Prof. Patarroyo Murillo Delivers Vice-Chancellor’s Occasional Lecture

Prof. Manuel Elkin Patarroyo Murillo, during the lecture

Prof. Manuel Elkin Patarroyo Murillo, Director of Fundacion Instituto de Inmunologia de Colombia - FIDIC, has delivered a lecture on the topic: “Immune Protection Inducing Synthetic Protein Structures (IMPIPS): The New Vaccines Development”, under the Vice-Chancellor’s Occasional Lecture series held at the School of Public Health Auditorium.

Prof. Richard Adanu, Dean of the School of Public Health welcomed participants to the conference. He indicated that the lecture would provide them with keen understanding about how scientists impact livelihoods through medical interventions. He thanked Prof. Murillo for honouring the University’s invitation to deliver the lecture.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey in his remarks appreciated the works of Prof. Patarroyo and noted the important role scientists play in developing essential vaccines that counteract the spread and effect of malaria parasites in human blood. He lauded the Colombian and Spanish governments for providing Prof. Murillo with the necessary funding to implement his research successfully.

Prof. Aryeetey emphasized the commitment of the University of Ghana through its research-intensive programmes to train more researchers at both undergraduate, masters and PhD levels. He called on graduate students and researchers at the University to be results-oriented, while collaborating more with other international researchers to publish their works in high-impact journals.  He assured them of the needed support by the University.

Prof. Patarroyo noted that physicochemical rules for the development of fully-protective and chemically-synthesized vaccines are to be followed in the treatment of malaria, tuberculosis and cancer. He indicated that because vaccines are easy to synthesize at stable room temperatures, they serve as excellent experimental models for human diseases.

Prof. Patarroyo noted for instance, that vaccine tests on the Aotus monkeys (which have similar immune systems as humans) resulted in 50% successful protection against the malaria parasite, adding that, this engendered a successful protection of 25,000 people during the 1990’s as well as in recent years.

Elaborating further on the various stages of malaria infection caused by the female anopheles mosquito, he hinted that beyond the malaria problem, a logical and rational methodology for new generation vaccine development has been achieved. In this regard, he noted that the futuristic search for malaria vaccine was very bright and attainable.

While appreciating the support from the Colombian and Spanish governments, as well as contributions from his colleague researchers, Prof. Murillo expressed confidence that the sustained efforts of scientists in Africa and across the world, would continue to provide the motivation for experimentation, knowledge sharing and feedback, as well as to direct and influence policy.

There was a question session for participants to engage with Prof. Manuel Elkin Patarroyo Murillo.

 Present at the lecture were the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (ORID), Prof. John Gyapong, the Head of Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, Dr. Gordon Awandare, a former Dean of the School of Public Health, Prof. Isabella Quakyi, the Colombian Ambassador to Ghana, Mrs Claudia Quintero Torbay, colleague researchers of Prof. Patarroyo as well as faculty and students of the School of Public Health.

Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Aryeetey making a presentation to Prof. Patarroyo

The Dean of the School of Public Health, delivering remarks at the Lecture. Behind him is Prof. Patarroyo clad in a shirt made with the UG cloth which was presented to him. With them are: From left the Colombian Ambassador to Ghana, Mrs. Claudia Quintero Torbay, Pro-VC in charge of Research, Innovation and Development , Prof. John Gyapong and Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey