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Prof Martin Nyaga champions Africa’s scientific leadership at the AAS Summit in Ghana

18 August 2025 | Story Somila Nazo | Photo Supplied

Prof Martin Nyaga, one of Africa’s foremost experts in genomics and global health, recently delivered a powerful call for Africa’s leadership in global science at the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) Summit in Accra, Ghana.

As Head of the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Unit at the University of the Free State (UFS) and Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases Surveillance and Pathogen Genomics, Prof Nyaga urged the scientific community to recognise Africa not just as a participant in global research, but as a driver of innovation and change.

A summit of vision and collaboration

Themed Unpacking the Pact for the Future: Imperatives for Advancing Scientific Cooperation with Africa, the summit took place from 2 – 4 July 2025. Hosted by the AAS in partnership with the African Union, the Government of Ghana, the University of Ghana, and other global partners, the summit brought together leading scientists, policymakers, and international stakeholders to discuss Africa’s role in shaping the future of global science, research and innovation.

The event was attended by high-level dignitaries, including the President of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, and the former President of Nigeria, His Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo – a clear indication of strong political will to prioritise science, health and innovation across the continent.

Advancing Africa’s voice in global health

On 2 July 2025, Prof Nyaga delivered his keynote address, Advances, Opportunities and Priorities for Global Health in Africa. He highlighted Africa’s growing capabilities in genomics and public health, underscoring the opportunities for scientific leadership.

Following his address, he joined an expert panel with representatives from Tanzania, Ghana and Nigeria to discuss strategies for advancing scientific cooperation in global health. His contributions focused on: strengthening research collaborations; building capacity within Africa; increasing African ownership in health innovations, and enhancing the translation of research into policy and practice.

Prof Nyaga also used the platform to spotlight the work of the UFS Next Generation Sequencing (UFS-NGS) Unit. As a WHO Collaborating Centre, the unit plays a critical role in pathogen tracking, monitoring vaccine-preventable diseases, and supporting public health preparedness across Africa and beyond.

“This engagement provided an opportunity to highlight the impactful research from the UFS-NGS Unit – not only in academic publications, but in demonstrating tangible public health benefits to policy makers,” said Prof Nyaga. “It elevated the University of the Free State’s standing as a leader in genomic science, while opening new opportunities for collaboration for South Africa and the continent. Our research priorities are increasingly shaping global health and innovation agendas.”

From Ghana to the G20

The outcomes of the summit will feed into a communiqué to be presented at the 2025 G20 Summit, to be hosted by South Africa. Prof Nyaga’s thought leadership ensures that Africa’s scientific voice - and South Africa’s research priorities - will be represented at one of the world’s most influential multilateral platforms.

For more information about UFS partnerships in Africa, contact the Office for International Affairs at partnerships@ufs.ac.za.

News Archive

UFS receives R13,7 Million for Research into Prehistoric Organisms

2007-03-27

Some of the guests attending the launch of the research contract are: Dr Siyabulela Ntutela (Deputy Director: Biotechnology at the Department of Science and Technology), Dr Godfrey Netswera (Manager of Thuthuka and the Support Programme at the National Research Foundation (NRF)), Dr Esta van Heerden (Platform Manager and lecturer at the Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology at the UFS), Mr Butana Mboniswa (Chief Executive Officer of BioPAD), and Mr Vuyisele Phehani (Portfolio Manager for BioPAD).
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

The University of the Free State (UFS) has been awarded a massive R13,7 million contract to conduct research into prehistoric micro-organisms which live under extreme conditions, for example in mineshafts.

This is one of the biggest research contracts awarded to the UFS in recent years.

The biotechnology research contract was awarded to the UFS by BioPAD, a South African biotechnology company that brokers partnerships between researchers, entrepreneurs, business, government and other stakeholders to promote innovation and create sustainable biotechnology businesses.

The project is endorsed by the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation (NRF), which contributes to the bursaries of the 17 postgraduate students on the programme.

The contract involves the establishment of a Platform for Metagenomics - a technique which allows researchers to extract the DNA from microbes in their natural environment and investigate it in a laboratory.

“Through this platform we will be able to understand deepmine microbial populations
and their potential application in the search for life in outer space. It is most likely
that, if life were to be found on other planets in our solar system, it would probably
resemble that which existed millions of years ago on earth. Apart from all this, these
organisms have unique properties one can exploit in biotechnological application for
South Africa and its community,” said Dr Esta van Heerden, platform manager and
lecturer at the UFS Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology.
She is assisted by her collegues, Prof. Derek Litthauer and Dr Lizelle Piater.

“The platform aims to tap into the unique genetic material in South African mines
which will lead to the discovery of new genes and their products. These new and unique products will find application in the medical field (anti-cancer, anti-bacterial en anti-viral cures), the industrial sector (nanotechnology, commercial washing agents and the food industry), environmental sector (pollution management, demolition of harmful metals and other toxic waste),” said Dr Van Heerden.

According to Dr Van Heerden, the Metagenomics Platforms stems from the Life in
Extreme Environments (LExEN) programme which was started in 1994 by Princeton
University in the United States of America (USA) in South African mines with grants
from among others the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and
the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the USA. Other international collaborators
on the project include Geosynec Consultants Inc. (USA), Oak Ridge National
Laboratory (USA), the University of Tennessee (USA) and in South Africa the
Universities of the Witwatersrand, North West and Limpopo and companies like BHP
Billiton, MINTEK and mining companies like Harmony, Gold Fields and AngloGold
Ashanti.

The research field laboratory of the Metagenomics Platform, which was situated in
Glen Harvey, was moved to the Main Campus of the UFS in Bloemfontein. “In this
way the university has become the central hub for all research programmes. We are
also the liaison between the LExEN programme and the various mining companies
involved,” said Dr Van Heerden. The new laboratory was introduced during the
launch of the research contract.

“Our decision to commit BioPAD to this project stems from the company’s commitment to advance human capacity development to strengthen South Africa’s research infrastructure. It is also part of our aim to create and protect intellectual property,” said Mr Butana Mboniswa, Chief Executive Officer of BioPAD.

Talking on behalf of the UFS senior management, Prof. Teuns Verschoor, Vice-Rector
of Academic Operations, said that the university shares the excitement to be part of
the exploration of unknown forms of life, the discovery of new genes and
their products and in applying newly gained knowledge to better understand our
universe.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za
27 March 2007

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