NEWS SPOTLIGHT

KRISP NEWS

African STARS Fellowship Programme Kicks Off in Stellenbosch, South Africa

Stellenbosch University has launched the African STARS Fellowship Programme, bringing together young scientists from across Africa for intensive training in genomics, innovation, and leadership. The initiative aims to build the next generation of leaders equipped to tackle the continent’s public health challenges with local solutions and global impact.

the gem - genomics, epidemics & microbes July/Aug 2025

This edition is a special one. It shines a spotlight on some of the incredible women at CERI – changemakers who are pushing boundaries in genomics and public health. Their dedication, innovation, and leadership remind us how vital it is to create space for diverse voices in science. We also highlight Prof Lenine Liebenberg’s cutting-edge research in women’s health – from the HPV therapeutic vaccine, to promising developments in live biotherapeutics for genital health.

Breaking Barriers, Building Knowledge: Women at CERI

CERI celebrates Women’s Day 2025 by highlighting the impactful work of female scientists and professionals leading projects in bioinformatics, grants management, epidemiological modeling, transdisciplinary research, and microbiome studies. Their expertise drives advancements in public health, pathogen research, and scientific innovation across Africa and beyond.

Making Space for Women to Be Heard in STEM

Dr. Yuri Munsamy, Science Officer at SACEMA, combines her background in virology with grant development to secure funding for research that shapes public health policy in Africa. She champions collaboration, diversity, and mentorship, encouraging young women to embrace curiosity, persistence, and continuous learning in science.

Fuelling Discovery: The Work Behind the Research

Gugulethu Mkhize, Grants Manager at CERI, plays a key role in securing and managing funding that drives impactful scientific research. Passionate about equity and inclusion, she encourages young women to pursue science and seek environments that empower their growth.

From the Amazon to Africa: Genomics With Purpose

Emilyn Costa Conceição, a scientist from the Brazilian Amazon, uses genomics and next-generation sequencing to advance TB diagnostics, antimicrobial resistance research, and public health surveillance in Africa and Brazil. Committed to equity and mentorship, she founded the IGNITE program to empower young women in science and ensure innovation reaches vulnerable communities.

Mentoring, Modelling, and Making it Count

Cari van Schalkwyk, Senior Researcher at SACEMA, applies her expertise in epidemiological modeling to address high-priority infectious diseases, influencing public health policy at national and global levels. Her career reflects a commitment to mentorship, inclusion of women in science, and the translation of complex modeling insights into impactful health interventions.

PUBLICATIONS SPOTLIGHT

KRISP SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS

Tracing the spatial origins and spread of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron lineages in South Africa.
Dor G, Wilkinson E, Martin DP, Moir M, Tshiabuila D, Kekana D, Ntozini B, Joseph R, Iranzadeh A, Nyaga MM, Goedhals D, Maponga T, Maritz J, Laguda-Akingba O, Ramphal Y, MacIntyre C, Chabuka L, Pillay S, Giandhari J, Baxter C, Hsiao NY, Preiser W, Bhiman JN, Davies MA, Venter M, Treurnicht FK, Wolter N, Williamson C, von Gottberg A, Lessells R, Tegally H, de Oliveira T, Nature Communications (2025), 28;16(1):4937. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-60081-0:.

Genomic Surveillance of Climate-Amplified Cholera Outbreak, Malawi, 2022–2023.
Chabuka L, Choga W, Mavian C, Moir M, Morgenstern C, Tegaly H, Sharma A, Wilkinson E, Naidoo Y, Inward R, Bhatt S, WilliamWint G, Khan K, Bogoch I, Kraemer M, Lourenço J, Baxter C, Tagliamonte M, Salemi M, Lessells R, Mitambo C, Chitatanga R, Bitilinyu-Bango J, Chiwaula M, Chavula Y, Bukhu M, Manda H, Chitenje M, Malolo I, Mwanyongo A, Mvula B, Nyenje M, de Oliveira T, Kagoli M, Emerging Infectious Diseases (2025), 31(6):. doi: 10.3201/eid3106.240930.:.

Importance of outbreak response research in bridging knowledge gaps on emerging infectious diseases.
Breiman R, Osoro E, Reithinger R, Wang D, Diamond M, Van Voorhis W, Wasserheit J, Rabinowitz P, Mboup S, Hemingway-Foday J, de Oliveira T, Boon A, Schieffelin J, Sempowski G, Moody M, Vasilakis N, Hanley K, Nasimiyu C, Situma S, Ngere I, Kyobe Bosa H, Nyakarahuka L, Bakamutumaho B, Woodson S, Njenga M, BMJ Global Health (2025), 10(6):e018297. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2024-018297.:.

Artificial intelligence for modelling infectious disease epidemics.
Kraemer M, Tsui J, Chang S, Lytras S, Khurana M, Vanderslott S, Bajaj S, Scheidwasser N, Curran-Sebastian J, Semenova E, Zhang M, Unwin H, Watson O, Mills C, Dasgupta A, Ferretti L, Scarpino S, Koua E, Morgan O, Tegally H, Paquet U, Moutsianas L, Fraser C, Ferguson N, Topol E, Duchêne D, Stadler T, Kingori P, Parker M, Dominici F, Shadbolt N, Suchard M, Ratmann O, Flaxman S, Holmes E, Gomez-Rodriguez M, Schölkopf B, Donnelly C, Pybus O, Cauchemez S, Bhatt S, Nature (2025), 638(8051):623-635. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08564-w.:.

Spatiotemporal disease suitability prediction for Oropouche virus and the role of vectors across the Americas.
Poongavanan J, Dunaiski M, D’or G, Kraemer M, Giovanetti M, Lim A, Brady O, Baxter C, Fonseca V, Alcantara L, de Oliveira T, Tegally H, medRxiv (2025), doi: 10.1101/2025.02.28.25323068.:.

Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 intrahost genetic evolution in vaccinated and non-vaccinated patients from the Kenyan population.
Lugano D, Mwangi K, Mware B, Kibet G, Osiany S, Kiritu E, Dobi P, Muli C, Njeru R, de Oliveira T, Njenga M, Routh A, Oyola S, medRxiv (2025), doi: 10.1101/2025.03.03.25323296.:.

Unveiling novel features and phylogenomic assessment of indigenous Priestia megaterium AB-S79 using comparative genomics.
Adeniji A, Chukwuneme C, Conceição E, Ayangbenro A, Wilkinson E, Maasdorp E, de Oliveira T, Babalola O, Microbiology Spectrum (2025), doi: 10.1128/spectrum.01466-24.:.

KRISP VIDEOS

COVID-19 | News sub-variant being monitored closely
By: Tulio De Oliveira and CERI and KRISP teams

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