Program

CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
Nov. 6th, 2020

The conference part will be held on Nov. 6th and will comprise talks covering a wide range of topics. We are honored to have the participation of world-leading scientists who will deliver illuminating talks on topics covering various aspects of COVID-19 as well as relevant diagnostics and advanced biomedical technologies.

We have uploaded names of speakers and talk titles. Please check below for details.

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Talks will be delivered at the times indicated in the program below. Click on the button above to download conference program in pdf.
IMPORTANT: DO NOT RECORD ANY PRESENTATION WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION FROM AIBBC or THE SPEAKER.

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS (ALL INVITED)

We are honored to have an international team of high profile speakers from diverse geographical and research backgrounds. You can check details of presentation schedule from the program table below.

*In the table below, SPEAKERS ARE LISTED IN ORDER OF PRESENTATION SCHEDULE. Please note that the order may change without notice.
*Please note that time is indicated in EAST AFRICAN TIME.
(To check your local time, click here>>>>WORLD CLOCK )

TIME (in EAST AFRICAN TIME ZONE) ZOOM LINK	Speaker	Title	Abstract (in brief)
TIME: 12:00-12:15	Dr. Hideki Kambara, Emeritus Fellow , HItachi Central Lab. Japan	Opening speech. AIBBC Past, Present and Future.	Welcome message from the horonary chair of AIBBC.
TIME: 12:15-12:40	Prof. Ulf Landegren Uppsala Univ., Sweden	Molecular tools for affinity-based protein analyses	Analyses of proteins in tissues and body fluids provide dynamic information about states of health. Our lab is developing and applying methods where DNA-conjugated antibodies are used in proximity ligation reactions for large-scale protein analyses, using minimal aliquots of samples such as plasma from blood draws, dried blood spots collected on paper, or lysates of fine needle biopsies of tissues of interest, or even of single cells.
TIME: 12:40-13:05	Prof. Tatsuro Irimura Juntendo University, School of Med., Japan	Glycosylation regulates infection of enveloped virus	A few reports on genome-wide search for mutations of genes associated with aggravation of COVID-19 revealed that one of few involved genes turned out to be a glycosyltransferase which determines blood group ABO antigens. How could glycans determine susceptibility to viral infection? We previously reported that glycosylation of the envelope spike glycoprotein of Ebola virus is a critical determinant of its infectivity through the interaction with a C-type lectin (carbohydrate binding protein) expressed on the surface of macrophages and dendritic cells. Because the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 is also highly glycosylated and potentially contains a variety of glycans, there are possible mechanisms by glycans and glycan-recognition molecules play key roles in the initiation and the aggravation of COVID-19. (Fujihira et al, Sci Rep, 8: 5495, 2018)
TIME: 13:05-13:30	Dr. Elijah Kolawole OLADIPO Adeleke University, Osun State, Nigeria	Exploring Surface Glycoprotein to Design Multi-Epitope Vaccine against COVID-19	Immunoinformatics approach to vaccine design which takes advantage of antigenic and non-allergenic epitopes present on the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 to illicit immune responses was employed in this study. Result obtained indicated that this novel vaccine candidate is non-toxic, capable of initiating immunogenic response and will not induce allergic reaction. Finally, the immune simulation study revealed the effective performances as well as stability of the vaccine protein. At this point the vaccine awaits animal trial to validate its efficacy and safety for use in the prevention of the novel COVID-19 infections.
TIME: 13:30-13:55	Dr. Joe K. Mutungi Univ. of Ghana, Ghana	Molecular and serological epidemiology of covid-19 in Ghana	Here we will report on whole genome sequences of 46 isolates of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (the cause of COVID-19) obtained in Ghana; 15 from the early phase (March 12-April1 2020) and 31 from a later phase (May 25 - May 27 2020). To estimate the COVID-19 burden in the population, we have also carried out a seroprevalence survey of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG antibodies at multiple sites in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana between 1 August and September 30, 2020. We will report on the findings of this study too.
TIME: 13:55-14:20	Dr. Yuki Furuse Kyoto University, Japan	Viruses that Can and Cannot Coexist with Humans and the Future of SARS-CoV-2	As a person from the field of not biotechnology but public health, I will discuss in this talk how past and present human viruses emerged, spread, and persisted or disappeared after zoonotic introduction. These aspects of viral disease may provide clues for the future path that SARS-CoV-2 might take in relation to human infection.
TIME: 14:20-14:45	Prof. Guido Poli Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Italy	A Tale of Two Pandemics. HIV vs. SARS-CoV-2	The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which emerged in the early ‘80s, has infected 38 million people worldwide, killing at least 25 millions, mostly in the pre-therapy era, and continues to spread in all countries. On the other hand, human coronaviruses were not considered a serious threat to human health until the insurgence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in China in late 2002. Then, ra third coronavirus, related to the causative agent of SARS and called SARS-CoV-2, has emerged in late 2019 in China and infected almost 38 million people (killing more than a million) in ongoing 2020. Both HIV and SARS-CoV-2 are RNA viruses, however, with very distinct molecular features and target cells that illustrate their different impact on human health. Their main distinctive features will be discussed.
TIME: 14:45-15:10	Dr. Kwadwo A. Kusi University of Ghana, Ghana	The role of T cells in COVID-19	Life-threatening disease etiology from SARS-CoV-2 relates to the development of symptoms as a result of the induction of a cytokine storm that causes the observed lung pathology. Antibody responses and B cell memory are thought to be relatively short-lived and correlate strongly with disease severity and recovery. T cell responses are however believed to be more robust and many of the current vaccine development efforts aim at inducing cellular responses. I will present a broad overview of the current knowledge of T cell immunity against COVID-19, including the potential for T cell response cross-reactivity between SARS-CoV-2 and other human Corona Viruses.
