Biosciences Research Facility in Nairobi Opens its Doors to Africa’s Scientists

14th January 2010   ·   0 Comments  ·   By George Kebaso

A world-class State-of-the-art biosciences research facility has officially opened its doors to scientists and students in Africa’s national research institutes and universities in Nairobi’s International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). According to Biosciences east and central African (BecA) Hub Director, Dr Segenet Kelemu; “this means that, Africa’s scientists can comfortably venture into new realms of science without constraints of inadequate laboratories, at low costs and fewer restrictive regulations in their bid to conduct scientific research that is similar to that done in overseas institutions.” While making this announcement on Wednesday afternoon, she said; “after years of lagging behind in the scientific field, Africa’s bioscience research capability is effectively at par with research undertaken in the world’s most advanced research institutes.”

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the East Africa Science Reporting Workshop organised by African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) in collaboration with International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) at ILRI, the molecular plant pathologist said the US$21 million-laboratory facility will partly support research and build capacity by empowering scientists to lead the coming agricultural revolution from within Africa. “BecA is the first hub of the Africa Biosciences Initiative (ABI) to become fully functional, having been developed with a grant of USD21 million from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA),” added Dr. Kelemu who is leading a group of research scientists, technicians and support staff in affiliated research areas of livestock; crop and microbial research and training.

The seven- laboratory facility’s establishment has entailed refurbishing, expanding and equipping laboratories at ILRI to accommodate a wide range of cutting-edge technologies to improve agriculture. BecA Hub affords Africa’s researchers access to the latest equipment and technologies, as well as related scientific support, training and research-related services. Many scientists have already used BecA’s capacities in the crop, livestock and microbial sciences in their ongoing search for solutions to the unique challenges of Africa’s development. “Many of the research findings generated so far have found immediate application in agriculture,” says Dr Kelemu, citing research that has for the first time ever enabled genetic characterisation of cassava varieties preferred by farmers in the DRC and Madagascar. Another project found that Uganda holds rich sweet potato biodiversity, which can be used as a resource to increase food security across the continent.

At the Nairobi biosciences facility, scientists can deploy bioinformatics, an indispensable tool for modern biosciences which involves the use of IT and computer science in the field of molecular biology, genomics – the study of an organism’s full set of genes – and proteomics (the study of protein gene products, a next horizon in the biological sciences after genomics). The facility is also equipped with one of Africa’s few advanced bio-safety level III labs, with stringent safety standards for persons working therein, as well as ensuring that the surrounding environment is not in any way affected.

According to the director, demand for use of the facility and its services is already growing rapidly, underscoring the continent’s need for high quality up-to-date research facilities. In 2009, the facility hosted about 400 participants in its training workshops and conferences, representing a three-fold increase over 2008. Director-General of ILRI, Dr Carlos Sere: “The BecA Hub has become a vibrant focal point and facilitator for science and technology issues, bringing the African scientific community and international partners together as they address African agricultural constraints of significance.”

Since 2007, 76 graduate students and trainees and 19 visiting scientists have undertaken research at the facility. The demand for the facility is coming from well beyond the 17 countries targeted in Eastern and Central Africa. Scientists from South Africa, Zambia, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, and even from non-African countries such as USA and Switzerland have used BecA’s state-of-the-art facilities. BecA is an initiative developed within a framework of Centres of Excellence for Science and Technology in Africa. The BecA Hub provides a common biosciences research platform, research-related services and capacity building opportunities to the region and beyond. The Hub aims to increase access to affordable; world-research facilities, and create, strengthen human resources in biosciences and related disciplines in Africa.

At the centre of research in the facility is a US$1million worth of machine 454 Life Sciences bringing to two the number of such equipment in Africa. BecA Technology Manager, Dr. Appolinaire Djikeng said it is useful in accelerating research in livestock; microbes and gene sequencing in Africa. “The machine reduces the duration of getting results from gene sequencing,” he added during the tour of the facility by journalists from the EAC region. A research Scientist, Rob Skilton said; “The machine takes care of a revolutionalised massive sequencing of genes for a very short time.”

People who looked at this item also looked at…

• Biotechnology is Key to Food Security in Africa.
• Contact
• As Kofi Annan Calls for an Equal Distribution of Africa’s Wealth – Sierra Leone Provides a Vivid Example of Change
• Subscribe to our Magazine
• EAC to Conduct African Monetary Union Workshop

Related items

• U.N. to upgrade its offices in Nairobi
• Budget Day for East African Countries
• U.S. Optimistic About Kenya`s Reform Agenda
• Kenya Will Respond With Force to Any Attack by Al-Shabaab
• Kenya and Tanzania Pledge Support for Common Markets Protocol

© 2010, George Kebaso. All rights reserved.

Share

Tags:  Biosciences Research Facility, Nairobi Kenya

By George Kebaso