WHO CC

The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated the Immunology and Therapeutic Evaluation Division at Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI) as WHO Collaborating Centre for Schistosomiasis Control under WHO’s reference number EG-35. The designation is effective for a period of 4 years, as from November 2020 until November 2024.

As a WHO collaborating center in Egypt, the Immunology and Therapeutic Evaluation Division at TBRI will support WHO in schistosomiasis control activities by three main terms of references (TORs):

– TOR1 Developing cost-effective immuno-diagnostic tools for early detection of schistosomiasis, especially in low endemic areas. 

• • This TOR aims at production of rapid, sensitive, specific and easy to use point of care (POC) immunodiagnostic tool for the detection of active schistosomiasis by using nanoconjugated homemade monoclonal antibodies to fulfill maximum sensitivity and specificity.

– TOR2 Conducting capacity building activities in schistosomiasis diagnosis and management. 

• • This TOR is concerned with providing training programs for health staff and other related categories on schistosomiasis management in WHO-Eastern Mediterranean and African Regions.
  • TBRI is a 40 years old institution with a vast knowledge and expertise in clinical management, research and training in the field of schistosomiasis. The institute already has highly expert clinicians, laboratory personnel and researchers with adequate infrastructure that qualifies it to be a good training center for schistosomiasis control.

– TOR3 Facilitating exchange of experience towards eliminating schistosomiasis from the Region and globally through collaboration with the WHO collaborating centres network for schistosomiasis control. 

• • This collaboration will provide a fruitful exchange of experience in production and deployment of different diagnostic tools for schistosomiasis.

WHO CC Team:
Professor Hanan El Baz, Prof of Immunology, is acting as the Head of the Centre.

The team includes efficient expertise from the three departments included in the Immunology and Therapeutic Evaluation Division; the Immunology Department, the Pharmacology Department and the Parasitology Department. Furthermore, staff members from TBRI Medical Malacology Department and Schistosome Biological Supply Centre (SBSC) are also included in the team.

For more information, please contact:
[email protected]
Director of the collaborating centre:  
Prof. Hanan El Baz 
[email protected]

Theodor Bilharz Research Institute
1 Nile Corniche, Warrak Al Haddar, Embaba 12411 Giza, Egypt.
Phone: +202-35407714/276/ Fax: +202-35408125

Website: WHO CC  https://www.tbri.sci.eg/?page_id=1933

Workshop Series on

Immunodiagnosis of Schistosomiasis

Background and Rationale
In schistosoma non-endemic or low-transmission areas, serological and immunological tests are the best tools for confirming the exposure to infection as well as follow up after treatment.

Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI) is the leading center for diagnosis and control of schistosomiasis in Egypt with a long history of collaboration with the WHO and many other international organizations. The Immunology and Therapeutic Evaluation Division in TBRI has been designated as a WHO Collaborating Center for Schistosomiasis control since November 2020.

In order to build capacities on diagnosis of schistosomiasis in low-endemic settings, the WHO-TBRI collaborating center is planning to organize a series of training workshops on immunodiagnosis of schistosomiasis.

This workshop series aims at introducing detailed descriptive training sessions to strengthen the capacities of the attendees on how to design and develop sensitive and affordable home-made immunodiagnostic tools for schistosomisis.

Who can apply
Post graduate physicians, biologists and researchers working in the field of schistosomiasis diagnosis and control.

Content overview
Four successive workshops over a period of two years (one workshop every six months) are being planned.

• • The first workshop will focus on the implementation and maintenance of lab-scale Schistosoma life cycle, preparation of different Schistosoma antigens and application of the prepared antigens in serological detection of antischistosomal Abs and Polyclonal Antibodies production.
  • The second workshop will be directed towards the preparation of antischistosomal polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies by hybridoma technology.
  • The third workshop will focus on the purification and characterization of the monoclonal antibodies.
  • The fourth workshop in this series will focus on employment of monoclonal antibodies in immunodiagnosis of shistosomiasis by detecting circulating schistosomal antigens in serum and urine using ELISA and Point of Care Test (POCT) for rapid, sensitive and specific diagnosis of shistosomiasis and follow up of treatment. 

Due to the COVID pandemic the workshops are held virtually at TBRI, Cairo, Egypt.
First Virtual Workshop 21-22 September 2021
Second Virtual Workshop 26-27 September 2022

For more information, please contact:

Training Coordinator
Assist. Prof. Shimaa Atta
[email protected]
[email protected]
Whatsapp +2 01006549938

Upcoming Event:

Second Virtual Workshop 26-27 September 2022

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Last Event:

First Virtual Workshop 21-22 September 2021

For more information, please contact:

Head of the collaborating center:  
Prof. Hanan El Baz   
[email protected]

Theodor Bilharz Research Institute 
1 Nile Corniche, Warrak Al Haddar, Embaba 12411 Giza, Egypt.
Phone: +202-35407714/276/ Fax: +202-35408125