The Center for Tuberculosis Research (CTBR) stands as a leading collaborative research center within the Department of Microbiology at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research. It proudly hosts the first National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory in Nigeria, establishing itself as a pivotal force in the fight against tuberculosis.

The Center for Tuberculosis Research (CTBR) is a collaborative research center established in July 2017 within the Department of Microbiology at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research. The first National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory in Nigeria is located within CTBR. The center supports the World Health Organization (WHO) End TB Strategy through research, service, and training. CTBR undertakes multidisciplinary research and training initiatives led by scientists and support staff in partnership with universities and organizations from both the public and private sectors at regional and international levels.

ACHIEVEMENTS

• Evaluated national treatment options for DRTB
• Successfully re-assessed by SANAS for ISO 15189 accreditation
• Good performance in External Quality Assurance programmes
• Received equipment support from IHVN
• Triage Test for All Oral DR-TB Regimen (TRIAD) (In Collaboration with Institute of Human Virology, Abuja, Nigeria)
• Desk Review with Whole Genome Sequencing of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis
• Correlation of Clinical Outcomes of Patients on Anti-Tuberculosis Regimen
• Exploration of Marine Bacterial Community Genomics in Nigeria Coastal Waters for Prospective Novel Drugs and Bio-pharmaceutics (In Collaboration with Microbiology Department, University of Lagos)
• Phase 2 Sequencing of Drug Resistant TB (REST HUB) Project – CTBR (In collaboration with In Collaboration with US CDC and Institute of Human Virology, Abuja, Nigeria)
• Genomic Information Surveillance on Drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates from Nigeria/TB-Portal – CTBR (In Collaboration with Adjunct Professor)
• Transposing multidrug-resistant M. tuberculosis molecular and genomic epidemiology to Public Health and Product Development in Nigeria (In Collaboration with University of Lisbon, Portugal)

 Completed Research Activities

• Phase 1 Sequencing of Drug Resistant TB (REST HUB) Project – (In collaboration with US CDC and Institute of Human Virology, Abuja, Nigeria)
• Whole Genome Sequencing for Investigating Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Transmission, Genetic Diversity and Multi-Drug Resistance Prediction in Lagos, Nigeria – (In Collaboration with Redeemer University)
• Molecular Epidemiology and Multidrug Resistance Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex
• Susceptibility Testing of Delamanid and Bedaquinine using BACTEC MGIT 960 – (In collaboration with Institute of Human Virology, Abuja, Nigeria and Nation TB Control Programme)
• Diagnosis of TB and Management of Paediatric TB (EDCTP-WANETAM Grant)
• Study on the Evaluation of Respiratory Tract Bacterial Co-infections with COVID-19 Severity in Lagos, Nigeria
• Bioprospecting for Antituberculous Potentials of Culturable Marine Actinomycetes from Lagos Lagoon Sediments

 Grant Awards

• Nigeria TASP Grant –  Dr. V.O. Akinseye
• NIMR Intramural Grant – Dr. V.O. Akinseye
• NIMR Intramural Grant – Dr. C.N. Kunle-Ope
• EDCTP-WANETAM-3 Grant – Dr. N. Onyejepu
• HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2022-CALL 1-01-03 – Dr. N. Onyejepu
• NIMR Innovation Grant – Dr. N. Onyejepu
• EDCTP-WANETAM-2 Grant – Dr. N. Onyejepu.
• EDCTP TMA Award – Dr. N. Onyejepu

Laboratory services: National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory

The Center offers diagnostic services for pulmonary and extra-pulmonary TB using both conventional and molecular methodologies under quality management system, good clinical and laboratory practice (GCLP). The CTBR is equipped with biosafety level 2 and 3 laboratories and a molecular diagnostic suite. We also prepare quality panels for public and private laboratories on TB microscopy and geneXpert. Our service is supported by the Nigerian Government (National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme), implementing partners (Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria) and Tuberculosis Supra Reference Laboratory, Milan, Italy, Tuberculosis Supra Reference Laboratory, Antwerp, Belgium and Tuberculosis Supra Reference Laboratory, Cotonou, Benin).

In November 2019, CTBR obtained international accreditation to ISO15189 by South Africa National System (SANAS) on TB Microscopy and PCR-TB Identification and Drug Susceptibility Tests (GeneXpert and Hain). In January 2022, the Centre was successfully re-assed and the scope of accreditation was expanded to include TB Culture and Drug Susceptibility Testing.