IDE8203: Laboratory Evaluation, Biosafety and Resources

This course on laboratory evaluation, biosafety and resources is meant to equip Students with knowledge, skills and competences in recognising BSL-2, BSL-3 and BSL-4 facilities. In addition, it builds skills in the Student so that they are part of the team to evaluate and or accredit laboratories.  It is a practical course to be conducted at the Uganda National Health Laboratories Services. The course offers a first complete analysis of biological risk, and an introduction on biosafety and biosecurity as sets of measures that can help manage biological risk. Then, the course will mainly focus on biosafety measures (facility design and construction, laboratory equipment, Personal Protective Equipment, Good Laboratory Practices, laboratory accidents, bio-hazardous waste management and regulatory aspects). There will be practical aspects, where the Students will be sent to the various laboratories to implement evaluation of biosafety and preparedness. 

Aim  
The overall aim of this course is to train Students on laboratory evaluation, biosafety and identification of laboratory resources for infectious disease field epidemiology.  
 
Course objectives  
At the end of this course, the Students will be competent in: 

• Understand the fundamentals of biosafety and biosecurity. 
• Understand the classification of laboratories based on biosafety requirements. 
• Acquire laboratory investigation on skills an infectious disease laboratory outbreak investigation. 
• Have skill to communicate the outbreak of an identified pathogen.  
• Laboratory evaluation. 
• Laboratory level biosafety recognition. 
• Recognition and mobilisation and of resources for infectious disease surveillance. 

 
Expected course outcome 
Application of core aspects of laboratory: 

• Laboratory evaluation 
• Laboratory level biosafety recognition  
• Recognition and mobilisation and of resources for infectious disease surveillance