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In addition to the continued focus on the response against COVID-19, this June issue of the AAS Big Picture features a series of blogs and case studies from AESA’s community of scientists on using microorganisms to improve crop production, accelerating TB treatment in Africa and sequencing of antimicrobial resistance.
Reach out to us on bigpicture@aasciences.africa if you have content on science, technology and innovation (STI) opportunities, courses, trainings and online lectures that will advance scientific and technical knowledge for African researchers. Send in content by Friday 25 June 2021 for inclusion in the July issue of the monthly e-newsletter.
To catch up on past issues of the AAS newsletter, check out our AAS Big Picture web page.
DELTAS Africa COVID-19 blog series
This blog series looks at how African scientists and institutions supported by the Developing Excellence, Leadership and Training in Science in Africa (DELTAS Africa) programme moved fast to conduct essential COVID-related research. This month we highlight how the African Science Partnership for Intervention Research Excellence (Afrique One-ASPIRE) played a vital role in controlling and preventing COVID-19 across Tanzania, Ghana, Chad and Côte d’Ivoire. Read more. |
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Global COVID-19 research agenda still missing the priorities of low- and middle-income countries
Over a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, coordination of an inclusive global research response remains limited. While there has been important leadership in COVID-19 research in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), most COVID-19 research globally focuses on the issues of greatest importance in high-income countries. Read more. |
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Countering COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy
Some 100 academy leaders, Fellows and members of communications teams attended the IAP Global Webinar on Countering Vaccine Hesitancy. This online event highlighted how academies, as trusted and credible voices – can counter vaccine hesitancy, tackle false and misleading claims being made by anti-vaxxers and others, and promote a culture of trust in the COVID-19 vaccines that are increasingly becoming available. Watch the recording of the webinar here. |
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The different types of COVID-19 vaccines
The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) released an infographic to shed some light on the different types of COVID-19 vaccines, how they are developed, and how they work. Vaccines will play a major role in ending the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 vaccines have already been proven highly effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalisation and death. Read more. |
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| A quick look at the science and innovations supported by AESA across the continent. |
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Beneficial microorganisms – their potential to improve crop production under changing climate in Africa
For smallholder farmers in the semi-arid regions of Kenya who are unable to afford vital inorganic fertilisers for their crops, there is an alternative: the microorganisms that increase nutrient uptake in crops. Using microorganisms will inform and promote the development of affordable and sustainable crop production strategies to improve the performance, quality, sustainability and resilience of crops cultivated by smallholders in Kenya and beyond. Read more. |
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New approaches to accelerating TB treatment in Africa
Tuberculosis (TB) is a deadly infectious disease. Though the global death rate from TB dropped more than 40 percent from 1990 to 2011, there remains a severe shortage of diagnostics and care options. This research offers a path to development of tools that are simple, sensitive and can accurately describe the disease status of an individual at diagnosis and during treatment. Read more. |
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Sequencing of antimicrobial resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest challenges facing both clinical (human) and veterinary medicine. The problem is exacerbated by the slow pace of development of new antimicrobial drugs. Through whole genome sequencing different resistance determinants have been identified. Read more. |
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The Academy of Sciences in Malawi has launched
The Network of African Science Academies (NASAC) teamed up with the UN Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries to support the launch of Academy of Sciences in Malawi on 19 May 2021. The Academy of Sciences in Malawi will promote excellence in scientific research conducted by scientists who are citizens of Malawi and foster contacts and collaboration among and between scientists and the broader global scientific fraternity. The Academy will also advise the government of Malawi on scientific aspects of social and economic issues and all matters related to science teaching, research, and science education. The Academy will promote STEM to the youth as well as use science to empower women. Read more. |
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AESA and its partners have teamed up to offer opportunities in ancestry and longitudinal population studies.
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Apply to be an AAS Affiliate
The AAS Affiliates Programme seeks early and mid-career scientists who demonstrate excellence in their development and application of science in Africa. These individuals become ‘Affiliate of the AAS’ for a period of five years during which they receive individualised professional development support and join a wider community of science leaders on the African continent. Read more.
Applications deadline 23 July 2021. |
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2021 Newton International Fellowships
The Newton International Fellowships provide an opportunity for some of the most talented post-doctoral researchers working overseas to carry out world class research in UK institutions across all disciplines of natural sciences and engineering, social science, and humanities. The Fellowships selects the very best early-stage post-doctoral researchers from all over the world and offers support for two years. Read more.
