GCRF-Crick African Network

Lead Research Organisation: The Francis Crick Institute
Department Name: Research

Abstract

The extreme poverty faced by many people in Sub-Saharan Africa contributes to very high rates of infectious diseases, as well as to chronic diseases linked to these. Scientific research is needed to address these challenges, however, Africa also faces a shortage of knowledge, skills and research facilities, which compounds the problem. Our strategy to tackle this problem is to identify a group of African scientists who already have PhDs and show outstanding talent, and intensively develop their careers via targeted, high-level training and mentorship. The idea is to foster the next generation of leadership at key African research institutions that are well-positioned to advance science on the continent. The ultimate aim is to improve the health of the people of Africa and beyond.

To achieve this, we will establish a new initiative, the 'Crick African Network' (CAN), which involves collaboration between the UK and Africa. The network's goal will be to help build capacity in African institutions to conduct research into infectious diseases that occur in poverty-stricken areas. The network will formally link the Francis Crick Institute (Crick) in the UK with a select group of African-based research organisations, namely: the Universities of Stellenbosch and Cape Town, South Africa, MRC Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), the University of Ghana, and the West African Global Health Alliance (WAGHA) that includes MRC Gambia and University Cheikh Anta Diop, Sénégal.

These partners will together provide an 'African Career Accelerator' programme that provides high-level training for talented African scientists. The programme will offer competitive fellowships that allow the scientists to spend time at Crick in the UK, receiving advanced training, with access to state-of-the-art Science Technology Platform (STP) facilities and expertise. It will then help them to re-establish their research portfolios back at their African institutions. We envisage ongoing mentorship of, and collaboration with, these future research leaders to encourage lasting, mutually beneficial, scientific partnerships. In conjunction with this, the network will host introductory workshops in key African locations, to inform and inspire infectious diseases researchers from those regions. It will also hold annual scientific meetings for the four-year duration of the programme to encourage exchange of scientific learning, grow collaborations and engage with relevant health sector stakeholders.

By intensively developing this select group of up-and-coming researchers, connecting them internationally, supporting them with world-class expertise and positioning them in strong African institutions that can serve as hubs of scientific excellence within the continent, we hope they will become a powerful cadre of internationally connected research professionals with the expertise and experience needed to tackle Africa's infectious disease challenges. The UK-African network formed will also be well positioned to respond, through biomedical research, to pressing poverty-related health needs affecting the welfare and economic development of Africa.

Technical Summary

The extreme poverty faced by many people in Sub-Saharan Africa contributes to very high rates of infectious diseases, as well as to chronic diseases linked to these. Scientific research is needed to address these challenges, however, Africa also faces a shortage of knowledge, skills and research facilities, which compounds the problem. Our strategy to tackle this problem is to identify a group of African scientists who already have PhDs and show outstanding talent, and intensively develop their careers via targeted, high-level training and mentorship. The idea is to foster the next generation of leadership at key African research institutions that are well-positioned to advance science on the continent. The ultimate aim is to improve the health of the people of Africa and beyond.

To achieve this, we will establish a new initiative, the 'Crick African Network' (CAN), which involves collaboration between the UK and Africa. The network's goal will be to help build capacity in African institutions to conduct research into infectious diseases that occur in poverty-stricken areas. The network will formally link the Francis Crick Institute (Crick) in the UK with a select group of African-based research organisations, namely: the Universities of Stellenbosch and Cape Town, South Africa, MRC Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), the University of Ghana, and the West African Global Health Alliance (WAGHA) that includes MRC Gambia and University Cheikh Anta Diop, Sénégal.

These partners will together provide an 'African Career Accelerator' programme that provides high-level training for talented African scientists. The programme will offer competitive fellowships that allow the scientists to spend time at Crick in the UK, receiving advanced training, with access to state-of-the-art Science Technology Platform (STP) facilities and expertise. It will then help them to re-establish their research portfolios back at their African institutions. We envisage ongoing mentorship of, and collaboration with, these future research leaders to encourage lasting, mutually beneficial, scientific partnerships. In conjunction with this, the network will host introductory workshops in key African locations, to inform and inspire infectious diseases researchers from those regions. It will also hold annual scientific meetings for the four-year duration of the programme to encourage exchange of scientific learning, grow collaborations and engage with relevant health sector stakeholders.

