Botswana-born scientist Dr Tuelo Mogashoa, a PhD Fellow in the ‘Addressing Gender and Diversity Regional Gaps in Clinical Research Capacity’ (TAGENDI) programme, has successfully defended her PhD in Molecular Biology (Tuberculosis Genomics) at Stellenbosch University. Her virtual oral examination, held on 12 January 2025, marked the culmination of years of research and training.
Her doctoral thesis, titled “Rifampicin- resistant tuberculosis: an emerging threat to human health in Botswana,” addresses one of the most pressing challenges in TB control.
Dr Mogashoa is the first of seven PhD fellows from the inaugural TAGENDI cohort to complete her doctoral studies. The TAGENDI fellowship, implemented under the Trials of Excellence in Southern Africa (TESA) Network, is part of a dedicated PhD fellowship scheme launched by EDCTP2 in 2020 to support women in health research across sub-Saharan Africa. Coordinated by the EDCTP Networks of Excellence, the initiative received funding from the UK National Institute for Health and Care Research (Department of Health and Social Care).
As part of her PhD requirements, Dr Mogashoa was expected to produce four manuscripts, with at least two accepted in peer-reviewed journals. She has exceeded this requirement, publishing three peer-reviewed articles from her doctoral work, with a fourth manuscript currently under review.
Her journey highlights the transformative impact of long-term investment in research training, mentorship, and gender equity. As she moves into the next phase of her career, her work promises to make a meaningful contribution to improving TB diagnosis, treatment, and control.
Prof. Novel Chegou, EDCTP Senior Fellow and Acting Head of the Division of Immunology at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, has been elected as a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences. This important achievement recognises his scientific leadership and impactful research on tuberculosis, particularly his work on biomarkers to improve diagnosis and patient care in resource-limited settings.
Read moreThe 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 moreThe 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.
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