Phage Workshop Connect Scientists from West to East Africa
August 23, 2019

A team of workshop participants from The Gambia, Nigeria and Ghana
proudly displaying their successful isolation of phages
Last month we delivered our first Phage Workshop in West Africa, with participants from 6 countries gathering in Ghana for the 2-week laboratory training. Now that they have returned to their countries, several of the participants have already initiated plans to teach phage biology through their home institutions and to begin phage research projects. We are thrilled with this rapid uptake of phage knowledge!

One third of the workshop participants were women
At the workshop in Ghana we were joined by Dr. Jesca Nakavuma from Uganda, who hosted our very first Phage Workshop in East Africa in 2017. Dr. Nakavuma gave a motivational presentation about how her research team has successfully applied what they learned from that first workshop. In addition to pointing out that much of her team's research has been conducted by undergraduate students, she also highlighted that before winning an $800,000 grant for their phage work, they first submitted several other grant proposals that were unsuccessful — perseverance matters!

Professor Martha Clokie from the University of Leicester (UK) teaching workshop participants in the laboratory
We are already beginning preparations for the next workshop, which will be held in Tanzania during January 12 - 25, 2020. Scientists who are currently living in East Africa will be welcome to apply, and the official call for applications will begin in early September. Stay tuned for more information about that!
With gratitude,
Tobi Nagel, PhD - Founder & President
Karen Erickson - Treasurer
James B. Lin - Secretary