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TReND in Africa: advancing science and research in Sub-Saharan Universities

Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa. TReND in Africa: advancing science and research in Sub-Saharan Universities. Jorge Iván Castillo-Quan Grant Advisor & London Contact. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa. Overview. Why Africa?

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TReND in Africa: advancing science and research in Sub-Saharan Universities

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  1. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa TReND in Africa:advancing science and research in Sub-Saharan Universities Jorge Iván Castillo-QuanGrant Advisor & London Contact

  2. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa Overview • Why Africa? • Mammalian VS Insects as model organisms. • What is TReND • What do we do? www.trendinafrica.org

  3. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa www.trendinafrica.org

  4. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa www.trendinafrica.org

  5. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa "Because there is no research culture at many African universities, people do not see science as an attractive option." www.trendinafrica.org

  6. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa "What is lacking at the international level is an understanding of the importance of research and development, particularly within Africa, in the fight against disease." Pascoal Mocumbi Primer Minister of Mozambique 1994-2004. www.trendinafrica.org

  7. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa "Africans need to build scientific capacity so that we can develop our own models, validated over Africa." Anthony Nyong Head Gender, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Unit African Development Bank www.trendinafrica.org

  8. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa www.trendinafrica.org

  9. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa Enrolment rates in higher education in Sub-Saharan Africa are by far the lowest in the world Source: Bloom D., et al. Higher education and Economic Development in Africa. World Bank, 2006. www.trendinafrica.org

  10. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa Knowledge Economic Index: country's ability to generate, adopt and diffuse knowledge Source: Bloom D., et al. Higher education and Economic Development in Africa. World Bank, 2006. www.trendinafrica.org

  11. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa Many problems • Lack of funding agencies. • Poor governmental support. • Corruption. • Energy supply. • Insufficient equipment. • Lack of appropriate training. • Use of expensive model organisms. www.trendinafrica.org

  12. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa • Only use rats as model organisms Sadiq Yusuf Lucia Prieto-Godino www.trendinafrica.org

  13. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa www.trendinafrica.org

  14. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa What is the relationship between flies and us? • We share 60% of our DNA. • 70% of known human disease genes have Drosophila counterparts. • The list continues…! www.trendinafrica.org

  15. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa Why flies? www.trendinafrica.org

  16. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa Drosophila melanogasterhas probably taught us more about genetics than any other animal on earth www.trendinafrica.org

  17. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa Fly brainbow www.trendinafrica.org

  18. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa Flies have a heart…! Wessells RJ, et al. Nat Genet 2004. www.trendinafrica.org

  19. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa Flies show complex behaviours www.trendinafrica.org

  20. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa www.trendinafrica.org

  21. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa We use African flies in our lab…! We use flies collected in 1970’s from Dahomey (outbred population), now the Republic of Benin. We keep our flies in large population cages with overlapping generations. French Dahomey You will use these flies for the practicals!!! www.trendinafrica.org

  22. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa www.trendinafrica.org

  23. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa www.trendinafrica.org

  24. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa The first course - 2011 • Designed a 3-week course (CSHL – MBL style) • 50 applications (graduate students around Africa). • HUGE Success! www.trendinafrica.org

  25. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa The second course – 1st IBRO course on Insect Neuroscience and Drosophila Neurogenetics www.trendinafrica.org

  26. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa Furnishing labs Everything used for the course stays at the host university (KIU, Uganda). Our equipment comes from our own labs or from the generosity of other laboratories. The industry is responding with important donations. www.trendinafrica.org

  27. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa What do we teach? www.trendinafrica.org

  28. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa What do we teach? www.trendinafrica.org

  29. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa What do we teach? www.trendinafrica.org

  30. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa www.trendinafrica.org

  31. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa What do we teach? www.trendinafrica.org

  32. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa What do we teach? www.trendinafrica.org

  33. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa Applications from all Africa! • Nigeria • Uganda • Kenya • Cameroon • Ethiopia • Tanzania • Malawi • Congo • Ghana • Egypt • Sudan • 1st year: 50 applications • 2nd year: 60 applications • 3rd year 60 applications www.trendinafrica.org

  34. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa TReND in Africa NOW! www.trendinafrica.org

  35. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa www.trendinafrica.org

  36. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa “The goal of Neuroscience research is nothing less than trying to understand ourselves – how we perceive, think, and feel. It is obvious that this endeavor should not be restricted to a fraction of the world. Developing countries have the human resources to contribute and need at least as urgently as other countries the benefits in medical care, which hope to emanate from brain research.  Therefore, the efforts of TReND deserve the fullest support” Erwin Neher Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1991 www.trendinafrica.org

  37. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa What are we up next? • Probably this year (2013) our last in Uganda. We are planning to move to Mekelle University (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia). • Setting up an MSc in Neuroscience in Uganda (KIU). • HUMAN TReND – Neurologists from USA to visit and interact with students in Egypt and Uganda. • Several of our students have been awarded travelling grants to take courses in the UK and Asia (funded by Wellcome Trust and IBRO) www.trendinafrica.org

  38. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa How can you help? • Help us to create awareness. • Do you have an expertise that can be helpful in Africa – talk to us. • Do you know of laboratory equipment that is just sitting in a corner or you have a laptop that would like todonate? • Make a monetary donation (visit our website). www.trendinafrica.org

  39. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa Thanks to our sponsors! www.trendinafrica.org

  40. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa Thanks for your attention… www.trendinafrica.org

  41. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa www.trendinafrica.org

  42. Teaching and Research for Development (TReND) in Africa www.trendinafrica.org

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