project Staff:
   Dr. Odile OUWE MISSI OUKEM (Investigator and Cameroon Project Manager), Nelson SONELA (Phd Student), Florence MAKAMCHE (Phd. Biochemestry), Clémence Rochelle AKOUMBA (Administrative Assistant), Aliou OUMAROU (Accountant).
   
   Collaborations:
   1- In Cameroon : University of Yaoundé1; University of Buea; OCEAC.
   2- Republic of Congo: CERVE; University Marien Ngouabi.
   3- Gabon: Albert Schweitzer Hospital.
   4- Tanzania: Multilateral Initiative for Malaria.
   5- Germany: University of Tuebingen.
   
   Executive Summary:
   There is an urgent need for more sites in different geographical settings for testing new drugs and vaccines against HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis (TB) in sub- Saharan Africa. CANTAM, the Central African Network on Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria, which has been established for this purpose, is a network of four established and four developing institutions in Central Africa including one European country, and one international organization.
   
   The CIRCB, a new research Centre located in Yaoundé the capital city of Cameroon and dedicated to research on Prevention and Management of HIV/AIDS has been involved in the HIV/AIDS work package of this project. It has been considered as an African established institution for HIV/AIDS whereas the University of Buea in Cameroon and the Faculty of Health Sciences in Brazzaville have been identified as weaker sites.
   
   In 2009, the CANTAM project has allowed the CIRCB to recruit one PhD student and one young scientist, hence increasing the critical mass of scientists working at this institution. They concentrated their effort to build capacity in the field of HIV/AIDS, Good Clinical Practices, Ethics, application writing and bibliography and they have been trained in statistics.
   
   In early 2010, CANTAM started with the EDCTP site visit in Cameroon, mainly organized by the Country project Manager, based at the CIRCB. This visit greatly increased the visibility of EDCTP and CANTAM in Cameroon.
   
   In term of projects, the CIRCB and CANTAM are in the same line, with a focus on co infections: at the CIRCB, a CANTAM Cameroonian PhD student is working on HIV-malaria coinfection in children while a Congolese student is working on TB-HIV coinfection in adults and both are co-supervised by the CANTAM project manager in Cameroon. Proudly enough, our young scientist has been selected for WHO/TDR for a TDR clinical R&D fellowship and will be based at Johnson & Johnson in Belgium for 12 months. More, a senior fellowship submitted by a re entry Cameroonian has been selected for a 2-years funding in the field of HIV/AIDS, and a Clinical Trial Core Facility is being set up.
   
   In July 2010, the CANTAM project has convinced the CIRCB to organize a tailor made workshop on Good Clinical Practices and Good Laboratory Practices and therefore contributed to the training of 25 staffs (15 from CIRCB, 3 from the University Teaching Hospital and 1 from the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, all three institutions being on the same campus and 6 from other CANTAM institutions). In September, Cameroon on behalf of CANTAM organized for the very first time an ethics workshop where members of Ethics Committees (ECs) and National Regulatory Authority (NRA) from the sub-region (Gabon, Congo, and Cameroon) participated. Overall, the CIRCB and the CANTAM project (with the important contribution of AMANET and CAMBIN) have significantly strengthened capacity of scientists, ECs and NRAs in the field of GCP-GLP and Ethics.
   
   On another hand, great efforts have been made in networking with other institutions and networks. Within CANTAM, this includes the University Marien Ngouabi (UMN) of Brazzaville since from March to April a Congolese PhD student was hosted at the CIRCB for a 6-weeks internship, and in September the Cameroon project Manager of CANTAM was invited to the launching ceremony of the molecular biology laboratory of the UMN. Out of CANTAM, new relationships have started with other EDCTP Networks of Excellence (NoE), such as East Africa Consortium for Clinical Research (EACCR) and Trials of Excellence for Southern Africa (TESA). So far, CANTAM has already engaged a fruitful collaboration with EACCR and expect to strengthen relationships with TESA and WANETAM (West Africa NoE for TB, AIDS and malaria) in the near future.
   
   Additional Information's :
   1- Workshop on medical research ethics Report
   2- workshop on Good Clinical and Laboratory Practices (GCP/GLP)
   

PUBLICATIONS / ABSTRACTS

1-Publications

1. Nchangwi Syntia Munung; Chi Primus Che; Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer; and Godfrey B. Tangwa. How often are ethics approval and informed consent reported in publications on health research in Cameroon? A five-year review. Journal of Empirical Research on Health Research Ethics, 93-97, 2011 (doi: 10.1525/jer.2011.6.3.93).
   