Applications deadline 16 June 2021. |
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Pasteur International Joint Research Unit
To implement its scientific strategy and strengthen rewarding partnerships with leading scientific institutions, including institutes from the Institut Pasteur International Network (IPIN), the Institut Pasteur (IP) is supporting the creation of Pasteur Joint International Research Units (PIU). A Pasteur International Joint Research Unit (PIU) is a “Virtual Unit” created for 5 years and brings together up to three research teams whereof at least one belongs to the Institut Pasteur or their affiliated institutes (IP Guyane, IP Guadeloupe, IP Nouvelle-Calédonie) and an international research institute or University. Read more.
Applications deadline 18 June 2021. |
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The science breakthrough of the year
The value of breakthrough research has hardly ever been more evident as it is the groundbreaking work of scientists that will allow us to overcome the pandemic. To help make the Falling Walls Conference 2021 the celebration that excellent science deserves, we are asking leading academics and academic institutions, universities, research organisations, companies, private and public research centres, academies, research funders, foundations, and individuals to nominate the latest breakthroughs, outstanding science projects, and bright minds behind them. Read more.
Applications deadline 25 June 2021. |
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Workplace mental health commission
The Wellcome Trust seeks to commission up to 20 research teams from around the world to review the evidence behind a single promising approach for supporting mental health at work. The Request for Proposals is open to any sector, discipline, and geography. Wellcome Trust is interested in research focused on the effectiveness of approaches for supporting workers in low-and middle-income countries, and for supporting those who may be underrepresented or experiencing inequalities and discrimination at work. Read more.
Application deadline for proposals is 28 June 2021. |
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Calmette and Yersin postdoctoral grant
The Calmette and Yersin programme aims to promote mobility within the Institut Pasteur International Network. The annual call for applications for postdoctoral grants is now open. This call is open to all young researchers wishing to realize a research project within an institute of the Network, outside the mainland France. Read more.
Application deadline 09 July 2021. |
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Africa prize for engineering innovation
The Royal Academy of Engineering has issued a call for applications from African innovators and engineering entrepreneurs to receive seven months of commercialisation training and mentoring to develop scalable engineering solutions to local challenges. Read more.
Application deadline 20 July 2021. |
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PACTs Fellowships for Least Developed Countries
The Programme of Collaborations with LDCs (PACTs) offers early-career scientists from the 46 least developed countries (LDCs), who are aged 45 or under, exchange visits of up to six months at the ICGEB laboratories in Trieste (Italy), New Delhi (India) and Cape Town (South Africa). Under the programme agreement, the scientists will be working in the fields of biomedicine, biotechnology and agriculture. The programme will also include a third scheme to provide training in biotechnology policy and regulatory science by ICGEB experts. Read more.
Application deadline 31 August 2021. |
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Women in science
Global Health Matters is a new podcast that explores how innovative and inspiring research contributes to achieving health for all. Dr Garry Aslanyan and his expert panel of guests share their inspiring journeys as leaders in global health. They also discuss the root causes of gender inequality in science and some strategies they have developed to address them. Listen here. |
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Co-creating Africa-UK Research Management Solutions
Capacity development remains a key challenge hindering the development of research management ecosystems in Africa. The International Research Management Staff Development Programme (IRMSDP) is an ambitious practical skills and cultural learning programme aimed to develop the capabilities of research management staff across Africa and the UK. Read more. |
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2021 Virtual Summer Institute
The lfe Institute of Advanced Studies will hold a virtual summer institute from 26 July to 06 August 2021. The 2021 summer institute will focus on the challenges of doing research, creative epistemology and new forms of teaching in light of the new normal, which necessitates adjusting to the constraints of the pandemic. Read more. |
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Celebrating African Unity
Uzma Alam
As we set out to commemorate Africa Day, a celebration of the foundation of the Organisation of African Unity (now African Union), there is no better time to reflect on how we can enhance knowledge and capacity effectiveness in Africa. A question more pertinent than ever before given the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more. |
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Friendship bench offers novel way to tackle mental health problems in Zimbabwe
The African Mental Health Research Initiative (AMARI) is a mental health research capacity building grant funded through the Developing Excellence in Leadership, Training and Science (DELTAS) in Africa, a programme of the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA) implemented with the support of Wellcome and the UK Department of International Development. |
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