Chronogram: an R package for data curation and analysis of infection and vaccination cohort studies
David Greenwood, Marianne Shawe-Taylor, Hermaleigh Townsley, Joshua Gahir, Nikita Sahadeo, Yakubu Alhassan, Charlotte Chaloner, Oliver Galgut, Gavin Kelly, David L V Bauer, Emma C Wall, Mary Y Wu, Edward J Carr Bioinformatics Advances, Volume 4, Issue 1, 2024, vbae146, https://doi.org/10.1093/bioadv/vbae146 Abstract Motivation: Observational cohort studies that track vaccine and infection responses offer real-world data to inform pandemic policy. Translating biological hypotheses, such as whether different patterns of […]
Targeted gene panel sequencing of liquid and tissue biopsies reveals actionable genomic alterations in Ghanaian metastatic breast cancer cases
Emmanuella Amoako abc, Setor Amuzu a, Emmanuel Owusu Ofori b, Harry Sefoga Akligoh a, Randy Tackie a, Barikisu Anna Ibrahim a, Emmanuel Kofi Quaye a, Patrick Kafui Akakpo bcd, Luke Adagrah Aniakwo b, Bashiro Jimah bc, Kofi Ulzen-Appiah bc, David Hutchful a, Aida Manu a, Joyce M Ngoi a, Lily Paemka a, Yakubu Alhassan ae, Ernest Amo Obeng d, Nicole Lim f, Lisa Rajah f, Michelle Pek f…Yaw Bediako a Transl Oncol; 49: 102100, 2024 Nov, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranon.2024.102100 Abstract Purpose: Breast cancer is a major cause of cancer-related mortality among African women. The adoption of molecular genomic technologies in the management of cancer cases is limited in Africa. To provide much-needed insights on the feasibility and utility […]
Cellular immune response to SARS-CoV-2 and clinical presentation in individuals exposed to endemic malaria
We are pleased to share a paper from our first research collaboration with West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) – University of Ghana, where we explored the link between malaria and lower COVID-19 deaths in Africa. This project is supported by Google, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and The Rockefeller Foundation.
Clinical disease activity in autoimmune rheumatic patients receiving COVID-19 vaccines
Our research on the COURAGE cohort of our Heritage Study has been published in BMC Rheumatology! The COvid-19 vaccine immUne Response in Autoimmune rheumatic patients: a Ghanaian Experience (COURAGE) study, led by Dr. Ida Dzifa Dey, followed 38 patients with Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) and Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) over 12 months at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, to access changes in clinical disease activity following COVID-19 vaccination, and to understand vaccine immune response in this subset.
Radiologic patterns of distant organ metastasis in advanced breast cancer patients
Breast cancer (BC) metastases to the abdomen and pelvis affect the liver, mesentery, retroperitoneum, peritoneum, bladder, kidney, ovary, and uterus. The study documented the radiological pattern and features of the chest, bone, abdominal and pelvic (AP) metastases among advanced breast cancer patients.
BRECXOME – Whole Exome Sequencing of Breast Cancer Tumour Samples from Ghanaian Women
Yemaachi shared findings from a its BreCXome study in an abstract presentation at the 14th AORTIC International Conference on Cancer in Africa
Assessing the utility of liquid biopsy for detecting actionable genetic mutations among indigenous Ghanaian women with metastatic breast cancer.
Liquid biopsy detected multiple actionable variants in Ghanaian women with breast cancer that a tissue-only workflow missed. cfDNA analysis featured less variations in sample preparation which is a key consideration in resource-limited settings.
Probing SARS-CoV-2-positive plasma to identify potential factors correlating with mild COVID-19 in Ghana, West Africa
West Africa has recorded a relatively higher proportion of asymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases than the rest of the world, and West Africa-specific host factors could play a role in this discrepancy. Here, [the authors] assessed the association between COVID-19 severity among Ghanaians with their immune profiles and ABO blood groups.
Unseen and unheard: African children with cancer are consistently excluded from clinical trials
Dr. Ella Amoako, Desmond Jumbam and Dr. Yaw Bediako authored an editorial in the January 2021 edition of BMJ Global Health, discussing the impact that excluding African participants from clinical trials has on childhood cancer research.