   
2. Ambroise Wonkam, Marcel Azabji, Walinjom Muna, Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer. Ethics of human genetic studies in sub Saharan Africa: the case of Cameroon through a bibliometric study. Developing World Bioethics, In Press (doi:10.1111/j.1471-8847.2011.00305.x).
   
   
3. Miguel A. González Block, Emily M. Vargas R., Nelson Sonela, Alvaro Javier Idrovo, Odile Ouwe-Missi-Oukem-Boyer, Jean-Jacques Monot. Research capacity for institutional collaboration in Implementation Research on Diseases of Poverty. Tropical Medicine & International Health, in Press (doi:10.1111/j.1365-3156.2011.02834.x).
   
   
4. Céline N. Nkenfou, Elise Elong, Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem, Martin S. Sosso, Beatrice Dambaya, Christian Gwom, Suzie Tetang Moyo, Charlotte Tagimpundu, Georgia Ambada, Nadine Fainguem, Irenée Domkam, Etienne Nnomzo’o, Pascal Milenge, Vittorio Colizzi, Giulia Cappelli, Judith N. Torimiro, Anne C. Bisseck. Implementation of HIV Early Infant Diagnosis and HIV-1 RNA viral load determination on Dried Blood Spots in Cameroon: challenges and proposition. AIDS research and Human Retroviruses, in Press (doi: 10.1089/AID.2010.0371).

2-Peer-reviewed journal articles:

1. Bertrand Sagnia, Francis Ateba Ndongo, Suzie Ndiang Moyo Tetang, Judith Ndongo Torimiro, Cristiana Cairo, Irenée Domkam, Géraldine Agbor, Emmanuel Mve, Olive Tocke, Emilien Fouda, Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer, Vittorio Colizzi. Reference values of lymphocyte subsets in healthy, HIV-negative children in Cameroon. Clinical and Vaccine Immunology, 18; 5: 790-795, 2011.
   
   
2. André Dieudonné Mbida, Samuel Sosso, Pierre Flori, Henia Saoudin, Philip Lawrence, Marcel Monny-Lobé, MD, Yves Oyono, Edward Ndzi, Giulia Cappelli, Frédéric Lucht, Bruno Pozzetto, Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer, and Thomas Bourlet. Measure of viral Load by using the Abbott real- time HIV-1 assay on dried blood and plasma spot specimens collected in two rural dispensaries in Cameroon. Journal of AIDS, 52; 1: 9-16, 2009.

3-Other publications:

1. March 2010. Report of the Conference on “the patient of high impact diseases in the face of the traditional and scientific medicines”. Yaoundé 16-20 November 2009. Member of the drafting committee report.
   
   
2. May 2009. Rapport de l’atelier Camerounais « Itinéraires de santé du malade des pays en voie de développement face aux grandes pandémies » organized on the 26-27 May 2009 by the Association Traditions d’Avenir, in preparation of the Conference to be held in Yaoundé in November 2009. Member of the drafting committee report.
   
   
3. Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer, O., Djikeng, A., Cappelli, G., and Fouda, P.J. Tackling the human resources issue in Africa: How one institute leverages overseas talent to develop its research strategy? The Scientist 23: 24, 2009

4-Oral presentations at international conferences/meetings:

1. Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem. Implantation d’un Programme de Diagnostic Précoce des enfants nés de mères séropositives au VIH-Expérience du Cameroun. Réunions Scientifiques de la FCRM, 16 April 2011, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo (invited presentation).
   
   
2. Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem. Ethique et Essais Cliniques. Premières Journées de l’éthique au Congo, 15 April 2011, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo (invited presentation).
   
   
3. Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem. Recherche en Santé au Cameroun. Premières Journées de l’éthique au Congo, 15 April 2011, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo (invited presentation).
   
   
4. Jacques Philippe Tsala Tsala & Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer Historique de la bioéthique : le cas du Cameroun. Formation sur l’Ethique de la recherché en santé humaine, 28-29 July 2010, Cotonou, Benin (invited presentation).
   
   
5. Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem. Central Africa Network for Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria for the conduct of Clinical Trials. ISHReCA meeting, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, 12th July 2010 (invited presentation).
   
