Guest blog by: Tosin Senbadejo
As part of my training as a PhD Fellow at the West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana, I was privileged to participate in an off-site placement at the IDI Research Lab, Makerere University, in Kampala, Uganda. This placement was made possible through a CAMONET Uganda Offsite placement grant, awarded to me in October 2024. The placement provided an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in immunology techniques -particularly PBMC isolation, co-culture, and flow cytometry, which I applied to study immune responses to persister and non-persister cells of E. coli and M. morganii.
Learning Immunology Through Practical Experience
During the placement, I worked at the Immunology Laboratory under the Makerere Research Center (MakBRC), where I gained both practical experience and a deeper technical understanding of immunological and cellular assays. Following laboratory orientation, I was introduced to Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell (PBMC) isolation and cryopreservation. Although I had often heard about PBMC isolation, this was my first time experiencing the process firsthand, isolating cells from blood using gradient separation. My first impression was excellent, and I was eager to dive deeper into the work. I practiced PBMC isolation before proceeding to the bacterial co-culture experiments involving PBMCs and persister cells. I worked in the Microbiology Laboratory at the Infectious Diseases Institute for bacterial culturing and the antibiotic tolerance assay. After optimizing the PBMC & bacteria co-culture, the cell cultures were processed for flow cytometry using specific antibodies. I learned about the principles of flow cytometry and was introduced to its practical application, including data acquisition and analysis.
Experiencing Ugandan Culture, Food, and Landmarks
Beyond laboratory training, the placement also provided an opportunity to experience life in Kampala, Uganda. Being my first time in East Africa, I quickly noticed how different the food was from what I was used to. One thing that stood out was how affordable the meals were and how well-balanced the typical diet is. Matooke became my absolute favorite dish during my stay. And of course, experiencing the boda boda (the fast, agile motorcycle taxis) was something I’ll never forget. I explored local landmarks such as the Source of the River Nile in Jinja and Lake Victoria, where I enjoyed water sports like water biking and took a guided paddle boat ride. I engaged with the community, learning about the culture and day-to-day life in the city.
Gratitude and Reflections
The CAMONET off-site placement was an invaluable experience that enhanced my technical skills, scientific understanding, and personal growth. I’m grateful to my mentors and trainers at MakBRC (Dr Rose, Francis, and team), the Central Laboratory staff (Evely, George Katende, and team) for their guidance and support throughout this journey.
The CAMONET team created a collaborative and enriching learning environment. Special thanks to the CAMONET team- particularly Ellon, for facilitating my placement, and Fiona, for ensuring I felt welcomed and supported throughout my stay. I am especially grateful to my supervisor, Dr. Abiola Isawumi, who encouraged me to apply for this placement, and to WACCBIP for being part of the CAMONET hubs.
I am truly grateful for this opportunity and look forward to applying the skills and knowledge gained to my future research endeavors.
