10 July, 2023
In collaboration with Prof. Mallika Imwong’s molecular malaria lab at MORU and the Division of Vector-Borne Diseases (DVBD), the GenRe-Mekong project is expanding the malaria genetic surveillance operations in Thailand. The goal is to enhance knowledge of Plasmodium falciparum epidemiology and support public health efforts to eliminate malaria.
A crucial step in this expansion is to implement an amplicon sequencing protocol, which allows for the extraction of genetic information from collected samples. Thus, training was necessary to build this capacity in new partnered laboratories.
From 12th to 23rd of June 2023, the in-country operations team from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, led by Dr. Shavanthi Rajatileka, provided an in-depth training on amplicon sequencing laboratory techniques using the MiSeq platform and their applications in the field of antimalarial resistance to the team at the molecular malaria lab. The workshop consisted of lectures and hands-on laboratory sessions, delivered by the Sanger team, covering topics from selective whole genome amplification, library preparation, and sequencing to the processing of sequencing results.
Attendees of the workshop found the workshop to be well-organized and effective. “The Instructors were very nice, calm, supportive and professional. They were very open to answering our questions and their instructions were clear and informative” said Ms. Yupawadee Pimpat, the in-country GenRe-Mekong project coordinator for Thailand. “The workshop was also well organized with the support and logistics arrangements from Dr. Olivo and his team” she continued. They also found the hands-on laboratory sessions particularly useful. “I enjoyed the clean-up and size selection steps because the output from this step tells us how well our targets were amplified, and how well we purified our samples” said Ms. Kanokon Suwannasin, a lab manager at MORU.
“The instructors were very nice, calm, supportive and professional. They were very open to answering our questions and their instructions were clear and informative.” - Ms. Yupawadee Pimpat
In summary, the amplicon sequencing training effectively transferred the skills and knowledge for in-country sample processing to Prof. Malika Imwong’s laboratory. This workshop represents a significant milestone in developing in-country capacity for surveillance of drug resistance in malaria, which is crucial for aiding malaria elimination efforts in Thailand. Lastly, the GenRe-Mekong project would like to express its gratitude to all collaborators involved in this important step.
Article by: Ethan Booth & Varanya Wasakul