By intensively developing this select group of up-and-coming researchers, connecting them internationally, supporting them with world-class expertise and positioning them in strong African institutions that can serve as hubs of scientific excellence within the continent, we hope they will become a powerful cadre of internationally connected research professionals with the expertise and experience needed to tackle Africa's infectious disease challenges. The UK-African network formed will also be well positioned to respond, through biomedical research, to pressing poverty-related health needs affecting the welfare and economic development of Africa.

Planned Impact

The Crick African Network (CAN) will promote economic development and welfare in Africa by growing research capacity in infectious diseases of poverty. The particular focus will be on HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria, which account for a massive disease burden in Africa.

An estimated 25.5 million of the 36.7 million people globally living with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa. HIV/AIDS may have slowed economic growth by up to 1% per annum in affected countries and, by killing young adults, reduces the tax base thus compromising ability to spend on infrastructure such as education and other health services not related to AIDS. TB remains a global problem, responsible for 1.5 million deaths in 2015. A disproportionately high incidence of TB occurs in Africa because of the co-incident HIV-1 pandemic and 75% of the world's cases of HIV associated TB occur on the continent. Every year TB causes around $12 billion to disappear from the global economy. In 2015, there were 214 million cases of malaria worldwide resulting in an estimated 438,000 deaths, 90% of which occurred in children in sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria has a major negative effect on economic development. In Africa, it is estimated to result in losses of $12 billion a year due to increased healthcare costs, lost ability to work, and negative effects on tourism. Whilst significant strides have been made in understanding these diseases during the last couple of decades, major scientific challenges remain.

Sub-Saharan Africa faces a shortage of knowledge, skills and research facilities to respond to these challenges. We believe our strategy to develop the next generation of research leadership in endemic countries, at African institutions well-positioned to advance science on the continent, is key for long-term success in combatting diseases of poverty.

The CAN programme is relevant broadly across the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but is particularly responsive to SDGs 3, 4 and 9. By addressing key unanswered questions to understand how to reduce the impact of major poverty-related infectious disease in Africa (and indeed the world), the CAN programme directly addresses SDG 3 ('Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages'). The focus of the CAN capacity building strategy to develop talented postdoctoral researchers for the benefit of the African skills bank, and thereby economy, responds to SDG 4 ('Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all'). Similarly, the CAN programme contributes directly to SDG 9 sub-goal 9.5, which articulates the need to enhance scientific research, in particular in developing countries, including encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers.

Africa suffers a disproportionate disease burden. For each of the fields of biomedical research covered by the fellowships and collaborations established through this network, the interactions will facilitate the transfer and expansion of knowledge in that field. This will be of benefit to academic and industrial researchers within the relevant fields and may ultimately contribute to the development of new interventions and treatments for high-priority poverty-related diseases. The advancement of medical therapies will have the potential to improve health for the huge numbers of people affected, including, but also beyond, African countries.

Publications

10 25 50

 
Description The career stage of transitioning from postdoctoral researcher to independence is a critical stage that requires significantly more funding and support. Additionally, the benefit of creating a cohort and a Network of Early Career Researchers is demonstrably valuable in the support structures being made by the programme to help with the career transition and retain scientific talent on the African continent, thereby building local capacity and preventing brain drain.
Exploitation Route The model of collaboration and career support could be used by others.
Sectors Healthcare

Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology

 
Description These aspects are covered elsewhere in the report
First Year Of Impact 2020
Sector Healthcare
Impact Types Cultural

 
Description Deciphering Covid-19 disease in Senegal
Geographic Reach Africa 
Policy Influence Type Influenced training of practitioners or researchers
 
Description Informed national protocol for approving lateral flow COVID testing in Ghana
Geographic Reach Africa 
Policy Influence Type Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health
Impact At the beginning of the COVID-19 global pandemic, in Ghana there was a rise in the number of companies claiming to sell COVID-19 lateral flow tests. Dr Peter Quashie who is a virologist, and Fellow supported by CAN, wrote the protocol with his supervisor, Prof. William Ampofo, that the Ghanaian government adopted to ratify the effectiveness of COVID tests to ensure that only reliable tests made it to market.
 
