Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice-Chancellor of the Institution of Ghana (UG), has officially broken ground on the West African Genetic Medicine Centre (WAGMC), a multi-use genomic medicine building complex, at the university.
When finished, the structure will offer instructional, clinical, and research services to the general public and to students.
The study of genes (DNA) and how they affect people's health is known as genomic medicine. It looks at the use of a person's biological data to enhance clinical care and health outcomes through accurate diagnosis and individualised therapy.
Genomic research refers to the examination of a person's complete genetic makeup, whereas genetic research focuses on certain genes or collections of DNA "letters" along the strand.
It is concerned with how genes interact and relate to one another and is connected to illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and asthma that have a wider range of causes.
The two acres of land on the university campus will be used to construct the multipurpose building.
A two-level structure with 200-capacity classrooms, 250-capacity labs, and a cutting-edge auditorium will house the project's initial phase.
Research
The World Bank is funding the project, with the first phase, which consists of the brick and mortar construction, costing GH5.3 million. The project is anticipated to be finished in nine months.
The second phase, which includes mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work and is anticipated to cost GH400,000, will be completed in five months. In a brief ceremony yesterday, Prof. Amfo said the project, especially as she marked her 250th day in office, lay forth a bold vision to revive all parts of the university's activities via six essential objectives.
According to her, the initiative would reinvigorate influential research in the humanities and applied sciences, leading to higher research funding, rapid development in research outputs, and active community interactions.
In order to foster creativity and innovation, Prof. Amfo remarked, "I think this new facility will help us develop a sense of ownership and commitment among students, professors, staff, and alumni."
Project
Prof. Solomon Ofori-Acquah, the director of the WAGMC, stated that the facility's long-term objective was to collaborate with the university to establish itself as a global research arm in Africa.
He claimed that in order to conserve money and have complete control over the process, the project was being completed in six lots.
He praised the Vice-Chancellor on behalf of his group for her brave leadership and cool competence to make a change.
Prof. Lorna Renner, the WAGMC's deputy director, noted that the initiative was significant for the WAGMC since it was now recognised as an African Center of Excellence (ACE).
Its location between the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) and the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research, with which the centre would collaborate to further greater scientific research, was ideally positioned, according to the spokeswoman.
Re: WAGMC
The University of Ghana's WAGMC is an ACE of Higher Education.
It was first formed in 2019 under a performance and financing contract between the university and the Ministry of Finance with funds from the International Development Association of the World Bank for the development of genetic medicine.
The centre focuses on malignancies that are acquired by somatic gene mutations, other prevalent diseases including sickle cell disease, and human genetic abnormalities, particularly sickle cell disease.