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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

UFS Psychologist honoured for lifelong contribution
2015-12-09

Prof Dap Louw, distinguished professor and forensic psychologist from the University of the Free State, receives a Lifelong Achievers Award from the University of Johannesburg. From left is: Prof Theo Veldsman, head of the Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management at UJ, prof Louw, prof Deon de Bruin, Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management at UJ, and prof Daneel van Lill, dean at Faculty of Management at UJ.
Photo: Jan Potgieter, UJ

 

It is always good to be honoured by your own university, but it is even more special to be honoured by another university, according to Prof Dap Louw, distinguished professor and forensic psychologist from the University of the Free State (UFS), on an award he received from the University of Johannesburg (UJ).

On 5 November 2015, Prof Louw received the prestigious Lifelong Achievers Award from the Department of Industrial Psychology and People Management at UJ in recognition of the major contribution he has made during his career in psychology. He was one of two recipients of the award during this year’s UJ Top Achievers Awards Ceremony.

Prof Louw had great appreciation for his students and colleagues at the UFS, without who he would have been “without arms”.

Worthy legacy

The Lifelong Achievers Award is presented to retired academics that have, over their careers, consistently made significant contributions to their field, nationally and/or internationally, and have left behind a worthy legacy.

According to the description for the award, the recipient has left behind a legacy in his or her specific field which is gratefully acknowledged by all past, present and upcoming professional colleagues, students, clients and other stakeholders.

This description concludes with: “We are a better science and profession because of you”.

Career full of highlights

Prof Louw is the author or co-author of over 100 articles in accredited national and international journals, and he is an accredited NRF researcher.

He is the principal author and editor of several textbooks currently prescribed by 12 universities in South and Southern Africa. It is estimated that, over the years, more than 100 000 students have received their training via textbooks he has written with his wife, Prof Anet Louw.

Prof Louw holds a master’s and doctoral degree in Criminology, and a master’s and doctoral degree in Psychology. He is the only person in South Africa with these qualifications.
During his career as forensic psychologist, Prof Louw has testified in many familiar criminal cases in South Africa and Namibia.

The Academy of Science of South Africa presented him with the Stals Award for Psychology and he was honoured by The National Honor Society in Psychology in the USA as well.

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