Description National Tuberculosis Control Program, The Gambia
Geographic Reach Africa 
Policy Influence Type Influenced training of practitioners or researchers
 
Description Tracking SARS-CoV-2 in Ghana
Geographic Reach Africa 
Policy Influence Type Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health
 
Description covid policy Ghana
Geographic Reach Africa 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to a national consultation/review
 
Description national MIS-C working group for MIS-C in South Africa
Geographic Reach Africa 
Policy Influence Type Participation in a guidance/advisory committee
 
Description national tuberculosis control program
Geographic Reach Africa 
Policy Influence Type Influenced training of practitioners or researchers
 
Description AAS ARISE-PP GRANT USD 205,000 for Development of novel antimalarial therapeutics targeting Plasmodium falciparum Lipid-binding proteins.
Amount $205,000 (USD)
Organisation University of Ghana 
Sector Academic/University
Country Ghana
Start  
 
Description Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation: GIISER Ghana: Using Antibody Technology to Decipher and Exploit the Immunological Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Variants
Amount $998,736 (USD)
Organisation University of Ghana 
Sector Academic/University
Country Ghana
Start  
 
Description Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellowship
Amount $999,000 (USD)
Organisation Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United States
Start 01/2022 
End 12/2027
 
Description Crick Africa Network 2
Amount £75,000,000 (GBP)
Organisation LifeArc 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 06/2023 
End 06/2028
 
Description Fellowship for Dr Emmanuel Amlabu
Amount $100,000 (USD)
Organisation TETFund 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country Nigeria
Start 02/2022 
End 01/2025
 
Description GCRF Networking Grant
Amount £24,607 (GBP)
Organisation Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 11/2020 
End 11/2021
 
Description GCRF Networking Grant; Benoit Assogba , The Gambia, Co-PI with Durham University; GBP 24,607; House-based interventions for malaria control in The Democratic Republic of the Congo;
Amount £24,607 (GBP)
Organisation University of Bradford 
Department GCRF
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 11/2020 
End 02/2022
 
Description Global Challenges Research Fund Networking Grants
Amount £25,000 (GBP)
Funding ID GCRFNGR4\1210 
Organisation Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 05/2020 
End 06/2021
 
Description International Intermediate Fellowship
Amount £674,526 (GBP)
Organisation Wellcome Trust 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 06/2022 
End 06/2027
 
Description Investigating Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) and IGF-1 Receptor (IGF-1R) signalling in tuberculosis and tuberculosis/diabetes co-morbidity
Amount $560,000 (USD)
Organisation National Institutes of Health (NIH) 
Sector Public
Country United States
Start 01/2023 
 
Description Investigating MIS-C and vaccination in children in South Africa
Amount R3,649,000 (ZAR)
Organisation Medical Research Council of South Africa (MRC) 
Sector Public
Country South Africa
Start 03/2022 
End 03/2023
 
Description Investigating the multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children in South Africa;
Amount R600,000 (ZAR)
Organisation Medical Research Council of South Africa (MRC) 
Sector Public
Country South Africa
Start 03/2022 
End 03/2025
 
Description NIHR Global Health Research Group on Vaccines to Control Respiratory Pathogens and AMR across Africa (VacAM
Amount £2,999,943 (GBP)
Organisation National Institute for Health Research 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2024 
End 01/2029
 
Description Plasmodium falciparum tolerance to antimalarial drugs in West Africa; Molecular determinants and Evolutionary Dynamics (Emerging Genomic Selection and Antimalarial Tolerance in Africa -
Amount € 74,976,875 (EUR)
Organisation Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) 
Department European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership
Sector Public
Country Netherlands
Start 01/2021 
End 01/2025
 
Description Supporting the WHO Defeating meningitis by 2030 road map: barriers and opportunities for whole genome sequencing in LMICs
Amount £1,032,167 (GBP)
Organisation Meningitis Research Foundation 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2024 
End 01/2027
 
Description Suraj Parihar: Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) signalling in tuberculosis and tuberculosis/diabetes co-morbidity
Amount R600,000 (ZAR)
Organisation Medical Research Council of South Africa (MRC) 
Sector Public
Country South Africa
Start  
 
Description West Africa, West Indies, West London: Mechanisms driving heterogeneity in immunity to SARS-CoV-2 variants
Amount £3,058,019 (GBP)
Funding ID 226142/Z/22/Z 
Organisation Wellcome Trust 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 02/2023 
End 02/2026
 
