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19 July 2018 Photo Supplied
AEVGI advances Next-Generation Sequencing in Africa
Prof George Armah, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Ghana; Prof Carl Kirkwood, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USA; Cornelius Hagenmeier, Director: Internationalisation, UFS; Prof Gert van Zyl, Dean: Health Sciences; Dr Martin Nyaga, Senior Lecturer in the NGS Unit; Prof Joyce Tsoka-Gwegweni, Vice-Dean: Health Sciences; Dr Glen Taylor, Senior Director: Research and Development; Prof Jeffrey Mphahlele, Vice-President, South African Medical Research Council.

The inaugural edition of the University of the Free State (UFS) Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Data and Bioinformatics Workshop, hosted by the UFS-NGS Unit in the UFS Faculty of Health Sciences, marked a new beginning for the advancement of NGS in Africa under the auspices of the African Enteric Viruses Genome Initiative (AEVGI), which was recently funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The AEVGI will generate rotavirus genomes at the UFS-NGS Unit to investigate the long-term effects of the introduction of the monovalent RV1 vaccine in three African countries – Ghana, Malawi, and South Africa.

The workshop attracted over 90 participants from 15 national and international institutions, with organisations from seven different countries as well as company representatives attending the event. The workshop kicked off with a courtesy call to the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Francis Petersen, followed by a stakeholder meeting with the executive management of the UFS.

The funding was secured through an award to the principal investigator, Dr Martin Nyaga, and sub-awards to co-investigators, Dr Khuzwayo Jere, Dr Francis Dennis, and Dr Valentine Ndze. According to attendee evaluations of the workshop, the remarkable performance of the workshop instructors was outstanding. Through practical sessions, participants were equipped with knowledge on how to apply several tools of genetic data analysis, using the rotavirus genome as a model to construct and interpret different genomic datasets.

A total of 65 students attended the hands-on workshop, the majority of which were from South African higher-education institutions. The organisers are grateful to the sponsors, particularly to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the University of the Free State, for making the workshop a success. Whitehead Scientific and the South African Medical Research Council also played a major role in the success of the workshop. The local organising committee consisted of Dr Martin Nyaga (host, convener and chair), Dr Saheed Sabiu (secretary), and Mr Stephanus Riekert (principal ICT support).

News Archive

Department of Agricultural Economics and agri-business join forces
2009-12-01

Some of the guests who attended the Department of Agricultural Economics' half-century celebration dinner were, from the left: Ms Chrisna van Heerden from Cape Wools; Mr Gielie Swart from Corporate Guarantee; Mr Jaco Heckroodt from VKB (Vrystaat Koöperasie Beperk) in Reitz; Mr Arno van Vuuren from NWK Beperk (Noord-Wes Koöperasie); Prof. Johan Willemse, Departmental Chairperson of the Department of Agricultural Economics at the UFS; and Ms Marcine Morsavel from GWK Beperk (Griekwaland-Wes Koöperasie).
Photo: Stephen Collett

The Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of the Free State (UFS) launched a bursary programme to support students studying Agricultural Economics during its recent half-centenary celebrations.

More than half a million Rands were collected from various agri-businesses at this prestigious event in order to support approximately 16 Agricultural Economics students from 2010 onwards.

“The Department is proud of the past 50 years’ training of students for agriculture in the fields of research, governance, banking and the agri-business environment and we have launched the bursary programme in order to position the University closer to agri-businesses,” said Prof. Johan Willemse, Departmental Chairperson of the Department of Agricultural Economics at the UFS.

The agri-businesses, who will act as sponsors, also benefit from the project, because they are afforded the opportunity to identify promising Agricultural Economics students as potential employees and to expose them to the activities of the businesses by means of holiday work. Upon completion of his/her studies, the student will already be fairly familiar with the circumstances of the specific agri-business and loyalty towards the business will already have been established.

Students who major in Agricultural Economics may apply for the bursary programme.

Agri-businesses that have already agreed to act as sponsors are Omnia Fertilizer, Pioneer Foods Pty, Suid-Wes Koöperasie Beperk, Corporate Guarantee, GWK Beperk (Griekwaland-Wes Koöperasie), VKB (Vrystaat Koöperasie Beperk), the National Woolgrowers Association and NWK Beperk (Noord-Wes Koöperasie).

More information can be obtained by phoning Ms Marie Engelbrecht on 051 401 9054.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
1 December 2009

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