With approval from the National Health Sciences Research Committee in Malawi the Healthy Lives Malawi & Generation Malawi projects are creating a valuable resource of biological materials.
Sample metadata will be discoverable and accessible to regional and international researchers and policy makers. Principles will ensure streamlined access procedures for specific samples and interests of Malawian/Regional researchers protected through capacity building and laboratory support.
A Biorepository technical working group is guiding and overseeing the MEIRU laboratory team in creation, linkage and curation of the biorepository and development of sample access plans.
A Biorepository Access Management Committee is generating a sample access plan. It will consider proposals against criteria including, added cohort value, clear scientific rationale, and valid/approved (laboratory) method; against sample depletion.
Pilot/validation studies on non-cohort samples will be requested for new/untried assays.
Sample metadata and documentation on the sample resource and how to apply for access will be made available during 2023. For further information, please contact info@meiru.mw with the subject heading Biorepository