Parasitology Laboratory
Frontline diagnostic detection of parasitic infections from field samples.
Frontline diagnostic detection of parasitic infections from field samples.
Biochemical characterisation of parasites, host tissues and biological samples.
Genetic and genomic analysis engine for schistosome parasites.
Controlled housing for experimental animal models supporting the schistosome life cycle.
In vitro experimentation on cells, microorganisms and larval parasite stages.
Dedicated snail rearing and maintenance facility for freshwater host species.
Biosecure space for the routine housing and care of laboratory rodents.
Controlled rearing and experimental use of freshwater snail species.
Fully equipped space for scientific exchange and remote collaboration.
The Parasitology Laboratory is the diagnostic cornerstone of Centre Schisto, providing frontline detection of parasitic infections in both community surveys and clinical follow-up studies. Examinations are conducted on human urine and faecal samples collected from endemic zones, using a combination of the Kato-Katz thick smear technique for helminth egg quantification, urine filtration for Schistosoma haematobium detection, and rapid point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (CCA) cassette tests for active S. mansoni infections.
The laboratory processes hundreds of samples per field campaign, with trained technicians performing duplicate readings to ensure quality control. Results feed directly into epidemiological databases used to track infection prevalence and intensity trends across sentinel sites. The lab also supports treatment efficacy monitoring by providing pre- and post-treatment egg counts, and participates in WHO-coordinated external quality assurance schemes to maintain diagnostic accuracy at the highest international standard.
The Biochemical Laboratory supports the biochemical characterisation of parasites, host tissues, and biological samples collected from endemic communities and experimental infection models. Core activities include isoenzyme electrophoresis for parasite strain differentiation, colorimetric enzyme assays to measure metabolic activity and oxidative stress markers, protein quantification by Bradford and BCA assays, and SDS-PAGE for protein profile analysis.
The laboratory is equipped with high-performance spectrophotometers, centrifuges, gel electrophoresis systems, and HPLC instrumentation, enabling the profiling of bioactive compounds from plant extracts tested for anti-schistosomal activity. Biochemical assays are also applied to assess the pharmacodynamic effects of candidate anthelminthic compounds on parasite enzyme targets, providing mechanistic data that bridges field epidemiology with drug discovery efforts at Centre Schisto.
The Molecular Laboratory is the genetic and genomic engine of Centre Schisto, providing high-resolution tools for the characterisation of schistosome parasites, intermediate snail hosts, and the molecular determinants of drug resistance and host-parasite interactions. The facility is equipped with thermal cyclers for conventional and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), allowing sensitive detection and quantification of parasite DNA in both biological samples and environmental water.
Gel electrophoresis systems support fragment analysis and genotyping workflows, while DNA and RNA extraction platforms process field-collected miracidia, cercariae, adult worms, and snail tissue. Microsatellite genotyping and SNP-based population genetics studies are routinely performed to map parasite population structure and gene flow across Cameroonian transmission sites. The laboratory also supports next-generation sequencing library preparation, with sequencing outsourced to partner platforms for whole-genome and transcriptomic analyses that feed into functional genomics and vaccine target discovery.
The Bioterium is one of the most critical facilities at Centre Schisto, providing a dedicated, controlled environment for the maintenance of experimental animal models used across multiple research programs. The facility houses Swiss OF1 mice and Wistar rats under strictly regulated conditions of temperature, humidity, light-dark cycle, and access to sterilised feed and water, in full compliance with international guidelines for the ethical care and use of laboratory animals.
Animals are used primarily for the experimental maintenance of Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium life cycles, providing a continuous supply of cercariae for infection experiments, drug efficacy trials, and vaccine studies. Murine schistosomiasis models allow researchers to evaluate worm burden reduction, hepatic egg granuloma pathology, and immunological responses in the context of drug treatment and candidate vaccine testing. The Bioterium also supports nutritional and toxicological studies, including the in vivo safety assessment of plant-derived anthelminthic candidates identified through the Centre's drug discovery pipeline.
The Culture Laboratory enables Centre Schisto to conduct in vitro experimentation using living cells, microorganisms, and parasite larval stages under rigorously controlled sterile conditions. The facility is built around a Class II biological safety cabinet (laminar flow hood) that provides a particle-free, contamination-free workspace for all cell handling procedures, ensuring both sample integrity and operator protection when working with infectious biological material.
