Global team to study international differences in COVID-19 immunity
Supported by £3.1 million from the Wellcome Trust, the newly-created WWW Consortium links three leading studies in West Africa (Yemaachi Biotech Heritage Study), the West Indies (Windfall Study in Kingston, Jamaica), and West London (the Legacy Study), each tracking how both the virus and our immunity has evolved against COVID-19.
African biotech holds the key to transforming not just the health of African people, but our economies as well
Why has over a decade of political rhetoric and unprecedented donor support for scientific capacity building not translated into more tangible scientific output?
A closer look reveals a glaring gap in the current structure of the scientific ecosystem in Africa – the almost complete absence of the private sector.
Probing SARS-CoV-2-positive plasma to identify potential factors correlating with mild COVID-19 in Ghana, West Africa
West Africa has recorded a relatively higher proportion of asymptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases than the rest of the world, and West Africa-specific host factors could play a role in this discrepancy. Here, [the authors] assessed the association between COVID-19 severity among Ghanaians with their immune profiles and ABO blood groups.
Ghana startup strives for greater African representation in cancer research
As one of Ghana’s only labs equipped for molecular analysis, Bediako’s team have tasked themselves with collecting data they believe will advance the development of medicine for cancer patients throughout the continent and diaspora
Yemaachi, Africa’s Cancer Research Company, Raises Seed Round To Diversify Genomic Datasets & Advance Precision Oncology Globally
Yemaachi Biotech announced today the close of a $3 million seed round to advance its mission of diversifying precision oncology globally. V8 Capital led the round, with LifeLine Family Heritage Fund, Y Combinator, Tencent, LoftyInc Capital, VestedWorld, V Square Capital and Ethan Perlstein also participating.
“The Scientist” Feature: Quest for Research Freedom Fuels African Biotech Boom
Tired of dancing to the tunes of international funders, and doubtful that long-promised national grants will come, a handful of African biomedical scientists have turned to private investors to bankroll their dreams of autonomy in the lab