TIME: 15:10-15:35	Prof. Yutaka Suzuki The University of Tokyo, Japan	Liberating the sequencing power to address the real world questions	Very recently, a further new type sequence has been developed. MinION is a disposable sequencer, by which the sequencing is possible without any pre-installation of expensive sequencers or any specific skills in biological experiments. Even electric supply is not required, MinION connected to a laptop PC. These features of MinION have opened a new opportunity of the sequencing analysis in developing countries, even in their field areas, where high initial investment is not always affordable. Indeed, the DNA sequencing has been performed in jungles, high mountains, anti-Arctic and finally in the Space Station. The DNA sequencing technology is now bringing various new challenges for researchers truly worldwide. The target covers humans, wild animals to environmental microbes, including pathogens of infectious diseases.
TIME: 15:35-16:00	Prof. Masood K.-Moghaddam Uppsala Univ. SWEDEN	Advanced Molecular Tools for Detection and Characterization of Exosomes	DNA-assisted proximity assays are powerful and versatile tools for sensitive, precision and high throughput detection of macromolecules such as DNA, RNA and proteins as well as posttranslational modifications in in situ and in liquid biopsies. We have developed a large number of affinity-based proximity assays for single- and multiplex detection of large complexes. Several of these technologies, such as proximity ligation assay (PLA) combined with flow cytometry readout, multiplex proximity extension assays (PEA), proximity barcoding assays (PBA) and padlock technology are used for sensitive detection and characterization of individual exosomes and viruses.
TIME: 16:00-16:25	Prof. Masahiro Takei Chiba Univ., Japan	Possibility of Parasite Detection in Body & Blood by Electrical Impedance Tomography and Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy	This presentation therefore provides an insight into the morphological and dielectrical property changes of RBC and blood system through the various parasite infection stages or response to drugs and how they can be used for parasite detection especially during novel drug assays. Dielectrical measurements are envisioned to replace the use of radiolabelled agents such as radiolabelled hypoxanthine to improve human safety during blood parasite detection and novel drugs assays
TIME: 16:25-16:50	Prof. Darius Rackus ETH Zurich,Switzerland & Ryerson University, Canada	Digital microfluidics for point-of-care testing	Digital microfluidics (DMF) is a liquid handling technique that manipulates discrete droplets on the nano to microliter range on an insulated array of electrodes using electrostatic forces. This talk will discuss some of the challenges and solutions for translating this technology from the research laboratory to the field. Examples of electrochemical sensor integration, immunoassay development, and low-cost and portable fabrication techniques will be included. A summary of the first field deployment of a DMF immunoassay system, which was conducted in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya, will be presented.
TIME: 16:50-17:15	Dr. Jesse Gitaka Mount Kenya University, Kenya	Enhancing the utility of RT-LAMP for COVID 19 Point of Care Diagnosis	Molecular point of care diagnostics such as reverse transcription Loop amplification that do not need thermo-cycling have great potential. Nonetheless, with most protocols, these require nucleic acid extraction as well as need for cold chain for reagents. We shall explore a number of strategies to enhance utility of these tests at the point of care. We shall share the Immiscible Filtration Assisted by Surface Tension (IFAST) strategy that is showing very promising results in enabling RNA extraction, isothermal amplification and visualisation in a single lab-on-a-chip device.
TIME: 17:15-17:40	Dr. Sara Suliman Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, USA	Standardized evaluation of serological lateral flow assays	To date, we evaluated 17 serological lateral flow assays (LFAs) on 112 plasma samples: 56 pre-epidemic SARS-CoV2 negative samples (including 10 HIV-positive), and 56 SARS-CoV2-positive samples, confirmed by gold-standard PCR tests. We published an online tool that calculates the positive predictive values given the test accuracy and prevalence in the population. The goal is to provide an accessible tool for end users to interpret the results of COVID tests.
TIME: 17:40-18:05	Dr. El-ad David CEO, Astrolabe Diagnostics, USA	The challenges of analyzing high-complexity cytometry data	The past decade has seen the introduction of new instruments that allow routine acquisition of panels with 30 markers or more, such as the Fluidigm CyTOF, BD Symphony, and Cytek Aurora. The advent of high-complexity cytometry is one of the most exciting trends in the field. However, these technologies also lead to new challenges around population identification ("gating"), statistical robustness, and the increasing demand for computational power. Join Dr. El-ad David Amir, the CEO and founder of Astrolabe Diagnostics, for a discussion of the pitfalls of high-complexity cytometry and tools for addressing them.
TIME: 18:05-18:30	Prof. J Paul Robinson Purdue University, USA	Flow Cytometry: Changing the landscape of cell analysis transitioning into truly big data	For decades flow cytometry has had a capacity to collect a large amount of data from a single cell. As instrument technology advanced so too did the amount of data collected. A time came when the data collected outpaced traditional methods of analysis and it because clear that huge datasets contained vastly more information that could be extracted using traditional gating, histograms and dotplots. Then spectral flow cytometry arrived and forced yet another change. Now instead of focusing on a population of cells defined by a single detector, the spectrum became the “detector” and an entirely different process for extracting data was required. However, the data expansion has only just begun. We are proposing a vast increase in data capacity with the introduction of entirely digital data collection, with new parameters that can enhance knowledge in biological systems with the collection of hundreds of simultaneous parameters. This talk will outline the future of flow cytometry.
TIME: 18:30-18:40	Prof. Collins Ouma, AIBBC Chair, Maseno University, Kenya	CLosing remarks	Closing remarks