Ten promising early-career scientists from nine African countries have been chosen for highly coveted four-year fellowships in a joint initiative led by the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The African Postdoctoral Training Initiative (APTI) program aims to equip these researchers with the necessary skills and resources to conduct cutting-edge research in the field of global health.

Selected from a highly competitive pool of 296 applicants, the 10 APTI fellows have been identified as the top research talent on the African continent. Their inclusion will further strengthen research capacity and foster scientific partnerships across Africa, joining the two existing cohorts currently participating in the APTI program.

Among the newly appointed fellows is Alphonsus Ugwu from Nigeria's Redeemer's University, who will focus on human immunobiology for surveillance, and Amadou Niangaly from Mali's University of Sciences, Techniques and Technology, specializing in malaria monoclonal antibodies. Carine Kunsevi-Kilola from South Africa's Stellenbosch University will conduct research on maternal and child health, while Daniel Amoako-Sakyi from Ghana's University of Cape Coast will investigate microbiome and immune responses in children. Diana Marangu from Kenya's University of Nairobi will concentrate on respiratory health in children.

The remaining fellows include Kaelo Seatla from Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership, dedicated to HIV genomics; Lobe Maloba from Cameroon's University of Buea, focused on drug discovery or development; Rita Boateng from Ghana's Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, specializing in malaria surveillance and antimalarial resistance; Vinie Kouamou from Zimbabwe's Charles River Medical Group, concentrating on HIV vaccine development; and Yaovi Hounmanou from  Benin's University of Abomey-Calavi, studying genomics for surveillance.

The third cohort of fellows will commence their positions in NIH host laboratories in October 2023. Upon their return to their home institutions, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will provide support for the fellows' research through seed funding.

Peggy Oti-Boateng, Executive Director at the AAS, highlighted the significance of investing in early-career scientists to transform Africa into a knowledge-based and technology-led continent. She expressed the AAS's commitment to facilitating research and innovation exchanges that enhance African research leadership and contribute to achieving the vision of "The Africa We Want."

Established in 2019, the APTI program aims to enhance research capacity in African countries and foster enduring scientific collaborations. The fellows undergo a comprehensive four-year postdoctoral training, spending two years in laboratories at various NIH institutes or centres before returning to their home institutions in Africa for an additional two years of program support.

 

Article by Carolyne Nyokabi

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Source;https://www.fic.nih.gov/News/Pages/2023-african-postdoctoral-training-initiative-apti-cohort-3.aspx