EDCTP Fellows in the times of COVID-19
Our EDCTP Fellows have been very active across the continent in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many countries around the world have been in varying degrees of lockdown and have relied heavily on advice from medical specialists, epidemiologists and researchers to guide their response. Please read our EDCTP monthly updates as we showcase the work of our Fellows each month https://www.edctp.org/web/app/uploads/2020/08/EDCTP-Update-July-2020.pdf
Bourema Kouriba - COVID-19 diagnosis in Mali
Professor Bourema Kouriba (a former EDCTP1 senior Fellow) is a pharmacist, immunologist, and the Director General of the Charles Mérieux Centre for Infectiology (CMCI) in Bamako, Mali. He leads a team responsible for diagnostics of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and teaches immunology at the Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bamako.
Since the Ebola epidemic in 2014, the institute developed its diagnostics capabilities with the support of the Institute of Microbiology of the German Army. The German government donated a mobile laboratory to the Malian Ministry of Health under the responsibility of CMCI, which participates with the National Institute of Public Health in epidemiological surveillance and the response to epidemics. Professor Kouriba: "On the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, CMCI and three other
centres were appointed by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs to carry out the diagnostic side. Right now, we are in Timbuktu, a town in the north at 900 km from the capital Bamako. Here, our mobile laboratory is deployed to carry out the COVID19 molecular diagnostic tests. The day begins with the preparation of bleach solutions. Then we organise the team in the different workstations: one person at the reception, two people in the glove box, one person at the RNA extraction and the preparation of the master mix and another at the amplification."
"I take care of entering data and editing the results personally. As soon as the samples are received, their number is counted and communicated to the entire team. Once received, samples are conditioned in a container and transferred to the glove box team whose role is to inactivate these samples. This inactivation is carried out under the control of a witness who notes on the patient form all the steps performed by the operator. After inactivation, the samples are removed from the glove box for RNA extraction. At the same time, one person responsible for preparing the master mix prepares the necessary quantity of reagent. The last step is the real-time PCR. After two hours the results are analysed, interpreted, entered into the
database and printed for the doctor. At the end of the day, the glove compartment and the equipment are cleaned with concentrated bleach." There are several serious challenges:
1. The situation of consumables used for PCR, in particular for extraction kits. With the borders closed, the supply of reagents and consumables in the country is a very big challenge.
2. We receive most of our reagents through donors as the government cannot afford to buy them. Each donor buys reagents, which poses a problem for having a uniform algorithm to interpret the results.
3. Non-compliance with distancing and prevention measures which increases the number of contact cases, hence the number of samples to be tested per day. The laboratory works at least 10 hours a day to meet demand.
"We are in an unprecedented pandemic against which we are actually learning and responding at the same time. Timbuktu is in the north in an insecure area of Mali and the temperature fluctuates between 42 and 46 degrees Celsius. But it is our population and we must guarantee equity in access to care. Everyone should take this pandemic seriously and show solidarity with countries with limited resources because SARS-COV2 does not know borders and does not differentiate between people. Countries must be united in the fight against COVID-19."
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Free Access To The Spirit Electronic Protocol Tool And Resource (Septre) Platform
The Global Health Network, EDCTP, and Women’s College Hospital at the University of Toronto have extended their partnership to provide continued access to the SPIRIT Electronic Protocol Tool and Resource (SEPTRE) platform. Through this collaboration, a limited number of free three-year licenses remain available for researchers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) who may not otherwise afford access.
SEPTRE is an online tool that helps researchers design, manage, and register high-quality clinical trial protocols in line with the SPIRIT (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials) guidelines, which were updated in 2025. The update introduced new sections on open science, harms assessment, intervention descriptions, and patient and public involvement.
Applications can be submitted through the EDCTP Knowledge Hub SEPTRE enquiry form. Applicants should be located in a low- or middle-income country (preference is given to researchers based in Africa and who are members of the EDCTP Knowledge Hub). We encourage applicants via the form to state their goals and objectives to apply for a SEPTRE license and the research they want to undertake. Successful applicants agree that they will submit a yearly report on how they have made use of the license.
Learn more about the EDCTP Knowledge Hub.
Read moreEdctp Association Mourns The Passing Of Professor Jean Louis Abdourahim Ndiaye
The EDCTP Association deeply mourns the loss of Professor Jean Louis Abdourahim Ndiaye, joining the global health community in honouring an outstanding researcher whose impact will continue to be felt across the global health research field.
