The East Africa Phage Workshop was a Wonderful Success!
September 25, 2017
This summer 25 scientists from Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania & Uganda gathered at Makerere University in Uganda for our 2-week laboratory workshop. These participants learned how to use phages as natural antibacterial agents against antibiotic-resistant bacteria in their region.
One of the workshop instructors, Dr. Ben Chan of Yale University (US),
teaching participants how to safely gather samples from a sewage plant
— a great source of both bacteria and phages!
The workshop participants also established a tight network of East African scientists who have now begun collaborating together. In the short time since the workshop, the participants have:
-
Isolated novel phages that will form the beginning of a shared East African phage collection
-
Submitted a grant proposal to fund joint phage research projects among their institutions
-
Initiated new student thesis projects on phage topics
We are immensely grateful to the many supporters who made this workshop possible:
-
Individual donors
-
Conservation, Food & Health Foundation
-
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Stay tuned for more exciting news about future workshops as well as our other ongoing projects!
Tobi Nagel, PhD, Founder & President
Karen Erickson, Treasurer
James B. Lin, Secretary
Another workshop instructor, Dr. Janet Nale from the University of Leicester (UK), celebrating successful phage isolation with participants.
Photos courtesy our third workshop instructor, Dr. Martha Clokie