African scientists – News, Research and Analysis – The Conversation

The red mangrove is among the species already selected for genome sequencing. Busara/Shutterstock

April 19, 2022

Why African scientists are studying the genes of African species, and how they do it

Anne Muigai, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology; Appolinaire Djikeng, The University of Edinburgh, and ThankGod Echezona Ebenezer, European Bioinformatics Institute

The African BioGenome Project is a pan-African project that seeks to sequence Africa’s endemic and indigenous plants and animals.

Employees at the Afrigen biotechnology company and Vaccine Hub facility at work in the manufacturing laboratory. Rodger Bosch/AFP via Getty Images

November 16, 2021

Africa’s first mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub gets to work

Petro Terblanche, North-West University

Afrigen will be a technology transfer and training hub: it shares technology and develops skills specifically around how to produce a safe, effective and affordable mRNA vaccine.

Scientists from the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa at Scifest Africa 2019 engage with visitors. The South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity

June 28, 2021

South African scientists explain why they make time for science festivals

Mpfareleni Rejoyce Gavhi-Molefe, African Institute for Mathematical Sciences; Eric A. Jensen, University of Warwick, and Marina Joubert, Stellenbosch University

Scientists enjoyed informing, exciting and inspiring the public.

People are faced with a lot of misinformation about both GMOs and COVID. Evan Clayburg

March 8, 2021

Battling misinformation wars in Africa: applying lessons from GMOs to COVID-19

Edward Mabaya, Cornell University; Ifeanyi M Nsofor, George Washington University, and Sarah Evanega, Cornell University

For anyone who has worked on crop improvement in Africa over the last three decades, the flood of misinformation around vaccines evokes an eerie sense of déjà vu.

Scientists around Africa are working at the cutting edge of research and their work is relevant beyond the continent. PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP via Getty Images

October 14, 2020

Quality research in Africa matters more than ever – for the whole world

Thomas Kariuki, African Academy of Sciences and Elizabeth Marincola, African Academy of Sciences

Thanks to major science infrastructure, human resource training and education investment in African nations, the continent is well placed to lead from the front.

By setting out the continent’s research priorities, scientists can focus better on what needs to be done. Maliutina Anna/Shutterstock

July 1, 2020

Africa’s scientists set out their COVID-19 research priorities

Moses Alobo, African Academy of Sciences

Some of the priorities were drawn from the World Health Organisation’s Roadmap; others were expressed by researchers in and from Africa as being important to the continent’s many contexts.

Getting more women involved in science is good for everyone. Stock photo/Getty Images

June 9, 2020

Moves are afoot in Africa to keep more women in science careers

Barbara Tiedeu, Université de Yaounde 1

A number of programmes now exist that are helping to close the gender gap in African science, technology, engineering and maths.

Young scientists should be taught how to turn scientific innovations into business opportunities. FrameStockFootages/Shutterstock

August 25, 2019

Universities must teach their budding scientists entrepreneurship

Karl Kunert, University of Pretoria and Christopher Cullis, Case Western Reserve University

Most universities focus on teaching basic sciences with little reference to commercialisation of ideas and new technologies.

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