Sickle Cell Genetics and Epigenetics: My Current PhD Work
I am currently working on sickle cell disease to examine the impact of the common SNPs in HbF-regulatory genes, reported in non-Africans and a few African populations, on HbF levels, as well as the severity of SCD and the risk of developing common SCD-related complications in Gambian SCD patients. My study will validate novel loci identified in genome-wide association studies in Tanzanian populations that were found to have genome-wide significance on Foetal haemoglobin levels. Until now, 80% of cases contributing to persistently high levels of foetal haemoglobin in SCD in African populations are unknown. Foetal haemoglobin is a major modifier of the clinical course of sickle cell disease and genetic and epigenetic factors underlying persistent high HbF levels need to be further elucidated because of the therapeutic significance attached to it.
Blood Cancers: Role of Bone Marrow Microenvironment AML growth
Because of my background in haematology, I am interested in blood cancers especially how bone marrow microenvironment contributes to leukaemia growth and survival as well as chemoresistance. Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is the most aggressive form of cancer and is highly prevalence in the elderly population and they are naturally non-tolerant to highly intensive chemotherapy. The cancer has a poor 5-year-overall survival rate. I am interested in understanding the role of the microenvironment in acute myeloid leukaemia growth and resistance to daunorubicin and cytarabine. Currently, I am studying the two most important immune cells, macrophages and dendritic cells, and their role in promoting AML growth and survival and the interactive networks between these immune cells and AML cells in the microenvironment.
Malaria Drug Resistance, Malaria and Sickle Cell Disease
I recently built an interest in malaria, particularly the drug resistance associated with malaria parasites. I am also interested in understanding sickle cell disease and malaria. My exposure to this area is still in the infancy stage and learning literature to understand and identify the gaps available to explore.
DNA Damage and Repair: Homologous Recombination repair Pathway
My MSc thesis was on validating a technique (Norgen Real-time PCR) for quantifying the efficiency of homologous recombination repair pathways in cancer cells (UMC3, CAPAN, AsPC-1 and HeLA Cell lines). This MSc work consolidated my understanding of DNA repair mechanisms available in the eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells to repair wide spectrum and forms of DNA damage. Our cells experience thousands of DNA damages every minute that are constantly and systematically repaired by DNA-repaired mechanisms. Because of their importance in cellular proliferation, growth and maintenance, the deficiencies of DNA repair pathways are implicated in a wide range of cancers. My interest in understanding the HR repair mechanisms and their contributions to cancer initiation
Iron Deficiency Anaemia
Iron deficiency is one of the major causes of anaemia in Africa. My interest in iron deficiency is to identify biomarkers that can accurately and reliably differentiate anaemia of chronic disease and iron deficiency anaemia. I am also looking at iron deficiency in blood donors in the Gambia and recently submitted a manuscript on the prevalence of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia in Gambian Blood donors. The pre-print is already available online here.
Quality Management System
I am also interested in the implementation of quality management systems in diagnostic laboratories especially in the context of ISO15189 implementation. I am also interested in measurement uncertainty, Levy Jening Plot interpretation and Method verification and validation in diagnostic laboratories. I am also interested in the analysis of data for method comparison of two quantitative analysers. I have a pre-print that's recently submitted for publication.