A. In preparation for PhD

1       Gene Manipulation Techniques Course, August 1986. This was a 10 weeks full-time course at the Department of Microbiology, University of Lund, Sweden. The course involved extraction of DNA and mRNA from tissues, cloning and expression of genes prepared from DNA, or cDNA prepared by reverse transcriptase. It involved also practical on DNA hybridization and sequencing techniques.

2       Mechanism of Insulin Action, International Conference where the hormonal signal transduction for insulin was discussed in detail, Falsterbo, Sweden June 1987.

3       Hormone Receptor Preparation and Characterization Techniques, 4 weeks course. It involved preparation of receptors from tissue homogenate using various biochemical techniques with especial emphasis on growth hormone receptor from rat liver, Department of Medical & Physiological Chemistry, University of Lund Sept. 1987.

4       Hormone Sensitive Lipase Characterization, International Conference, Falsterbo, Sweden June 1988.

5       Monoclonal Antibodies Applications and Techniques, two weeks course with lectures and practical on monoclonal antibodies preparation and uses, Department of Immunology, Stockholm, Sweden Nov. 1988.

B. Attendance of courses, workshops and Scientific Meetings after PhD:

1       Malaria Parasite Culture and Metabolic labeling of parasite molecules, two months course where I learned how to make long term malaria parasite cultures and studied some of the metabolic activity in the growing parasite by addition of radiolabeled metabolites to the culture media, Department of Medical Parasitology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, Feb-April 1994.

2       Scientific Meeting of European Commission-supported malaria research projects, Heidelberg Germany Sep. 1999. As the Sudanese coordinator I presented a report on the project entitled “Immunity to Plasmodium falciparum malaria in African villages: longitudinal immunological, epidemiological and parasite genetic studies” on behalf of the Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum. The European Commission supported this project with $ 617000 US Dollars. It was collaborative research between two institutes from Europe (Institute of Cell, Animal and Population Biology, University of Edinburgh, U.K, and Institute of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark); two African institutes (The Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, and the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Accra, Ghana). Several students were trained to the MSc and PhD level on the project (Dr. Hayder Ahmed Giha and Dr. Gamila Ibrahim Ahmed, both are now PhD holders and members of the department staff, in addition to Dr. Amel Awad Hamad from the National Laboratory).

3       African Malaria Vaccine Testing Network (AMVTN) workshop. Venue: Bagamoyo, Tanzania, 28 February. 2000 – 1 March 2000. The workshop was on Good Clinical Practice and Clinical Trials Methodology. It covered important issues such as history, laws, regulations, ethics of clinical and field research, preparation of research protocols, informed consent, monitoring of longitudinal studies, documentation of findings of clinical field research etc.

4       Protocol Development Workshop on anti-malarial combination therapy, organized by WHO/TDR/ Drug Resistance and Polices Department, Geneva. Venue: Bamako, Mali, 22-26 May 2000. The workshop was a gathering of scientists involved in research on malaria chemotherapy, from Africa and the North. It was one of WHO headquarters initiatives to face the growing threat of antimalarial drug resistance globally and especially in Africa where the first line drug (chloroquine) has shown failure in many countries. Different protocols on antimalarial combination therapy were discussed in addition to the potential sites for pilot studies. We are now carrying out a WHO supported study on malaria combination therapy in eastern Sudan (Gadarif and New Halfa).

5       Workshop on Immunology and Pathogenesis of malaria Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Ghana 26 Nov – 3 Dec. 2000 organized by Multilaterial Initiative on Malaria in Africa (MIM /TDR/WHO). The participants were African scientists and their associates who received grants from TDR/WHO and involved in malaria immunology and pathogenesis research. The workshop involved lectures, presentations and laboratory work on advanced immunological techniques including ELISPOT and FACS. In the same meeting we formed the MIMPAC (Malaria Immunology and Pathogenesis Consortium). I am a member of the steering committee of the consortium since then.

6       MIM/TDR/WHO supported projects on malaria meeting, Harare, Zimbabwe, March 2001. The meeting was for the MIM Task Force to evaluate the progress reports of MIM supported projects on malaria in Africa. In this meeting I presented the first report of our research on malaria immunology and pathogenesis which received support from MIM/TDR/WHO (($ 60000 US Dollars). The report was accepted and renewal support was approved with $70000 US Dollars.

7       MIMPAC workshop on development of complementary research proposals in the area of malaria immunology and pathogenesis, Lambarene, Gabon, 1- 6 Oct 2001. The workshop was funded by the MIM/TDR/WHO. Myself, and other principle investigators composing the MIMPAC delivered oral presentations of the suggested proposals. The workshop emphasized the importance of complementarily of the research carried by the different groups in the consortium, harmonization of laboratory protocols, exchange of students training, design of relevant workshops, and maximum usability of available capital equipments each partner’s laboratories. Two of proposals developed by the consortium in this workshop (exchange of student training and organization of two workshops) were approved for support by MIM/TDR/WHO.

8       Genomics and public health policy course organized by the African Centre for Technology studies (ACTS) and the Joint Centre for Bioethics, University of Toronto, Canada. Venue: Nairobi, 4-8 Mars 2002. The course covered the current status and implications of health genomics/biotechnology, and provided information relevant to public policy on health genomic/biotechnology. It also provided frameworks for analyzing and debating the policy issues and related ethical questions in health genomics/biotechnology, and it provided participants with knowledge to understand, anticipate and possibly influence the legal and regulatory frameworks under which health biotechnology industries will operate. The course resulted in the formation of an African Forum of Genomics and Biotechnology (AFGB) through which the participants are very well connected and we usually get the latest information in the area of genomics and public health.

9       The first African Health leadership workshop, 7-18 Oct 2002, Arusha, Tanzania. The workshop was organized by the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria in Africa (MIM/TDR/WHO) and the African Malaria Network Trust (AMANET). The participants were leaders of malaria research in Africa. The workshop addressed the issue of management and leadership skills through a program of training, mentorship, and development of a virtual network of malaria research institutions in Africa. The training focused on the skills and attitudes required for effective leadership of a research institution.

10    The Task Force on Malaria Research Capability Strengthening in Africa (MIM) meeting, 10 – 14 Mars 2003, Maputo, Mozambique. Oral presentation: progress report on the project entitled “Description of the clinical features and immuno-pathology of severe malaria in area of unstable transmission in Sudan”. The report was accepted by the Task Force and extension of the project was approved.

11    MIMPAC Steering Committee meeting 19-22 February 2004, Tubingen, Germany. The meeting was supported by MIM/TDR/WHO.