CO₂-regulated incubators maintain optimal temperature, humidity, and atmospheric conditions for the continuous culture of mammalian cell lines used in cytotoxicity assays — a critical step in the safety screening of plant-derived and synthetic anthelminthic candidates. The laboratory also supports the short-term in vitro maintenance of schistosome larval stages (miracidia, cercariae, schistosomula) and adult worm pairs, enabling drug motility and viability assays to be performed under standardised conditions. These in vitro infection models provide a reproducible, ethically efficient platform for early-stage anthelminthic discovery and mechanistic studies at Centre Schisto.
The Molluscarium is the dedicated snail rearing and maintenance facility at Centre Schisto, housing the intermediate host species that are central to schistosomiasis transmission research. Biomphalaria pfeifferi, Biomphalaria camerunensis, and Bulinus truncatus colonies are maintained in temperature-controlled aquaria supplied with continuously aerated, dechlorinated water and fed on a standardised diet of dried lettuce and Spirulina algae, replicating the ecological conditions of endemic freshwater habitats in Cameroon.
The facility provides a continuous and genetically traceable supply of snails for experimental exposure to Schistosoma miracidia, enabling controlled studies of host-parasite compatibility, cercarial shedding dynamics, and the effects of molluscicidal compounds. Snail colonies originating from different geographic transmission sites are maintained as separate lineages, allowing researchers to investigate how genetic variation in snail populations influences susceptibility to local parasite strains. The Molluscarium is also used to assess the efficacy and ecological safety of plant-derived molluscicidal compounds developed at CSP.
The Animal Room at Centre Schisto provides a dedicated, biosecure space for the housing and routine care of laboratory rodents used across the Centre's experimental research programs. Swiss OF1 mice and Wistar rats are maintained in individually ventilated cages under a strictly controlled 12-hour light-dark cycle, with ambient temperature held between 22–24 °C and relative humidity between 50–60 %, in accordance with European and WHO guidelines for the humane use of laboratory animals in biomedical research.
The room operates under positive-pressure ventilation with HEPA-filtered air to minimise cross-contamination between animal cohorts and protect staff from aerosolised biological material. Animals are used primarily to maintain the complete life cycles of Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium, with infected mice serving as the definitive host source for adult worm recovery, egg production, and miracidial hatching used in downstream experimental infection of snail intermediate hosts. The Animal Room also supports nutritional intervention studies and the in vivo pharmacological evaluation of novel anthelminthic candidates developed at the Centre.
The Snail Room is a purpose-built facility dedicated to the controlled rearing, maintenance, and experimental use of freshwater snail species that serve as obligate intermediate hosts in the schistosomiasis transmission cycle. Colonies of Biomphalaria pfeifferi, Biomphalaria camerunensis, and Bulinus truncatus — the principal snail vectors in Cameroon — are housed in temperature-regulated aquaria maintained at 26–28 °C with a 12-hour photoperiod, continuous aeration, and weekly water changes using dechlorinated, pH-balanced freshwater.
Snails are fed on a standardised diet of dried lettuce and Spirulina powder and are monitored daily for mortality, growth rate, and egg mass production to ensure colony health and reproductive fitness. Separate lineages collected from different endemic transmission sites are maintained independently, enabling controlled compatibility experiments that pair local parasite strains with snails of known genetic origin. The room also serves as the primary exposure facility for cercarial shedding studies — infected snails are placed under artificial light to stimulate cercarial release, which is then collected for downstream infection experiments in the animal facilities.
The Conference Room serves as the intellectual hub of Centre Schisto, providing a fully equipped space for scientific exchange, training, and collaborative planning at both national and international levels. The room accommodates up to 40 participants and is fitted with a high-definition projection system, videoconferencing infrastructure, and high-speed internet connectivity, enabling seamless participation in remote meetings, webinars, and multi-site research consortium calls with partner institutions across Africa, Europe, and North America.
The facility hosts a wide range of academic and institutional activities throughout the year, including weekly research seminars and journal club sessions, annual scientific review meetings, training workshops for field technicians and laboratory staff, thesis defence presentations for postgraduate students, and planning meetings with national public health authorities and international NTD program coordinators. The Conference Room also serves as the venue for capacity-building initiatives delivered in partnership with WHO, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and regional universities, reinforcing CSP's role as a hub for research training and scientific exchange in Central Africa.