News

As part of strengthening scientific and research collaboration, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI) received a high-level delegation from the World Health Organization (WHO) to discuss avenues for joint cooperation in line with the accreditation criteria of the Immunology Division and the evaluation of the institute’s treatment protocols as a WHO Collaborating Center for Schistosomiasis Control.

The delegation was welcomed by Prof. Ahmed Abdel Aziz, Director of TBRI, and Dr. Hagar Fathy Abdel Maksoud, Assistant Professor at the Department of Parasitology and Head of the WHO Collaborating Center at the Institute. Both parties reviewed potential areas of collaboration aligned with the institute’s aspirations to support scientific research and its applications in public health and endemic diseases.

The visit program included an extensive tour of the institute, covering the Departments of Parasitology, Malacology, and Immunology. During the tour, the delegation members were briefed on the latest technologies and equipment in use and received detailed explanations of ongoing research projects and the results achieved so far.

During the meeting, Professor Dr. Ahmed Abdel Aziz emphasized the importance of partnership with the WHO to enhance the institute’s research capabilities and support its strategic plans in combating endemic diseases.

For their part, the delegation members commended the institute’s advanced scientific level and the researchers' efforts in delivering applied research that serves both local and international communities. They expressed their eagerness to further strengthen future cooperation through experience exchange and joint research projects.

At the conclusion of the visit, both parties agreed to develop an executive action plan that outlines cooperation priorities and areas of technical support, contributing to the capacity building of research personnel and the achievement of shared goals in public health and scientific research.

It is worth noting that Theodor Bilharz Research Institute houses a Biological Materials Center, established in 1989 through an agreement between the institute, the Center for Tropical Diseases, and the College of Applied Sciences at the University of Lowell, Massachusetts, USA, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The center was founded to produce biological materials essential for experimental schistosomiasis research and operational studies, aiming to supply thousands of researchers in universities and research institutes in Egypt and abroad with biological materials, antigens, and pure strains of experimental animals for schistosomiasis and other research purposes. The center also provides a wide range of services, consultations, and training programs for human resource development in its field.

In 2002, after the conclusion of USAID support, the center was incorporated into the Special Units of Theodor Bilharz Research Institute by a decision of the institute’s Board of Directors. Since then, it has been financially self-sustained through the marketing of its products. In 2003, it was designated as a Global Health Center for Testing and Evaluating Chemical Compounds and Plant and Animal Extracts.