Description discovery award Co-I Rohlwink: Novel methods of investigating disease mechanisms and treatment in children with tuberculous meningitis
Amount £4,000,000 (GBP)
Organisation Wellcome Trust 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2024 
End 01/2031
 
Title MIS-C RNA immune gene expression data 
Description Quantitative PCR results for 80 immune genes of interest from patients with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and other controls: healthy non-inflammatory paediatric controls, Kawasaki disease, lupus, and other inflammatory conditions. Data is presented as 1/deltaCT values computed for each transcript relative to mean of three reference transcripts (ACTR3, CDC42, USF2). Transcripts of interest were pre-amplified using a pool of 96 TaqMan primer-probe assays. Pre-amplified cDNA, along with an internal positive control and a no-template (water) control, and the 96 primer-probe assays, were loaded into a microfluidic 96.96 Gene Expression Integrated Fluidic Circuit (Fluidigm) and gene expression of individual transcripts was then quantified by quantitative real time PCR performed on a BioMark HD (Fluidigm) instrument. The following parameters were applied for extracting cycle threshold (CT) values: Linear (Derivative) baseline correction, Quality Threshold of 0.3 and Auto (Global) for Ct Threshold Method using Fluidigm software version 4.5.2. Column headings and descriptions A1 - Sample_code - deidentified sample identifier B1 - Disease_group - disease group (healthy control, juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus, Kawasaki disease, inflammatory (sepsis) control, or MIS-C C1 - Treatment - treatment by the timepoint (none, or various combinations of IVIG and/or medrol) D1 - Treat_time_(hrs_since_1st_treatment) - time in hours since the first treatment (described in C1) E1-CF1 - [gene names] - expression of the gene name indicated in the column heading 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact none yet 
URL https://zivahub.uct.ac.za/articles/dataset/MIS-C_RNA_immune_gene_expression_data/20286243
 
Title Sex Bias in COVID-19 Data - Supplementary Table 1 
Description An online search of government websites and published literature was performed for regional data reports on COVID-19 cases that included sex as a variable from 1 st January 2020 up until 1 st June 2020 (Search terms: COVID-19/case/sex/country/data/death/ICU/ITU). In order to ensure unbiased representation from as many regions as possible, a cross check was done using the list of countries reporting data on 'Worldometer', and an attempt was made to include as many regions reporting sex data as possible. Reports were translated using Google translate if they were not in English. Data selection, extraction and synthesisReports were included if they contained sex as a variable in data describing case number, intensive treatment unit (ITU) admission, or mortality. Data were entered directly by individual researchers into an online structured data extraction table. For some sources, counts of male confirmed cases or male deaths were not provided, but percentages of male cases or male deaths were provided instead. To include these sources and avoid biases that might be introduced by their exclusion, we calculated counts of male confirmed cases and male deaths from the reported percentages with rounding to the nearest integer. We acknowledge that this approach assumes that the reported percentages are reflective of the true percentages. For some sources, data included confirmed cases and deaths of unknown sex. For these sources, the reported totals were used where the proportion of unknown sex was small. This approach was preferred to excluding cases of unknown sex in order to avoid bias. The estimates represent the proportion of known male infections and odds ratios for mortality associated with known male sex, and will differ slightly from what the true values would be if the sex had been reported for all cases. Data were available at the level of country or regional summary data representing distinct individuals for each report, but not at the level of covariates for all individuals within a study. Consequently, covariates such as lifestyle, comorbidities, testing method and case type (hospital vs. community) could not be controlled for. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2020 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL https://zivahub.uct.ac.za/articles/dataset/Sex_Bias_in_COVID-19_Data_-_Supplementary_Table_1/1295215...
 
