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CSIR assists with human capital development in science and technology transfer

May 2009

CSIR Biosciences in March welcomed two doctoral students from Tanzania and Malawi as part of a human capital development initiative to boost the science, engineering and technology base on the continent and indirectly assist African countries to progress towards a knowledge-based economy.

The initiative emanates from the CSIR's affiliation to the Southern African Network for Biosciences (SANBio) and SABINA network, a body of six southern African research institutions seeking to exploit biodiversity in the region and increase capacity in natural products research with the view of increasing food security, public health and value-added exports.

The SABINA (Southern African Biochemistry and Informatics network) funded by the Carnegie-IAS Regional Initiative in Science and Education, has provided Justin Omolo a bursary to complete his PhD at Wits University. Omolo originally hails from the University of Dar es Salaam, which is also affiliated to the network. His PhD will focus on the extraction and isolation of valuable compounds and scientific validation of plants traditionally used to treat HIV by the Tanga Aids Working Group (TAWG) and guided by the National Institute of Medical Research in his home country Tanzania.

In this country Western doctors and traditional healers work side-by-side to treat patients. "This came about after a group of medical doctors treating patients suffering from HIV/AIDS who they could not afford to give antiretrovirals, showed improvement in their health and well-being. They discovered that these patients were being treated by traditional healers who - together with the medical doctors - formed the TAWG working group. However, there's no scientific validation of the traditional remedies," says Omolo. Adequate infrastructure and skills enabling scientists to further develop the traditional medicine are lacking in Tanzania. Omolo will spend the first two years of his research project with the CSIR bioprospecting research group, which also receives some support from SANBio.

Kumbukani Nyirenda's three-month stay in South Africa is funded by SANBio. Nyirenda, who is registered with the Department of Pharmacy in the College of Medicine at the University of Malawi, will assist the CSIR with the development of a dosage form for a Zambian herbal treatment as part of SANBio's flagship project, 'Scientific validation of African traditional medicines for the treatment of HIV/AIDS and opportunistic infections'.

"One of the goals of this project is to transform the traditional preparation into a suitable dosage form. At this stage we're considering capsules, to enable us to conduct future clinical trials," explains Dr Vinesh Maharaj, who manages the bioprospecting group.

Nyirenda will apply his time to acquiring skills in manufacturing of herbal extract in the laboratory and in the CSIR's clinical and botanical supplies unit and developing methods for quality control of herbal products.

Omolo and Nyirenda are optimistic that the skills gained here will equip them to contribute significantly to the advancement of science, both western and traditional, in their home countries. "In Malawi, traditional healers have an association but it is not affiliated to the government set-up. Our government is, however, trying to bridge the gap and we've formed a national steering committee in traditional medicine. Food and water are the priorities in Malawi. Investment in science features lower on the list," says Nyirenda.

"Politicians would much rather see effects from the voting poles. So as scientists we have a long way to go to raise our profile," adds Omolo.

"That's why it is important to be affiliated to networks," adds Dashnie Naidoo, a senior scientist in the bioprospecting group who is mentoring Omolo.

Maharaj highlighted the benefits that come with greater collaboration among African scientists: "We are adding value not only to South Africa but to transfer technology to other parts of the SADC region. It is also a boost for South African research as we are afforded access within a legal framework, to biodiversity in Tanzania and Malawi - it's very difficult to get legal access to biodiversity in another country - we also receive some recognition in terms of intellectual property rights," he said.

Source: CSIR