Health Diagnostics

Aida Badiane of the Universite Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar in Senegal will use shotgun metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) to identify the pathogens causing nosocomial infections in Senegal to improve diagnosis and treatment. Nosocomial infections (i.e., hospital-acquired) cause substantial mortality in Senegal but remain poorly understood. To create a more complete profile of the causative pathogens, they will apply shotgun mNGS to different types of clinical samples from 61 patients at LeDantec hospital to identify and quantify the pathogens.

Despite being a preventable disease, cervical cancer remains the leading cause of disabled life years in 49 countries and a leading cause of premature death in 23 countries, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. Where a woman lives, how she lives (poor or socially disenfranchised), how early she presents to health care services, and her access to affordable, good-quality diagnostic and treatment services all contribute to her likelihood of developing cancer. Current solutions/systems that exist are either not wide-spread enough or unaffordable in countries like Tanzania and Kenya.

In 2015, there were approximately 212 million malaria cases and an estimated 429,000 malaria deaths globally. The sub-Saharan region experienced around 92% of these deaths. Mortality is concentrated around several high-risk groups, including pregnant women and infants. According to the WHO, in Africa, 30 million women living in malaria-endemic areas become pregnant each year. Up to 200,000 newborn deaths each year result from malaria in pregnancy. Diagnosis of malaria in pregnancy is limited by poor sensitivity of existing methods like microscopy. Malaria, particularly due to P.

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is epidemic in conflict zones, up to 40 x pre-war levels. The vector, sandfly, breeds in the destroyed buildings of urban epicenters. In Syria, mass-population displacement, poor living conditions and destruction of health services increases vulnerability to infection and spreads CL across previously non endemic areas. Conflict restricts essential access, hampering delivery and effectiveness of conventional prevention campaigns, leaving millions unprotected.

Kenneth Ssembambulidde of Makerere University College of Health Sciences in Uganda will seek to test the hypothesis of whether abnormal (high or low) maternal and newborn cholesterol is associated with a risk for neonatal sepsis.

Annettee Nakimuli of Makerere University College of Health Sciences in Uganda aims at using new genomic approaches to identify pathogens that cause fever (sepsis) among pregnant women. Sepsis is one of the major causes of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality globally, responsible for over 15% of maternal and neonatal deaths.

Carol Hiela of the University of Cape Town in South Africa will determine whether a new wireless vital signs monitor (ANNETM) is able to collect reliable and accurate measurements of vitals, in a way that is convenient, comfortable and efficient for neonates admitted in ICU, comparable to the hard-wired, standard-of-care monitoring systems.

Abdoulaye Djimde, President of the Pathogens genomic Diversity Network Africa (PDNA), will work to better prepare Africa to fight infectious diseases and tackle those of the future. Dr. Djimde’s research group uses molecular and genetic approaches to study malaria, and their results have supported policy decision-making in Mali and the West Africa sub-region. His work on anti-malarial resistance led to a change in first-line therapy, and his group also serves as a training ground for many scientists in Africa.

Annettee Nakimuli, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Dean of the School of Medicine at Makerere University in Uganda, will identify predictors of adverse pregnancy outcomes in Ugandan women with a focus on Great Obstetrical Syndromes (GOS), such as pre-eclampsia, to help develop context-relevant interventions for prevention and treatment. Dr. Nakimuli is an internationally-recognized research leader in maternal health for Africa.

Iruka Okeke, Professor of Pharmaceutical Microbiology at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan in Nigeria, will develop sequence-based methods and leverage genomics data to jumpstart the development of diagnostics and vaccines for neglected bacterial pathogens in African settings. Professor Okeke has devoted her career to studying neglected enteric bacteria that can cause potentially fatal bloodstream and diarrheal infections. She recognizes the power of genomics approaches to improve surveillance and better define pathogen virulence.