Centre International de Reference Chantal BIYA

04/12/2025

This recent Paper from Ka'e et al. highlights the research priorities to advance HIV Cure research in West and Central Africa.

01/12/2025

01/12/2025

38ème Journée mondiale de lutte contre le Sida, le CIRCB fidèle et aux côtés des autres acteurs engagés pour vaincre la pandémie à VIH au Cameroun.

-------
28th WAD: CIRCB among the key stakeholders engaged in the fight against HIV and Aids in our country.

16/11/2025

DISCOVER OUR LABS (2)

Here, the Medical Analysis Laboratory

---------

Bienvenue au Laboratoire d'Analyses Médicales (LAM)

13/11/2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj4hsL0pCMo

CLIMADE
Climate Change and Epidemic Report COP30.
A very interesting report from Tulio de OLIVEIRA

A consortium for the future

11/11/2025

LET’S HAVE AN UPDATE OF DR. ALEX NKA IN HIS JOURNEY

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗺𝘆 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗦 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗝𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆
I’m delighted to share some of the recent and truly enriching activities carried out as part of the Africa STARS Fellowship Program.

𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:
During this session, we explored how to approach public health challenges, from identifying the core problem to proposing innovative diagnostic tools and preventive strategies through vaccination. Led by Tulio de Oliveira and Richard Lessells, this session reinforced the vital role of multidisciplinary collaboration in addressing complex public health issues.

𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗴𝗲𝗻 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲:
We delved into essential concepts such as Introduction to the Linux Command Line, from Sequencing to FASTQ, Genome Assembly (FASTQ to FASTA), Fundamentals of Molecular Evolution, Pairwise and Multiple Sequence Alignment, Data Quality Control and GISAID Submission, Classification of Sequences Using Public Tools, Phylogenetic Inference, and Ancestral State Reconstruction, among others.
These sessions were expertly coordinated by Eduan Wilkinson, Tomasz Sanko J. Sanko, Monika Moir, Yajna R. Nikita Sitharam, Derek Tshiabuila, and Graeme Dor.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘀:
As part of the fellowship, we visited LASEC, a Cape Town–based biomedical manufacturing company, to gain insight into local production processes, including the packaging of diagnostic tools like DBS cards for early infant HIV diagnostics. It was fascinating to engage with their team on the challenges and opportunities for biomedical manufacturing in Africa.
We also visited Immobazyme, a biotech startup specializing in enzyme manufacturing. Guided by Dominic Nicholas (CEO) and Ethan Hunter (COO), we explored the entire enzyme production pipeline and discussed the entrepreneurial challenges faced by young innovators in this field. I was particularly inspired by their youthful, dynamic team and their passion for scientific innovation on the continent.
A heartfelt thank you to the Africa STARS Fellowship Program for this invaluable experience. The journey continues!

13/10/2025

LET'S DISCOVER THE CIRCB LIVE FROM ITS LABORATORIES (1)

----------------------

PLONGEE IMMERSIVE AU COEUR DE L'ACTIVITE DU CIRCB (1)

23/09/2025

Our Young Talents (2)

A JOURNEY WITH SUZANNE HIPPOLITE MAGAGOUM, PH.D

It's PhinisheD, and the red gown has been worn! All the Glory goes to God Almighty!
I flew to Cape Town last week to receive my PhD diploma.
The story behind my PhD journey is full of “ups and downs” and “twists and turns”. After 7 years spent in Cameroon, I did another program.

Under The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) PhD fellowship, I started my PhD in September 2021 at the University of Cape Town.
My thesis was entitled “In vitro comparison of cytotoxicity effect of different recombinant immunotherapeutics for selective killing of melanotransferrin-expressing tumor cells”. It focused on generating novel recombinant targeted therapeutics against melanotransferrin (MTf)-expressing tumor cells. I further investigated the expression of MTf antigen on TNBC cell lines, which could be a promising marker for its immunodiagnosis and therapy. I generated recombinant fusion proteins bearing the variable fragments of an anti-MTf antibody as the delivery system of a toxic payload. I further evaluated the cytotoxicity of an auristatin F (AURIF)-based Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), Near-infrared photoimmunotherapeutic (NIR-PIT), and Pseudomonas exotoxin A-based recombinant immunotoxin towards MTf-positive cells. It was found that: (1) TNBC cells express MTf antigen at a higher level; (2) all the recombinant immunotherapeutics generated kill MTf-positive melanoma and TNBC cell lines in a dose-dependent manner while not affecting MTf-negative cells. Those findings demonstrate proof-of-concept of the development of next-generation targeted therapies against MTf-positive cell lines.

Through that program, I learned a lot about protein expression and characterization, precision medicine and targeted immunotherapy of cancer. The thesis generated two research articles, one published in “Cancer Medicine” and the second in the process of submission in “Cells”.
Thank you to my funder OWSD and SIDA.

Many Thanks to my incredible supervisor, Prof Stefan Barth. He was also a mentor and a father figure in Cape Town.

During the last years of the program, I was privileged to be mentored by As/Pr. Georgia Schäfer (IDM mentorship program). She empowered me in many ways since I felt tired with my long story under the status of a “PhD student”. Working with her was so rewarding. I restated myself through her advice and guidance. Each of our meetings was an occasion to learn more, expand my strength and ability to achieve great things. Thank you !

Thank you to my peers and friends for sheering me on, being supportive and making my stay in Cape Town livable.

Thank you to anyone who accompanied me on this journey, even a “No” or those who left the boat early, was just a REDIRECTION for me. I LEARNED/GAINED something with each of you.
I am not only celebrating a degree, I am also celebrating years of hard work, dedication, and FAITH that “it is possible as long as you put effort”, most importantly, I am celebrating years of RESILIENCE.

22/09/2025

Our Young Talents (1)

A JOURNEY WITH DR ALEX DURAND NKA

I’m delighted to share my enriching experience from the first four weeks of the African Stars Fellowship Programme at the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), Cape Town South Africa. These weeks have been truly transformative, both professionally and personally.

Week 1: Leadership & CORE
Explored values of leadership, emotional intelligence, empathy, communication, and stress management. This helped me shape my own 3-year leadership plan.

Week 2: Media & Communication
Highly interactive! We learned how to adapt messages to different audiences, use social media effectively, and even approach TV interviews. I was especially struck by the power of photography as a science communication tool. Quote of the week: “Good communication cannot hide bad science, and bad communication ruins good science.”

Week 3: Grant Management
From biosketches to budgets and audits, we covered every step of grant writing, with practical examples of real funding calls. My biggest lesson: preparation, teamwork, and resilience are key and failure is part of growth.

Week 4 : Wet Lab Training
Hands-on NGS sequencing of influenza virus samples using the Illumina COVIDSeg protocol. A rich mix of theory, practice, and even creative quizzes made learning both rigorous and fun.

Beyond training, we also enjoyed Cape Town’s vibrant culture with concerts, a rugby match, and wine tasting strengthening bonds with my fellows.

Huge thanks to the African Stars Fellowship Programme (hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag ), to the amazing facilitators, to my home institution CIRCB, and my inspiring fellows.

This journey is just beginning and I’m excited for the chapters ahead!