Description African Research Excellence Fund 
Organisation Africa Research Excellence Fund
Country Gambia 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution We have agreed to liaise over the provision of workshops and Fellowship support. We have signed an MOU with AREF and 2 other GCRF projects: PRECISE and RECAP, to deliver a training course over four installments for African researchers, focusing on professional development, called 'Towards Leadership'. Three CAN fellows are participating, and the Francis Crick Institute is leading the delivery of the second installment which is taking place at the Crick.
Collaborator Contribution They have agreed to liaise over the provision of workshops and Fellowship support. AREF are delivering the course content and providing the trainers and training resources for the course.
Impact The first installment of the 2019 Towards Leadership training course has been delivered in Johannesburg, South Africa from the 6th-8th February. Three CAN fellows were in attendance at the course, and the CAN Director also attended the launch event for the programme which took place at the British Deputy High Commissioner's residence in Pretoria, with an audience of stakeholders engaged in research or diplomacy on the African continent.
Start Year 2018
 
Description Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Cote d'Ivoire 
Organisation Swiss Center for Scientific Research in Ivory Coast
Country Cote d'Ivoire 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution The Crick and WACCBIP have sought to accommodate the research project of a CAN Fellow by setting up the infrastructure and contractual environment to enable the Fellow's research to take place across three sites.
Collaborator Contribution CSRS is hosting and employing one of the fellows of the Crick African Network. This enables the fellow to trilaterally split their fellowship between the Crick, WACCBIP (Ghana) and CSRS and thereby maximise the impact of the research, while allowing her to set up a lab in their facilities.
Impact No outputs yet.
Start Year 2019
 
Description Institut Pasteur de Dakar 
Organisation Pasteur Institute Dakar
Country Senegal 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution The Crick and WACCBIP have sought to accommodate the research project of a CAN Fellow by setting up the infrastructure and contractual environment to enable the Fellow's research to take place across three sites.
Collaborator Contribution The IPD is hosting and employing one of the fellows of the Crick African Network. This enables the fellow to trilaterally split their fellowship between the Crick, WACCBIP (Ghana) and IPD and thereby maximise the impact of the research, while allowing him to set up a lab in their facilities.
Impact No outputs yet.
Start Year 2019
 
Description MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM 
Organisation Medical Research Council (MRC)
Department MRC Unit, The Gambia
Country Gambia 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution The Francis Crick Institute and the MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM have signed an overall Collaboration Agreement (in addition to the other partners), which sets out the relationship of the two organisations, with regards to scientific collaboration. Additionally, it sets out the financial arrangements for both the core parts of the CAN programme such as the delivery of a workshop there in the first quarter of 2018, as well as the costs associated with paying for Postdoctoral Fellows who are awarded and linked to the Unit.
Collaborator Contribution The MRC Unit the Gambia at LSHTM has signed the above described Collaboration Agreement, and delivered a workshop in the first quarter of 2018. Furthermore, one fellowship has been awarded to Benoit Assogba, to be hosted and administered by the MRC Unit the Gambia at LSHTM.
Impact Dr Benoit Assogba has been awarded a postdoctoral fellowship entitled 'Investigate effector molecules targeting Anopheles reproductive processes', with a value of £250,000 and a duration of 24 months. The research will incorporate time spent at the Francis Crick Institute, the MRC Unit the Gambia at LSHTM and the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) at the University of Ghana.
Start Year 2017
 
Description MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit 
Organisation Medical Research Council (MRC)
Department MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Research Unit Uganda
Country Uganda 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution The Francis Crick Institute and the MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit have signed an overall Collaboration Agreement (in addition to the other partners), which sets out the relationship of the two organisations, with regards to scientific collaboration. Additionally, it sets out the financial arrangements for both the core parts of the CAN programme such as the delivery of a workshop there in the first quarter of 2018, as well as the costs associated with paying for Postdoctoral Fellows who are awarded and linked to the Unit.
Collaborator Contribution The MRC/ UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit has signed the above described Collaboration Agreement, and delivered a workshop in the first quarter of 2018.
Impact The MRC/ UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit has delivered a Research Methods workshop and associated scientific symposium from the 7th-9th March 2018. They have also been an active participant in Steering Committee meetings, through co-investigator Dr Stephen Cose.
Start Year 2017
 
Description Stellenbosch University 
Organisation University of Stellenbosch
Department Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Country South Africa 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution The Francis Crick Institute and Stellenbosch University have signed an overall Collaboration Agreement (in addition to the other partners), which sets out the relationship of the two organisations, with regards to scientific collaboration. Additionally, it sets out the financial arrangements for both the core parts of the CAN programme such as the delivery of a workshop there in the first quarter of 2018, as well as the costs associated with paying for Postdoctoral Fellows who are awarded and linked to the Unit.
Collaborator Contribution Stellenbosch University has signed the above described Collaboration Agreement, and delivered a workshop in the first quarter of 2018. Furthermore, one fellowship has been awarded to Dr Brigitte Glanzmann, to be hosted and administered by Stellenbosch University.
Impact Dr Brigitte Glanzmann has been awarded a postdoctoral fellowship entitled 'Genetic causes of recurrent tuberculosis in children', with a value of £250,000 and a duration of 24 months. The research will incorporate time spent at the Francis Crick Institute and Stellenbosch University.
Start Year 2017
 
