Brief History of the Centre

About US

The Biotechnology Research Centre was established in the University of Ghana (UG) in June, 2007 with funding from the Department for International Development (DFID), UK through the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) for molecular studies on coconut lethal yellowing disease. Since its inception, a number of research projects have been conducted including molecular characterization of root and tuber crops in Ghana and studies on African Cassava Mosaic Disease in collaboration with the Root and Tuber Improvement Programme (RTIP) of Ghana and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) respectively. The Centre seeks to enhance training and research in biotechnology and biosafety and pursue other activities that successfully address important scientific issues in the field of health, agriculture, industry, environment and forensic within the country and the West African sub-region. The Centre has well-developed Masters and PhD programmes in Biotechnology with options in plant and animal science, soil and environmental science and food science which makes it a Centre of excellence in the sub-region regarding research and education in biotechnology. 

The Biotechnology Centre has the mandate of providing facilities for research support to all other units within the University in the area of new biological assays and techniques. The Centre has served as a research support unit for projects within the College of Basic and Applied Sciences (CBAS), University of Ghana for the training of undergraduate and postgraduate students on the fundamentals as well as advanced concepts and applications in the field of Genetics, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. 

In advanced economies of the United States and other western countries Biotechnology has been used as a technology to stimulate increased productivity in almost all sectors of their economy. In Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa, Biotechnology has the potential of transforming agricultural, pharmaceutical and the non-food industries whilst ensuring sustainable development in an environmentally friendly manner.

A Centre such as the Biotechnology Centre should therefore be urgently strengthened, fully resourced and empowered to deliver the necessary research, training and support for the various industries. This will contribute to empowering institutions in the sub-region creating other spillover effects into many other sectors of economies across Ghana and the sub-region. 

Since its inception, the Biotechnology Centre has sought to enhance training and research in biotechnology and biosafety and to pursue activities which will successfully address the important scientific issues within the country and the West African sub-region. The Biotechnology Centre is integral part to the work of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), the School of Agriculture; the Department of Crop Science, the Livestock and Poultry Research Centre (LIPREC), Soil and Irrigation Research Centre (SIREC), Forest and Horticultural Crops Research Centre (FOHCREC), the Department of Chemistry as well as the Department of Food Sciences. 

 

Sevices

The Centre provides consultancy services in areas of plant molecular biotechnology.
Other services include: 

• Plant Disease Diagnostics 
• Molecular characterization of genotypes 
• Food and microbiological analysis 
• Freeze drying of food samples 
• Water Analysis 
• Development of improved crop varieties 
• GMO Identification 
• Advocacy workshops in Biotechnology