The
KNUST Central Laboratory is equipped to support research in the pharmaceutical,
engineering, biomedical, agrochemical and chemical disciplines.
The
facility allows for the common use of expensive and complex cutting-edge
research instrumentation by students and faculty as well as researchers at home
and abroad.
Vice
Chancellor of the KNUST, Prof. William Otoo Ellis, explains the Concept of a central
lab is a shared network of research facilities that brings state of the art
equipment to the doorstep of scientists of varied backgrounds – both basic and
applied sciences.
The
motive is to meet standards in teaching, training and research comparable to
any such facility in any part of the world.
Prof.
Ellis says the facility will support industry, especially those in pharmaceuticals,
herbal medicine, food and agriculture, mining and environmental related sectors
as well as regulatory bodies such us the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The
project started in 2012 with the Jos Hansen and Soehne Group of Germany aiding
with a six million euro research equipment.
Chief
Executive of Champion Divine Clinic, Dr. Kwaku Frimpong, partnered the
University with a 25% funding stake in the construction of the
building/laboratory complex to house the specialized equipment.
The
“Divine Champion Building” was constructed by Berock Ventures Ghana at an estimated
cost of Gh1.25million – the University contributed the 75% of the cost from its
internally generated fund.
Minister
of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovatiion (MESTI), Mahama Ayariga, has
lauded the initiative and observed the need for national research institutions
to also have centralized laboratories to create avenues for collaborations and also
for cost-effective and efficient operations.
“We
should have central laboratories at least in every regional capital that services
every research institutions, so we all converge at the same place and carry out
the research,” he said.
The
Minister said the country would have to leverage on the application of science
and technology by “indigenizing” technologies to resolve most of the
socio-economic challenges.
“We
are importing too much technology and it’s costing our economy so much,” he
observed. “Until we indigenize a lot of that technology and produce it ourselves
and even take a further step of innovating and also exporting technology to
other people, we’ll continue to face many of the challenges that our economy is
confronted with”.
Managing
Director of Jos Hansen and Soehne, Burkhard Wollborn, noted that the benefits
of establishing the Central Laboratory “will for a long time be a backbone in
the future development of the University. I am sure that many talented students
who are honoured by studying at KNUST would become future human assets to this great
country to help developing it into the status where it actually belongs to”.