   
6. Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer, Odile; partners: Abena Ange, Achidi Eric, Awono-Ambene Parfait, Frank Matthias, Issifou Saadou, Leke Rose, Matsiegui Pierre Blaise, Ndounga Mathieu, Ndumbe Peter, Obengui, Penlap Véronique, and Ntoumi Francine (coordinator). The Central Africa Network on Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria (CANTAM) project: creation of a Network of Excellence to improve clinical research in Central Africa. Keystone symposium « Overcoming the crisis of TB and AIDS », 21-25 October 2009, Arusha, Tanzania.
   
   
7. Francine Ntoumi (Coordinator), partners: A. Abena, E. Achidi, P. Awono, O. Ouwe Missi Oukem, M. Frank, S. Issifou, M. Ndounga, V. Penlap. Central Africa Network of Excellence on Clinical Research: CANTAM. 5th Forum EDCTP, 12-14 October 2009, Arusha, Tanzania.
   
   
8. Judith Ndongo Torimiro, Appolinaire Djikeng, Suzie Tetang Ndiang, Giulia Cappelli, Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer. Exploring the impact of immune pressure on the molecular evolution of human influenza virus in Sub Saharan Africa. MISMS Influenza meeting, 21-25 April 2009, Dakar, Senegal.
   
   
9. Ambroise Wonkam, Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer, Marcel Azabji, Walinjom Muna. Questions on ethical aspects of human genetic studies in sub Saharan Africa: the case of Cameroon. The 6th Meeting of the African Society of Human Genetics in conjunction with the 1st Annual Meeting of The Cameroonian Society of Human Genetics. Hilton Hotel of Yaoundé, Cameroon, 15th March 2009 (invited presentation).
   
   
10. Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem. Ethical questions about participation in clinical trials. Compliance with contracts and commitments: Viewpoint of a researcher, Xth meeting of ethics and Bioethics from the Ministry of Health, Conference room of the Central Hospital of Yaoundé, Cameroun, 11th December 2008 (invited presentation).
    
    
11. Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer, Pierre-Blaise Matsiegui, Amadou Garba et Godfrey Tangwa. Mise en place des Comités d’Ethique en Afrique francophone : Exemple de trois approches différentes au Niger, au Cameroun et au Gabon. 3rd international francophone Bioethics meeting, 20-22 October 2008, Quebec, Canada.
    
    
12. Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer, Daniel Ekoua, Judith Ndongo Torimiro, Pascal Milengue Kibwa, Viviane Mogun Tchuente, Etienne Kembou, Giulia Cappelli, Anne-Cécile Zoung-Kanyi Bissek. The National Program on HIV Diagnosis among Infants born of HIV-positive mothers in Cameroon. International Scientific Conference on AIDS “CISSIDA 08” 6-9 October 2008, Abidjan, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.
    
    
13. Judith Ndongo Torimiro, Viviane Mogun Tchuente, Anne-Cécile Zoung-Kanyi Bissek, Pascal Milenge Kibwa, Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer, Giulia Cappelli. Role of Early HIV Diagnosis Among Infants by DNA PCR on Dried Blood Spots to Improve Access to Care in Cameroon. International Scientific Conference on AIDS “CISSIDA 08” 6-9 October 2008, Abidjan, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.
    
    
14. Bertrand Sagnia, Renata Meloch Bayambe, Judith N. Torimiro, Ghislain Noumsi, Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer and Giulia Cappelli. Reference values of lymphocyte subsets in healthy HIV-negative adults in Cameroon. International Scientific Conference on AIDS “CISSIDA 08” 6-9 October 2008, Abidjan, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.
    
    
15. Odile Ouwe-Missi-Oukem-Boyer, Présentation du Centre International de Référence “Chantal Biya” pour la Recherche sur la Prévention et la Prise en Charge du VIH/Sida. Congrès du Réseau Maladies Parasitaires et Vectorielles, 3-4 Avril 2007, Franceville, Gabon.

5-Poster presentations:

1. Odile Ouwe-Missi Oukem-Boyer, Daniel Ekoua, Judith Ndongo Torimiro, Pascal Milengue Kibwa, Suzie Tetang, Elise Elong Lobe, Etienne Kembou, Giulia Cappelli, Anne-Cécile Zoung-Kanyi Bissek. Implantation du Programme National de Diagnostic Précoce des enfants nés de mères séropositives au VIH au Cameroun: le point sur 3 années d’expérience. 5th HIV/AIDS Francophone Conference, 28-31 March 2010, Casablanca, Maroc.
   
