Institut National De Recherche Biomedicale

Institut National De Recherche Biomedicale (INRB) is the national public health reference laboratory of the Democratic Republic of Congo, located in Kinshasa. Registered in SAM.gov as an international, non-profit organization, INRB has been a critical research and response entity for viral hemorrhagic fevers, emerging infectious diseases, and public health surveillance. The organization operates three BSL3 laboratories capable of processing both animal and human specimens, and is led by Dr. J.J. Muyembe-Tamfum, a world-renowned expert in Ebola and Marburg virus responses.

Through federal contract sub-awards, INRB has primarily provided specialized research and monitoring services in the field of entomology and vector-borne diseases. Specifically, they have performed entomological monitoring and vector susceptibility evaluations for malaria research, working as a sub-contractor with prime contractors like ABT Global LLC. These contract awards demonstrate INRB's expertise in conducting detailed scientific investigations and field research, with a focus on understanding disease transmission mechanisms and vector behavior in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

INRB's federal grant sub-awards reveal a comprehensive portfolio of public health and medical research initiatives. The organization has been instrumental in collaborative research projects focused on emerging infectious diseases, including Ebola, monkeypox, COVID-19, and drug-resistant tuberculosis. Notable grant work includes the Fogarty International Center's $201,215 research training program to build scientific capacity, genomic surveillance projects with the African Society for Laboratory Medicine, and collaborative research with institutions like University of California Irvine, Oregon Health & Science University, and Washington State University. These grants emphasize INRB's role in conducting critical medical research, training next-generation scientists, and supporting public health interventions in low-resource settings, with a particular emphasis on infectious disease research and prevention.