Professor Ndiaye was awarded a Senior Fellowship in 2011 under the EDCTP1 programme to conduct research on seasonal malaria chemoprophylaxis (SMC). He led transformative malaria prevention research, including innovative seasonal intermittent preventive treatment in children (IPTc), and continued to develop his research on preventing and protecting children from malaria. At the University of Thiès, Senegal, he built a research team and went on to head the OPT-SMC project, funded under the EDCTP2 programme, which focused on strengthening the capacity of national malaria control programmes in conducting implementation research to improve SMC delivery and impact. This project supported 13 countries across West and Central Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo), bringing together national malaria programme representatives to share expertise and tailor interventions to local contexts.
Professor Ndiaye was not only a leading scientist but also a kind and humble man, deeply committed to reducing the burden of malaria in Africa and developing the next generation of African researchers. His contributions have made a significant impact on malaria control and implementation research. His passing is a considerable loss to the global scientific community, particularly in Africa. He will be deeply missed. We extend our condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.
Read moreProf. George Boateng Kyei: Advancing Hiv Research In Africa
In his EDCTP-GSK Senior Fellowship, Professor George Boateng Kyei of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, has not only advanced the search for an HIV cure but also strengthened research capacity across Ghana and the broader African region.
Addressing HIV persistence
HIV remains a pressing public health issue in Africa, with persistent challenges hindering the quest for a cure. This fellowship project focused on one such challenge: the virus’s ability to remain dormant within resting CD4+ T cells, even among individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). By exploring the innovative “shock and kill” approach, the research aimed to reactivate latent HIV and target infected cells for destruction. A notable scientific achievement was the identification and confirmation of three novel epigenetic compounds capable of reactivating latent HIV from virologically suppressed individuals. These findings pave the way for future studies in animal models, with the potential to transition into clinical trials aiming at finding a cure for HIV.
Strengthening research infrastructure
The establishment of a drug screening platform at the University of Ghana stands out as a long-term asset for HIV drug discovery and cure research. Additionally, the project introduced regular viral load monitoring for a substantial cohort of patients—an essential practice previously not standard in Ghana. The data generated from this monitoring has been instrumental in shaping national HIV treatment policies and improving patient care.
Furthermore, the project developed a biobank and a well-characterised cohort of HIV-infected adults, providing invaluable resources for ongoing and future HIV cure research. Insights gathered from patients regarding their perceptions of HIV cure research will inform the design and conduct of subsequent studies in Ghana and across Africa.
Training the next generation of researchers
The impact of the fellowship extends beyond laboratory accomplishments; it has significantly influenced research training and career development. The fellowship helped nurture the growth of junior scientists, many of whom have evolved into independent research leaders, securing competitive grants and fellowships, such as the IAS Research-for-Cure Academy and NIH R21. They have presented their findings at prestigious international conferences, including the African Virology Congress and the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH).
Post-doctoral fellows have notably received fellowships from esteemed international programmes, such as the Science by Women Fellowship and the NIH CFAR Africure award, showcasing their growing prominence in the research community.
Recognition and awards
Professor Kyei’s mentorship has not gone unnoticed; in April 2024, he received special recognition from the University of Ghana’s Centre for Gender Studies and Advocacy (CEGENSA) for his outstanding mentorship of female academics—an honour highlighted by nominations from his own mentees. The project also celebrated the achievements of its team members, with one post-doc winning Best Senior Research Fellow at the 2024 NMIMR Awards and research assistants earning accolades at the 2024 African Virologist Conference.
Professor Kyei’s research has led to significant international visibility, with his team members winning travel awards to attend prestigious conferences, including the Keystone Symposium and the African Virology Congress. These opportunities have allowed them to present their findings and collaborate with global experts in the field.
Expanding horizons
The EDCTP-GSK Senior Fellowship grant has facilitated the groundwork for additional projects, including a newly awarded Fogarty grant aimed at enhancing HIV basic science and cure research training at the University of Ghana. This grant will train 17 researchers over the next 5 years, further strengthening the research landscape in Ghana.
As the team looks to the future, plans are in place to expand research into HIV reservoir characteristics among virologically suppressed patients across Ghana. This extension not only continues the momentum generated by the EDCTP grant, but also reinforces Ghana’s position as a leader in HIV cure research in Africa and contributes to the global effort to eradicate HIV.