   
2. Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer Odile; partners: Abena Ange, Achidi Eric, Awono-Ambene Parfait, Frank Matthias, Issifou Saadou, Leke Rose, Matsiegui Pierre Blaise, Ndounga Mathieu, Ndumbe Peter, Obengui, Penlap Véronique, and Ntoumi Francine (coordinator). The Central Africa Network on Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria (CANTAM) project: Building roots for clinical research in Central Africa. 5th African Aids Vaccine Programme International Conference. 13-15 December 2009, Kampala, Uganda.
   
   
3. Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer Odile; partners: Abena Ange, Achidi Eric, Awono-Ambene Parfait, Frank Matthias, Issifou Saadou, Leke Rose, Matsiegui Pierre Blaise, Ndounga Mathieu, Ndumbe Peter, Obengui, Penlap Véronique, and Ntoumi Francine (coordinator). The Central Africa Network on Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Malaria (CANTAM) project: creation of a Network of Excellence to improve clinical research in Central Africa. Keystone Symposium Overcoming the crisis of HIV and TB. 21-25 October 2009, Arusha, Tanzania.
   
   
4. S. Moyo Tetang Ndiang, Ernesta Barbieri, Bertrand Sagnia, Judith Ndongo Torimiro, Giulia Cappelli, Odile Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer. Evaluation du Programme « PTME Plus » dans un Centre de Santé à Yaoundé, Cameroun. International Scientific Conference on AIDS “CISSIDA 08” 6-9 Octobre 2008, Abidjan, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.
   
   
5. Mbida A, Sosso S, Flori P, Schaffer S, Pulvirenti R, Cisse C, Saoudin H, Oyono Y, Ndzi E, Capelli J, Oukem O, Pozzetto B, Thamm S, Monny Lobe M, Bourlet T. Measure of viral load by using the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay on dried spot specimens of blood or plasma collected in two rural dispensaries in Cameroon. 2nd International Workshop on HIV Treatment, Pathogenesis and Prevention Research in Resource-poor Settings 20-23 May 2008, Dakar, Senegal.
   
   
6. Mbida A, Sosso S, Flori P, Schaffer S, Pulvirenti R, Cisse C, Lawrence P, Saoudin H, Oyono Y, Ndzi E, Capelli J, Oukem O, Pozzetto B, Thamm S, Monny Lobe M, Bourlet T. Measure of viral load by using the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay on dried spot specimens of blood or plasma collected in two rural dispensaries in Cameroon. 25 years of HIV. Institut Pasteur, 19-21 May 2008, Paris, France.
   
   
7. J. Torimiro, G. Cappelli, R. D’Arrigo, D. Takou, O. Oukem, C. Perno, M. Monny-Lobe. Classification of Protease and Reverse Transcriptase genes of HIV Type 1 isolates from Cameroon using different rapid subtyping tools. 25 years of HIV. Institut Pasteur, 19-21 May 2008, Paris, France.
   
   
8. O. Ouwe-Missi-Oukem-Boyer, G. Cappelli, M. Monny-Lobe. The CBIRC: A pan-African initiative to improve research on HIV/AIDS in Africa. Keystone symposium on Translating New Technologies to Improve Public Health in Africa. 15th May-20th May 2008, Kampala, Uganda.
   
   
9. J. Torimiro, G. Cappelli, R. D’Arrigo, D. Takou, O. Oukem, M. Monny-Lobe, C. Perno. HIV type 1 genetic variants among hospital attendees in Yaounde. 15th International Dynamics & Evolution Workshop 27-30 April 2008, Santa Fe, USA.
   
   
10. Mbida A, Sosso S, Flori P, Schaffer S, Pulvirenti R, Cisse C, Saoudin H, Oyono Y, Ndzi E, Capelli J, Oukem O, Pozzetto B, Thamm S, Monny Lobe M, Bourlet T. Measure of viral load by using the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay on dried spot specimens of blood or plasma collected in two rural dispensaries in Cameroon. 2ème Forum de recherches fondamentales et cliniques sur le VIH, ANRS. 14-15 April 2008, Paris, France.

6-Human resources policy, technology and scientific knowledge transfer paper

1. Ouwe Missi Oukem-Boyer, O., Djikeng, A., Cappelli, G., and Fouda, P.J. Tackling the human resources issue in Africa: How one institute leverages overseas talent to develop its research strategy? The Scientist 23: 24, 2009

7-Documentation

• National Stategic Plan (French version) of the Fight against HIV/AIDS and STI Diseases.
• Cameroon 2007-2010 EID Card
• The Impact of HIV and AIDS in Cameroon through 2020