The Infectiology Centre Charles Mérieux that links Antananarivo University, the Ministry of Health and Fondation Mérieux will be inaugurated on the 21 April 2010. The Rodolphe Mérieux Laboratory, located within the Centre, will house research and training activities.
Only the second phase of work is left to finalize.
The Director of the Centre, Dr Arsène Ratsimbasoa, selected by the Ministry of Health and trained by Fondation Mérieux teams, replies to our questions:
What will be your goal within the centre?
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Mid-term goal: to set up a team (researchers, support staff);
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Mid-term goal: to set up projects – training – searching partnerships;
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Long term goal: for the first 3 years the Fondation Mérieux will have a provisional support desk. My mission will be to make the centre self-sufficient in terms of technology and finance, after these 3 years.
What will be the priorities of the Centre and the Laboratory?
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To set up adequate structures for operational research on infectious disease;
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To encourage researchers and students to complete research projects by offering them the technical equipment to do so;
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To work on scientific partnerships to develop the Centre activities.
What will be the research projects implemented?
Partner based research projects:
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Etiological study of fevers amongst children of 2 to 5 years old, in the communities of Ampasimanjeva and Betampona in the south east region of Madagascar (a cohort of 3500 children)
September 2009 – April 2011
In cooperation with CICM, RTM, Bordeaux 2 University, Health Minister
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Pilot study monitoring low acute respiratory infections in children of less than 5 years old, hospitalised at the CHU Mother and Child Unit in Tsaralalana Antananarivo (Madagascar)
June 2010 – May 2011
In cooperation with CICM, CHU, Health Minister
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Study looking at the relationship between Plasmodium vivax and Duffy
June 2010
In cooperation with CICM, Inovest Laboratory (Israel)
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Outline of a Clinical Trial of the Clearview Malaria pLDH Rapid Diagnostic Test
July 2010 – December 2010
In cooperation with CICM, Inovest Laboratory (Israel)
Training and research projects:
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Three research projects with 3 level 2 Masters students
Epidemiology (Bilharziose, Cysticercose, Paludisme) -
Two research projects on molecular biology
Summary of a technique for molecular diagnosis for the identification of Papillomavirus Humain (HPV)
Summary of a technique for a molecular platform for the diagnosis of digestive pathogens -
A research project on training with the Gabriel network (ReST-ACMI)
What opportunities can this new centre offer the region?
It's the only research centre linked to the university and in particular, with the medical faculty in Madagascar. This means we will be able to conduct scientific exchanges with other universities in the Indian Ocean.
Who are your partners?
The Health Minister, research institutions (Institut Pasteur in Madagascar, Institut Pasteur in Cambodia, National Institute of Public Health and Community, the Laboratory of Emerging Pathogens), the Faculty of Sciences, Bordeaux 2 university, the University Hospital Centre, NGOs (Reggio Terzzo Mondo, Conservation International, Association des Sans Abris, the Fondation Médicale d’Ampasimanjeva, the UN (Unicef, OMS, PAM)
Dr Arsène Ratsimbasoa
Originally a doctor of medicine, Dr Arsène Ratsimbasoa has obtained a Masters 2 degree in biology and health.
From 1996 to 2008, he was the Doctor of Clinical Studies at the Insitut Pasteur in Madagascar. Furthermore, Dr Arsène Ratsimbasoa has been the Project Manager of Public Health and Education at the Faculty of Medicine in Antananarivo since 2007.
Since 2009, he has held the title of technical assistant - responsible for training, research and partnership – at the heart of the emergency team fighting against transmissible disease.
Dr Ratsimbasoa is also the author / co-author of 25 international publications.