Description TReND 
Organisation University of Ghana
Department West Africa Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens
Country Ghana 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution A Crick PI, Dr Lucia Prieto-Godino is also the founder/ Director of an NGO called 'TReND' (Teaching and Research in Natural Sciences for Development in Africa). Through connections made through the Crick African Network, Dr Prieto-Godino will deliver a training workshop in partnership with WACCBIP at the University of Ghana to train scientists from across the region in bioscience skills.
Collaborator Contribution WACCBIP at the University of Ghana will host the TReND workshop in Autumn 2018.
Impact The output will be the delivery of a workshop, and at the current time the planning and organisation of the workshop is ongoing.
Start Year 2018
 
Description Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Senegal 
Organisation University Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar
Country Senegal 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution The Crick and the MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM have sought to accommodate the research project of a CAN Fellow by setting up the infrastructure and contractual environment to enable the Fellow's research to take place across three sites.
Collaborator Contribution The Universite Cheikh Anta Diop is hosting and employing one of the fellows of the Crick African Network. This enables the fellow to trilaterally split their fellowship between the Crick, the MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM, and UCAD and thereby maximise the impact of the research, while allowing her to set up a lab in their facilities.
Impact No outputs yet.
Start Year 2019
 
Description University of Cape Town 
Organisation University of Cape Town
Country South Africa 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution The Francis Crick Institute and the University of Cape Town have signed an overall Collaboration Agreement (in addition to the other partners), which sets out the relationship of the two organisations, with regards to scientific collaboration. Additionally, it sets out the financial arrangements for both the core parts of the CAN programme such as the delivery of a workshop there in the first quarter of 2018, as well as the costs associated with paying for Postdoctoral Fellows who are awarded and linked to the university.
Collaborator Contribution The University of Cape Town has signed the above described Collaboration Agreement, and contributed to the delivery of a workshop in the first quarter of 2018. Furthermore, one fellowship has been awarded to Dr Mandy Mason, to be hosted and administered by the University of Cape Town.
Impact Dr Mandy Mason has been awarded a postdoctoral fellowship, with a project entitled 'Drug hypersusceptibility screening in Mycobacterium tuberculosis using CRISPRi-seq', with a value of £250,000 and a duration of 24 months. The research will incorporate time spent at the Francis Crick Institute, and the University of Cape Town.
Start Year 2017
 
Description West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana 
Organisation University of Ghana
Department West Africa Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens
Country Ghana 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution The Francis Crick Institute and WACCBIP have signed an overall Collaboration Agreement (in addition to the other partners), which sets out the relationship of the two organisations, with regards to scientific collaboration. Additionally, it sets out the financial arrangements for both the core parts of the CAN programme such as the delivery of a workshop there in the last quarter of 2017, as well as the costs associated with paying for Postdoctoral Fellows who are awarded and linked to the Centre.
Collaborator Contribution WACCBIP has signed the above described Collaboration Agreement, and delivered a workshop in December 2017. Furthermore, two fellowships have been awarded to Dr Yaw Bediako and Dr Peter Quashie respectively, to be hosted and administered by WACCBIP.
Impact Dr Yaw Bediako has been awarded a postdoctoral fellowship, with a project entitled 'A systems-based investigation of correlates of anti-malarial immunity'. Dr Peter Quashie has been awarded a postdoctoral fellowship with a project entitled 'Phenotypic studies of HIV genotypes in West Africa'. Each fellowship has a value of £250,000 and a duration of 24 months. The research will incorporate time spent at the Francis Crick Institute, and the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) at the University of Ghana.
Start Year 2017
 
