PNG - Biology Project

In the Biology department at Olivet, we seek to love the Lord with all our minds & to love our neighbors near & far as we would ourselves. The Lord has opened a door for us to do this in a unique way – that is, through human papillomavirus testing in Papua New Guinea. We invite you to read more about our project below and to consider prayerfully and financially supporting us on this journey.

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a low-to-middle income country that has one of the highest burdens of cervical cancer in the world. Most cervical cancers are caused by high-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV). No woman should ever die of cervical cancer because it is preventable and treatable if caught early enough. However, because of countries like PNG, the World Health Organization (WHO) has named cervical cancer as a major global health problem for which elimination strategies are an urgent priority.

Our research seeks to combat cervical cancer through optimization of an HPV DNA test that is cost sustainable (under $5 USD per test) and technologically achievable in countries like PNG. Alongside Biology professor Dr. Nicole Vander Schaaf, an ONU Shalom team has traveled to Kudjip Nazarene hospital in PNG yearly since the summer of 2024 to conduct this testing on a research basis, and the results are encouraging. Our research has already helped save lives! This is because women who test positive for cancer-causing HPV are often able to be treated that same day so they don't end up developing advanced cancer. This keeps that woman in the family as mom, grandma, sister, friend, etc. – affecting generations to come.

Our low-cost test is still in development, but we are ready to test it out on a larger cohort of women if funding allows. For every low-cost test we perform, we have to compare our results to a gold-standard (expensive) test to know if we are getting the right results. This adds substantial cost to our research. Your financial support will ensure that this research can continue! Here are a few supplies for which we are fundraising for our next research trip:

-Gene-Xpert HPV test cartridges ($1490 per 100 women)

-Swabs for sample collection ($130 per 100 women)

-High-speed centrifuge (240 V) (~$1000)

-2 Pipettes (~$200 each)

-Plastic reaction tubes / pipette tips / consumables (~$300)

-Extra suitcase fee - for carrying lab supplies (~$200)

-Low-cost HPV test ingredients (~$500 per 100 women)

Thank you for considering a donation of any size, which will be used to buy the supplies and equipment needed for our research. We have seen this testing be a means of God’s mercy and healing, and we pray this will continue!