The following were achievements and progress recorded:
We currently synthesise Molybdenum oxide (MoO3), Copper oxide (CuO), magnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles, which demonstrated efficacy on some multidrug-resistant strain organisms like Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), E. Coli, Aspergillus spp, Candida Albicans, and Klebsiella Pneumoniae. These pathogens are of global health concern.
A low-cost and efficient protocol was developed for DNA extraction using available reagents in the Lab. This protocol is not only cheap and easy to prepare, but also gives similar outcomes when compared with standard kits imported from known companies.
Hands-on Training was conducted for Staff and postgraduate research students from the Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, and Medical Laboratory Science on the use of ELISA, qPCR, Gel electrophoresis and documentation on 3rd April and 8th July 2024. The training focuses on extraction, expression of DNA and nucleic acid and separation.
Under the entrepreneurship program co-hosted by the Directorate of Research and Innovation Centre of Excellency (DRICE) and IBR Lab, undergraduate students were trained on how to make Bar soap on 20th September, 2024.
All Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for old and new equipment are made up to date, these were printed and kept close to each piece of equipment.
Moreover, due to the short transition between the leadership of the institute, there were no comprehensive updates for equipment, chemicals, and reagent in the Lab. This was achieved via teamwork and dedication within a short period. It’s now a routine to record any new supplies that came into the Lab.
Considering the growing number of researchers in KIU and the driven trend for interdisciplinary research, a new extension Lab was created by converting the old histology lab into a new IBR extension. This new Lab fosters collaborative research with scholars from Pharmacy, Basic and Natural Science, and Engineering to work together. The IBR main Lab is currently considered a Neuroscience and Molecular Biology Lab.
The IBR Labs has been the focal point of most accreditation Teams, assessing the capacity of conducting quality research in KIU. Recently, we received accreditation teams from the Ugandan Council for Higher Education and the Ugandan Nursing Council, and a visit by the Vice Chancellor and the University Council in 2024. The visit had propelled KIU to a successful outcome. The teams were amazed at the organisation and state-of-the-art equipment acquired by KIU, which is not available in most public universities in Uganda.