Description Allumé la Télé 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Participated in a TV show called Allumé la Télé" broadcasted on nsational TV RTI1 where I talkefd about meningitis and the research I do, and the World meningitis day. 2023
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Article contribution on online news website by Dr Peter Quashie 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Commenting on preparations for potential pandemic by Dr Peter Quashie
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://theconversation.com/perspectives-from-kenya-and-ghana-on-coronavirus-preparations-130488
 
Description Bridging the gap between researchers and the community, Ghana 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Bridging the Gap between researchers and the community; TIBA-Ghana malaria research project; Audience was community health workers, district heads and directors; Outcome was access to human plasma sampling for the purpose of studying malaria transmission intensity dynamics in Ghana
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Crick Africa Network and the Governor of Yobe State, Nigeria 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact I presented the successes and plans for the Crick Africa Network to the Governor of Yobe State, Nigeria
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Identifying malaria vaccine candidates in Kedougou, Senegal 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Alassane Mbengue was one of the first cohort of Crick Africa Network Fellows.

His team studies antimalarial resistance, with the aim of finding new candidates for malaria vaccines.

Hear more about Alassane's work in this video created with the team in Kedougou, Senegal.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.crick.ac.uk/news/2023-10-27_identifying-malaria-vaccine-candidates-in-kedougou-senegal
 
Description NEWS 24 South Africa 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact contribution to News24: https://www.news24.com/health24/medical/infectious-diseases/coronavirus/majority-of-children-with-inflammatory-covid-syndrome-recover-within-six-months-study-20210531-3
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://www.news24.com/health24/medical/infectious-diseases/coronavirus/majority-of-children-with-in...
 
Description Presentation on being a researcher to the competitors in the National Science & Maths Quiz broadcast on national TV (Ghana) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact Dr Yaw Bediako has been awarded a fellowship by the Crick African Network to conduct his research. He shared his experience and research with the High School competitors of the National Science & Maths Quiz which was broadcast on Ghanaian national TV and gave them an opportunity to ask questions about becoming a researcher and immunologist.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8FBQWVm7qo&feature=youtu.be
 
Description School robotics competition attending scientific symposium 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact The finalist teams of a inter-school robotics competition attended the scientific symposium at the event held in the Gambia, hosted by the MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM. At the end of the scientific symposium, the winning team of the robotics competition was announced and then the scientist participants of the symposium engaged with the students, discussing areas of overlap of robotics with the biosciences, and school children had a chance to find out about careers in science in the Gambia.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description South African broadcasting afternoon express 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-09-16-coronavirus-linked-multisystem-inflammatory-syndrome-in-children-now-a-notifiable-disease-in-sa/
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description daily maverick 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Daily Maverick Article; 16 September 2020;
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-09-16-coronavirus-linked-multisystem-inflammatory-syndrome-in-children-now-a-notifiable-disease-in-sa/
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description evolving trends in SAr-CoV-2-A 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact 8 June 2022 : Evolving trends in the sero- and genetic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2- A WACCBIP-hosted
Webinar- Presenter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqCxd5puisI
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description international brain awareness week 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact International Brain Awareness Week event (2022, 2023); Audience was school children from local area; Impact was inspiring children to understand the importance of the brain and how to look after it; Role was Organiser and Lecturer
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022,2023
 
Description meningitis awareness 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact Development of communication tools on meningitis as part of the MEVacP project/ outputs are a comic book and animate on meningitis ( 7 episodes), posters on meningitis; All of them have been used in school and health centres outreachs in 3vcities of Cote d'Ivoire (ÀKorhogo, Tengrela and Abidjan, 2022, 2023
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022,2023
 
Description the CRickmAFrica Network successes and future 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact I presented the Crick Africa Network to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, the President of South Africa and his team, as well as the then UK ministers of Health and Business.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description the women behind science 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact The woman behind the science, InstaLive series (https://www.instagram.com/p/CSPDejk Msea/?utm_medium
=copy_link);
Purpose was science engagement; Lay audience and junior scientists; Accoplished being the first guest speaker for live series for SUMBHG
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description visit of the director general of the WHO 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact I presented the successes and future plans of the Crick Africa Network to the DG of WHO, UK national policy advisors, science advisors to the Foreign Office, chief medical Officer- England
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description world malaria day Ghana 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact World Malaria Day; Public engagement on malaria preventative measures; Audience is Students, Teachers and Researchers; Outcome was organized free screening in 15 schools, educated teachers as agents of change towards defeating malaria
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022