UNIVERSITY CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTER

Experience

The University Clinical Research Center (UCRC) is a joint initiative between the Ministry of Health and the Public Hygiene, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB) in Mali and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States to enhance the infrastructure and resources needed to facilitate clinical research in Mali. The UCRC will provide core research capacities in areas like research regulations, data management and diagnostics as well as helping investigators to initiate and implement research protocols. The center is located at the Point G Hospital, Bamako, Mali.

The UCRC provides a variety of services including clinical trial operations; administrative management; scientific protocol design; clinical, molecular and immunology laboratory services and a repository with staff trained in multiple laboratory techniques, including samples processing; pharmacy; data collection and management; and regulatory affairs support and others.

The UCRC will enable researchers to utilize knowledge, expertise and resources to test and develop novel diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic inventions according to international standards that will enhance the quality of healthcare. The center will also provide opportunities to young investigators for training in research. The UCRC encourages collaborations on local, national and international level to increase the scientific capacity of the project and enhance the sustainability of the research infrastructure.

OUR MISSION

The University Clinical Research Center ( UCRC) is a collaborative partnership formed in 2013 between the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Mali, the University of Sciences, Techniques and Technologies of Bamako/Mali (USTTB), and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Bethesda, Maryland.

This collaborative partnership aims to:

• Facilitate the development of a coordinated clinical research program in Mali;

• Enhance the existing clinical research programs and facilitate their growth and sustainability;

• Stimulate clinical research in West Africa that is guided by international standards and principles;

• Develop and excellent research environment that will foster collaborations and attract researchers worldwide. The UCRC encourages collaborations on a local, national and international level to increase the scientific capacity of the project and enhance the sustainability of the research infrastructure. However, it is important that such collaborations are within the scope of the scientific definition of the project, related closely to the focus of the project and adequately funded.

OUR SUPPORT

UCRC supports patient oriented research and epidemiology studies to include research involving:

1) Mechanisms and distribution of disease;

2) Therapeutic interventions;

3) Clinical trials;

4) Development of new technologies.

UCRC has available to its staff and partners, several fully developed laboratories, to include a fully certified BSL-3 lab, a dedicated molecular and genetic analysis lab, and a core immunology and hematology lab.

Additionally, the UCRC facility itself will come equipped with multiple patient exam rooms, a pharmacy, a laboratory sample processing center, and a sample Biospecimen repository.

Research interests

NIH, IVCC, Kirby Institute, Wellcome Trust

Disease areas

• Cancer
• Dengue
• HIV
• Leishmaniasis
• Malaria
• Maternal Health
• Neuro Infections
• TB
• Yellow Fever
• Zika

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