01/09/2025

BAGOFIT
LE CIRCB Y ETAIT ENCORE

Tradition respectée à l’occasion de la 1ère édition de le Course international VTT « Chantal BIYA »
Partenaire stratégique et sûr de cette compétition depuis les premières éditions nationales, le Centre International de Référence « Chantal BIYA » pour la recherche sur la prévention et la prise en charge du VIH/Sida (CIRCB) a été l’une des institutions de santé à honorer l’événement qui a eu lieu le 30 août 2025 à Bagofit. Cette localité du département du Haut-Nyong dans la région de l’Est, qui se détermine au fil du temps comme une destination touristique majeure, a l’insigne honneur d’abriter désormais une compétition reconnue au niveau international. L’initiative du VTT dans notre pays est en effet une vision reconnue désormais par l’Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). Et à l’occasion de la première édition au lendemain de la reconnaissance de l’UCI, le CIRCB a bien tenu sa place.
Il faut dire que la participation du CIRCB à cette grande manifestation remonte à quelques semaines, dans le cadre de la vaste campagne de santé baptisée « Akiba, Ossoko maman Chantal BIYA », qui s’est déployée dans les quatre départements de la région de l’Est, couvrant ainsi 33 districts de santé. C’était du 10 au 15 août 2025. L’objectif initial était de soulager et de soigner 100 000 patients. Au décompte final, ce sont un peu plus de 140 000 personnes qui ont bénéficié des soins et traitements prodigués par les équipes médicales déployées auprès des populations, dont des femmes et enfants parmi les plus vulnérables. Le CIRCB a apporté son appui et son expertise de laboratoire, notamment dans le dépistage du VIH.
En amont de tout ceci, un Congrès scientifique, présidé par le Pr. Alexis NDJOLO, Directeur Général du CIRCB, a pendant deux jours, du 7 au 8 août, planché sur les défis sanitaires que connait la région de l’Est en particulier. De nombreux experts camerounais en santé, toutes disciplines confondues ont mené des réflexions sur les problématiques de santé singulières de la région. Occasion d’outiller les personnels et responsables de santé appelés à exercer dans la région du soleil levant en toute efficacité et efficience. Ceci s’est fait sous le thème : « la région de l’Est face aux défis sanitaires ». Il s’est agi dans le fond de se faire une vue des actualités sur les risques sanitaires, avec en ligne de mire la Couverture santé universelle (CSU) dans le contexte actuel de la région, de même que des enjeux et défis de la décentralisation sanitaire. Un programme riche et varié au final.
A l’issue de la première édition de la Course internationale VTT « Chantal BIYA », la région de l’Est marque un satisfécit qui ne saurait se démentir, tant le mois d’août 2025 aura été mis à profit pour mobiliser la santé, le tourisme et le sport, le tout agrémenté d’activités socio-culturelles et économiques.
Vivement l’édition prochaine.

01/09/2025

BAGOFIT

THE CIRCB WAS THERE AGAIN

Tradition upheld at the first edition of the ‘Chantal BIYA’ International Mountain Bike Race

As strategic and reliable partner of this competition since its first national editions, the Chantal BIYA International Reference Centre for Research on HIV/AIDS Management and Care (CIRCB) was one of the health institutions to honour the event, which took place on August 30, 2025 in Bagofit. This locality in the Upper Nyong division in the East region, which is gradually establishing itself as a major tourist destination, now has the distinct honour of hosting an internationally recognised competition. The mountain biking initiative in our country is now recognised by the International Cycling Union (UCI). And on the occasion of the first edition following the UCI's recognition, the CIRCB held its own.
It should be noted that the CIRCB's participation in this major event dates back a few weeks, as part of the extensive health campaign called ‘Akiba, Ossoko maman Chantal BIYA’, which was rolled out in the four divisions of the Eastern region, covering 33 health districts. It took place from 10 to 15 August 2025. The initial objective was to provide relief and treatment to 100,000 patients. In the end, just over 140,000 people benefited from the care and treatment provided by the medical teams deployed to the communities, including some of the most vulnerable women and children. The CIRCB provided its support and laboratory expertise, particularly in HIV screening.
Prior to this, a scientific conference chaired by Prof. Alexis NDJOLO, Director General of CIRCB, spent two days, from 7 to 8 August, discussing the health challenges facing the Eastern region in particular. Numerous Cameroonian health experts from all disciplines reflected on the region's unique health issues. This was an opportunity to equip health personnel and managers called upon to work in this part of the country with the tools they need to do so effectively and efficiently. The theme of the conference was ‘The Eastern Region Facing Health Challenges’. The aim was to provide an overview of current health risks, with a focus on universal health coverage (UHC) in the current context of the region, as well as the issues and challenges of health decentralisation. The result was a rich and varied programme.
At the end of the first edition of the ‘Chantal BIYA’ International Mountain Bike Race, the East Region is delighted with the results, as August 2025 was used to promote health, tourism and sport, all complemented by socio-cultural and economic activities.
We look forward to the next edition.

07/08/2025

Campagne de Santé gratuite dans la région de l’EST "OSSOKO, AKIBA MAMAN CHANTAL BIYA"
Du 10 au 15 août et du 25 au 30 août 2025 dans les 33 arrondissements de la Région de l'Est

Les différents défis à relever :
1. Accès limité aux services de santé : La Région de l'Est est caractérisée par une densité de population faible, des infrastructures de santé insuffisantes et un manque de personnel médical qualifié.
2. Maladies infectieuses : La Région est affectée par des maladies infectieuses telles que le paludisme, la tuberculose et les maladies diarrhéiques.
3. Problèmes de santé maternelle et infantile : La mortalité maternelle et infantile est élevée dans la région en raison d'un accès limité aux services de santé maternelle et infantile.