Professor Errol Morrison (second right), president of the University of Technology, examines the Rotary Evaporator, one of the laboratory equipment donated to the institution by Johnson & Johnson (Canada). Looking on are Gregg Allen (left) and Trevor Miller (second left), both of the UTech/CAST Alumni Association (Toronto) Chapter, and Dr Sarafadeen Adebayo (right), head of the School of Pharmacy and Health Science, Faculty of Health and Applied Science. The handover ceremony for the equipment, valued at US$5 million ($350 million), was held at UTech in St Andrew on Tuesday. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

The University of Tech-nology's (UTech) ability to make tablets, identify counterfeit medicines, and conduct other scientific research, was yesterday bolstered by the donation of several state-of-the-art equipment, valued at US$5 million (J$350 million).

The equipment, which were donated by Johnson & Johnson (Canada), was presented to the Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences, during a handover ceremony at the institution on Tuesday.

The donation was made possible by the CAST/UTech Alumni Association (Toronto) Chapter, which brokered the agreement with Johnson & Johnson.

An excited Dr Sarafadeen Adebayo, head of the School of Pharmacy and Health Science, said the university now has the ability to reach out to clinics and hospitals in unprecedented ways.

Equipment donated

Lab equipment, including fraction collectors, desiccators, digital density meters, spectrophotometer, analytical balances, pipettes, beakers, grinders, separatory flask, rotary evaporator, gas chromatography, microscopes, sonicators and books, were handed over to the university.

One piece of the equipment, the gaschromotograph, is capable of identifying counterfeit medicines, fingerprint, among other things.

Well-needed equipment

Gregg Allen, of the CAST/UTech Alumni Association, said he was pleased to present his alma mater with the well-needed equipment. He noted that his association was looking forward to continue donating to the institution.

In his remarks, Trevor Miller, a member of the Toronto chapter of the CAST/UTech Association and, who was instrumental in getting the equipment from Johnson and Johnson, said he hoped students would find the equipment beneficial.

Professor Errol Morrison, president of UTech, said the equipment came just in time. The equipment, he said, would assist the institution in providing more training and research, and become part of the leading scientific department in the country.

Morrison said the equipment would also increase the ability of the department to partner with other universities in doing major research.

More than 200 students in the Pharmacology Department will use the equipment.