Prof. Tulio de Oliveira and Dr. Cheryl Baxter discuss the need to invest in Africa scientific development and highlights capacity building activities that succeeded in the continent. Covers the Genomics Africa Fellowship, which trained over 500 fellows in advanced genomics and data analysis for pandemic response.

Recently, members of the KRISP team in Durban, underwent training on their newly acquired Illumina NextSeq 2000 instrument. This allow KRISP to sequence larger genomes and support the South African and African scientific community.

The Cluster of Research Excellence in Genomics for Health in Africa (CoRE-GHA) consortium recently gathered at Stellenbosch University's Tygerberg campus for its first in-person meeting on January 16 and 17, 2024. This marked a significant step forward in fostering collaborative genomic research across continents, setting the stage for dynamic collaboration and promising advancements in health research.

VEME2024 will be organized at FioCruz in Brasilia, Brazil, during August 4 – 9, 2024. The workshop comprises 6 full days of theoretical lectures, practical sessions and keynote presentations. VEME2024 will accept 150 participants in 4 modules.

Here find some TV interviews of Prof. Tulio De Oliveira on the COP28 in Dubai for the launch of the Climate Change and Epidemics 2023 Synthesis Report by CLIMADE

World leaders at the Cop28 summit are told that urgent action is needed to prevent the epidemiological fallout of global warming by the CLIMADE consortium

The increase in epidemics fuelled by climate change across the world, and the severe implications they have on the health of the most vulnerable communities, particularly in the Global South, are captured in a groundbreaking research report on climate change and infectious diseases.

On the first ever Health Day at a COP, a new report on climate change and epidemics was released. This report, which was compiled by over one hundred scientists and policy makers, highlights how climate change is fuelling new epidemics across the world, particularly in countries from the Global South.

A short video that summarises the Climate Change & Epidemics 2023 Report produced Climate Amplified Diseases and Epidemics (CLIMADE) consortium. The video and reportwas released at the COP28 Health Day.

CERI Environmental & Social Management Plan (ESMP). The evaluation of the Project’s risks and impacts was done in line with the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) which was subsequently classified as a low risk rating. Five (5) of the 10 World Bank Environmental and Social Standards (ESS) are applicable to the Project and guides this Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP)

Stakeholder Engagement includes the process of engaging stakeholders for a clear purpose to achieve agreed outcomes. It is now also recognized as a fundamental accountability mechanism since it obliges an organization to involve stakeholders in identifying and understanding of the specific program/project and responding to issues and concerns raised by the stakeholders for decisions, actions, and hence improving program/project performance.

This Project Operations Manual (POM) was developed by the core project implementation team at CERI in consultation with other departments, and the World Bank, and describes the management structures and processes related to the implementation of the Project.

CERI has been funded by the World Bank to develop genomics-based surveillance to pathogens in Africa. Here you find information on the project as well as the support documents such as the POM, ESMP, GRM and SEP documentations for the programme.

In this special edition of the CERI/KRISP newsletter, we highlight the activities of the Climate Amplified Diseases and Epidemics (CLIMADE) consortium over the past year. On page 2, we feature our participation in the upcoming COP28 meeting in Dubai for the release of the Climate Change and Epidemics 2023 report.

Welcome to another edition of the CERI/KRISP monthly newsletter. In this issue, we are excited to highlight the remarkable efforts on advancing climate and health research taking place across Africa in the realm of pathogen surveillance and research capacity building. Our dedicated team of scientists has been making outstanding contributions to this critical field, garnering well-deserved recognition for their exceptional research endeavors.

The South African Portuguese Chamber of Commerce (SAPCC) & ABSA Business Excellence Gala Awards 2023 held at The Wanderers Club in Illovo, Johannesburg, celebrated outstanding businesses and individuals who've contributed to South Africa's business community. 

Stellenbosch University's Research & Innovation Excellence Awards held on October 30, 2023, was a night to remember as the institution celebrated the exceptional contributions of its researchers and innovators ...

The recent Data Science for Biology Workshop Series in Durban, South Africa, showcased the intersection of data science and biology, emphasizing the importance of capacity building and fostering collaboration among participants. 

The Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI) at Stellenbosch University recently concluded an intensive RNA sequencing training program from October 16th to 23rd.

The 2023 Nobel Symposium in Chemistry Tuberculosis and Antibiotic Resistance – From Basic Drug Discovery to Clinic was hosted at Stellenbosch University. 

In the ever-evolving landscape of HIV research and treatment, the 30th International Workshop on HIV Drug Resistance and Treatment Strategies awarded Nália Ismael an award for Best Oral Abstract. Nalia is a PhD student at Stellenbosch University in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science ...

Grantees of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP3) and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMG) Partnership on Genomic Epidemiology participated in the first GenEpi periodic meeting, which coincided with the BMGF Grand Challenges Annual Meeting, an event designed to explore how the global health community can expand the frontiers of science and innovation to save and improve lives ...

In effort to address the crucial connection between climate change and public health, the Botswana Harvard Health Partnership(BHP) and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Gaborone co-hosted the “Climate Change and Pandemic Preparedness” conference...

On September 22nd, CERI had the privilege of hosting 40 bright minds from the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) master's program. The day was filled with insightful discussions centered around the theme of #AIforScience and the exciting possibilities of applying artificial intelligence in the biomedical field ...

In today's fast-paced era of scientific advancement, being able to secure grants remain essential for driving groundbreaking discoveries and innovative projects. This need is particularly critical for African scientists and researchers, and the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI) has recognized and acted on this imperative.

Researchers in sub-Saharan Africa and the UK are working together to tackle the health impacts of climate change, thanks to £2.7 million in new research funding from the Foundation.

Dr Houriiyah Tegally and Dr Moritz Kraemer from Stellenbosch University and the University of Oxford are looking at human migrations as a result of climate change and their impact on arboviral disease transmission in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Implementation of a new public health strategy for pathogens identification and characterization in the context of climate change: IRESSEF a case study in the surveillance of dengue fever, arboviruses and infectious diseases in Senegal

Time: 12h00 | Wednesday, 27 September 2023, Venue: Room 3073, BMRI, Tygerberg Campus or Online, Presenters: Prof. Alex Sigal, Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI)