Molecular Biology Center

Our efforts are directed towards Research and development

Research is one of the most important branches of MBC and is conducted by a team of
multi-disciplinary researchers with focus on Tropical diseases (diagnosis and drug discovery), search for new restriction enzymes, and development of diagnostic tool and molecular biology research products. In order to bring more of our contribution in the improvement of molecular biology laboratories in Cameroon and in the African continent, it is critical to bring down the cost of some of the basic scientific equipment through local manufacturing and also through building a capacity for their maintenance.

Some of the research activities of the Center include the followings:

1. Diagnosis and epidemiology of diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and dengue fever
2. Screening for Natural products with therapeutic properties in collaboration with tradi-practionners

– Research and development of affordable anti HIV/AIDS medicines for developing countries based on natural products isolated from Cameroon’s plant biodiversity:

We have successfully identified several plants extracts with inhibitory activity against HIV in cell culture with no toxicity. IC50 range in the 2µg/ml of crude extract. Development is under progress

• Screening for new restriction enzymes

This project has yielded and is yielding several interesting new restriction enzymes among which one is patented (CspCI, InternationalPatentOffice0. 2005,WO200594516A).

For this project we have collaborated for many years with the leading company in restriction enzymes: New England Biolabs in the USA.

Below some of our findings (on the market, commercialized by New England Biolabs):

BceAI, BfuAI, BfuCI, BpuEI, BseYI, BspCNI and CspCI

 And many not yet on the market under characterization:

• Cameroon bacterial type collection

So far we have recorded 2000 bacteria isolates in our collection