Dr Mahmoud Bukar Maina, born and raised in Yobe State, Nigeria, currently a Research Fellow in Sussex Neuroscience, the Outreach Coordinator for TReND and visiting Associate Professor at Yobe State University (YSU), became inspired to help address these challenges after joining “TReND in Africa” – the non-profit science organisation promoting scientific research and training in Africa.

In 2017, he organised a science festival in Yobe State University to raise public understanding of science and start discussions about the need for having a sustainable hub for biomedical science research and innovation.

Due to the enthusiasm shown in Yobe, in 2019, Dr Maina started soliciting for laboratory equipment from institutions and groups around the world through “TReND in Africa” to establish a state-of-the-art bioscience laboratory in Yobe State University.

As a result of the outpouring support received from groups and institutions worldwide, Dr Maina launched the Biomedical Science Research and Training Centre (BioRTC) in August 2021 at Yobe State University.

The launching witnessed live attendance and speeches by prominent personalities in the world of Science like the, 1993 Nobel Prize recipient in Physiology or Medicine – Sir Richard John Roberts, FRS; Professor Veronica van Heyningen CBE, FRS; Professor Isa Hussaini Marte, FAS FAAS; Professor Amadi O. Ihunwo – the immediate past President of the Society of Neuroscientists of Africa, among others.

BioRTC aims to facilitate research and training in biomedical sciences to address local and global problems and become a centre of excellence in research and training in biomedical sciences in Nigeria and Africa, helping to solve local and global health problems through scientific research.

Multiple pieces of equipment and consumables donated through TReND in Africa and by research groups in the University of Sussex Life Sciences have been shipped to Yobe State University for onward usage at BioRTC laboratory.

Some of the equipment recently donated include PCR machines, SDS-PAGE and Western blotting equipment, fluorescence microscope, Agarose Gel electrophoresis equipment, cooled incubator and lab fridge and freezer and refrigerated centrifuge. In addition, ~ 350 latest model contemporary Physic and Engineering Textbooks for Global Scientists costing ~£22,000 (16,000,000 Naira) were received in Yobe State University as part of this donation. This is in addition to donations during the penultimate years.

A recent study by Dr Maina and colleagues stated that only 8% of Neuroscience publications from Nigeria used techniques like western blotting in the last 20 years, but with the coming of BioRTC, there are high hopes to tackle this by providing a state-of-the-art space to enable Nigerian scientists to undertake cutting edge research and training in biomedical sciences, as such with the coming of the center, research tourism would be significantly reduced.

BioRTC has just been granted the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative grant for expanding global access to bioimaging in collaboration with TReND in Africa, West Africa Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP- University of Ghana) and Medical Research Council Unit The Gambia, to establish, a self-sustained and accessible bioimaging hub in Nigeria, which would serve as a central resource in facilitating life sciences teaching and research across West Africa and which would provide access and training on fluorescence imaging equipment for African scientists.

Among the multimillion equipment facilitated and donated by international donor bodies, including, University of Sussex, UK, The Francis Crick Institute, Corning and Star lab to BioRTC through Dr. Mahmoud Bukar Maina are but not limited to;

i. Microscopy: Zeiss LSM 700 Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope, Zeiss AxioVert Inverted Fluorescence Microscope, Nikon Microscope Eclipse 50i with Fluorescence, Multiple dissection microscopes and Multiple compound microscopes

ii. DNA and protein electrophoresis equipment and imaging: Agarose gel horizontal electrophoresis system, Bio-Rad Mini-PROTEAN System, Bio-Rad Trans-Blot Cell, Bio-RAD PROTEAN II System, Power supplies, Bio-Rad Trans-Blot SD Semi-Dry Electrophoretic Transfer Cell, Multiple Hoefer Scientific Semi Dry Transfer Unit, Quantus Fluorometer, UVP BioDoc-It imaging systems for DNA, RNA and protein gels.

iii. PCR systems: Multiple Thermocyclers for PCR, Stratagene MX3005P qPCR System, Applied Biosystems 7300 Real-Time PCR System, PCR Cabinet Laminar Flow.

iv. Baths, Heat blocks, Centrifuges and Stirrers: Bench-Top centrifuge machines for 1.5 and 2 mL tubes, Centrifuge for 15 mL or 50 mL tubes, Corning Mini Microcentrifuge, Refrigerated Centrifuge, Water bath, Hot Plate, Heat block, Hotplate Stirrers, IKA Vibrax VXR Variable Speed Orbital Shaker, Taab Rotator Orbital Type N Laboratory Shaker, LUCKHAM slow orbital shaker and Shaking Incubator.

v. Other equipment: Luminex® 100/200 System, Paraffin bath, Tissue-Tek Thermal Console, Eppendorf BioPhotometer, Precisa Analytical Balance, Laboratory scales, Vortex machines, pH meter without a probe 4oC fridge and -20oC freezer.