KARAHCO

Bacterial genome analysis

Bacterial genome sequencing is increasingly becoming an affordable choice for many laboratories, with a range of applications as a diagnostic tool or in the microbiology research sector. Current tools for genomic data analysis apply different algorithms, might need hardware requirements, and the user interface is not always friendly. The availability of specialized bioinformatics skills is a challenge for many laboratories. Combining large datasets from multiple sources adds further challenge to the analysis process. Our team covers all the bioinformatics steps required for analyses of next-generation sequencing data of bacterial genomes, including assembly, annotation, and characterization of genetic elements invovled in virulence and antimicrobial resistance. We help providing insights into the evolutionary path of emerging pathogens, dectecting outbreaks, and tracking the spread of antibiotic resistance.

COVID-19 molecular testing

Background
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a technique for the amplification and detection of specific sequences of DNA. Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) combines LAMP with a reverse transcription step, making cDNA from RNA, for the detection of specific sequences of RNA. Accordingly, RT-LAMP can be used to diagnose infectious disease caused by RNA viruses. The RT-LAMP technique has recently been proposed as a suitable method for rapid screening for COVID-19 in clinical laboratories with limited equipment, since it can be fully
accomplished using a simple water bath or dry block heater. It offers rapid and reliable colorimetric detection of the COVID-19 coronavirus, which can be read with the naked eye in about 40 minutes. In contrast to traditional PCR-based testing methods,

the RT-LAMP tequnique is cost-effective and does not need advanced technical expertise, making it particularly suitable for low-resource settings.

External monitoring and evaluation of health projects

We offer individuals and organizations working in the health sector a tool to create and implement a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan tailored to your project setting. Our M&E plans facilitate professional tracking and assessing of the inputs, interventions, outputs, and outcomes throughout the life-cycle of your program.

Our team are experts in: 

1. Extracting and clearly outlining the project logframe (goals, objectives, theory-of-change, and indicators)

2. Proposing setting-appropriate data collection methods and timeline

3. Clarifying our M&E roles and responsibilities

4. Making the outcomes of your project at the centre of our analysis plan, data management routines, and reporting templates, 

5. Disseminating and fcailitating maximal exploitation of the M&E results and conclusions by the project owner