Bacteria in Balance: Harnessing Microbiology for Better Dental Care in India

Seeding Labs Blog, Instrumental Access 2018, Scientist Success Stories

Dr. Kishore Bhat, professor of microbiology at Maratha Mandal’s NGH Institute of Dental Sciences & Research Centre (MMDC), is propelling the country’s first research into the oral microbiome. As the only oral microbiology program in India, Dr. Bhat’s department is training dentists around the country to better identify oral pathogens and save lives.

Prof. Akhere Omonkhua and her twin sister Dr. Odion Omonkhua

Teaming up to investigate an unusually high number of twins in Nigeria

David Borman Blog, Instrumental Access 2019, Instrumental Access 2020, Scientist Success Stories

No one knows why Igbo-Ora, Nigeria—also known as “Twin Town”—has one of the world’s highest rates of twin births.

Now, Profs. Roseangela Nwuba and Akhere Omonkhua are using molecular biology to investigate, potentially unlocking new avenues of research and treatments for infertility!

Dr. Esteban Garcia-Tamayo (second from right) and colleagues at the Universidad Pontifica Boliviarana are transforming fique, the plant pictured behind them, into energy

Exploring Sustainable Energy Storage in Colombia

Seeding Labs Blog, Impact, Scientist Success Stories

Colombia’s most famous export, coffee, is stored and shipped in sturdy woven bags made from a local plant called fique, also known as sisal. The fibers of the fique plant are notoriously strong, but creating textiles wastes nearly 95% of the plant itself. As a nanoscientist specializing in energy delivery, Esteban Garcia-Tamayo, PhD, believes that the byproducts of this process may be essential for the future of sustainable energy storage.

Students and faculty at the Universite d'Abomey-Calavi

Turning Obstacles to Opportunities: How One Researcher is Advancing His Fight Against Antimicrobial Resistance

David Borman Blog, Impact, Instrumental Access 2020, Scientist Success Stories

In a little over a year since Instrumental Access equipment arrived on campus at the Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Dr. Victorien Dougnon’s research and publication schedule has been accelerated exponentially.

Even in the midst of a pandemic, his work investigating traditional herbal medicines that may be effective against antimicrobial resistance is pushing ahead. Dr. Dougnon and his colleagues have used their lab’s expanded capacity to perform sample analyses on-site, increasing both the speed and accuracy of their findings.