Former collaboration in Kenya, Malawi and Mali
Kenya
IPICS KEN01 - Synthesis and characterisation of catalytic molecules
The research group at Department of Chemistry, University of Nairobi, received ISP support 2011-2020.
Objectives
The overall objective of the group was to to strengthen the capacity and quality of inorganic chemistry research at University of Nairobi in order to address national, regional and global priority needs for human development and environmental health protection.
Achievements
Over the years of ISP support the group graduated 9 PhD students and 19 MSc students. In addition, the group published 43 papers in journals of which 20 where in quality journals, and made 63 contributions to conferences.
IPICS KEN:02 - Natural Products Chemistry Research towards Management of Tropical Diseases
This research group at Department of Chemistry, University of Nairobi, received ISP support 2011-2020.
Objectives
The overall goal was to source bioactive compounds from African biodiversity and develop them for management of tropical neglected diseases using anti-plasmodial activity as a model.
Achievements
Over the years of ISP support the group graduated 18 PhD students and 17 MSc students. In addition the group published papers in 67 journals of which 58 (87%) were in quality journals, and made 46 contributions to conferences.
Malawi
IPICS MAW:01 Studies in Genetics and Chemistry of Tropical Root and Tuber Crops
ISP supported the research group at Bvumbwe Agricultural Research Station in Malawi between 2002 and 2010. The research group was led by Professor John Saka (who was Vice-Chancellor of University of Malawi 2013-2019).
The group was first part of the ISP supported Cassava Safety Network 1997, but then received research group support.
Objectives
The main aim of the research group was to build capacity for effective research of the chemistry, molecular biology and biotechnology of tropical roots and tuber crops (cassava, sweet potato and yam) in Malawi, through active involvement of research students in the project.
The scientific results were utilised to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of future research activities within Malawi, regionally and internationally. The ultimate beneficiaries were the poor people in the rural areas who depend on these crops for their livelihoods.
Achievements
Over the years of ISP support the group graduated 3 PhD students and 1 MSc/MPhil/Licentiate student. In addition the group published 9 papers in international journals, 1 in a national journal and made 17 contributions to conferences.
More information
The chemistry group is an example of a research group that continued activities after ISP supported ended, mainly through acquiring international funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the EU and through Carnegie. The group continued its activities at the
Bvumbwe Agricultural Research Station, studying the safety and quality of high quality cassava flour.
IPICS MAW:02 - Quality of drinking water in selected areas in Malawi
ISP supported the research group at University of Malawi in Malawi between 2002 and 2010. ISP funding ended after a three-year phase out period following the ISP agreement with Sida in 2008, implying that support to activities in Malawi should be terminated. The research group was led by Dr Wellington Masamba,
Objectives
Boreholes, shallow wells, rural piped water supplies and streams are the most important sources of water for domestic and in some cases agricultural purposes in rural and sub-urban areas in Malawi. Despite incidences of water related problems such as fluorosis in some parts of the country, very little work had been done in monitoring water quality in these water sources. A study of such toxic chemical pollutants as fluorides, arsenic and heavy metals provided an understanding of water quality in rural areas which would then lead to development of optimum low cost methods of removing the chemical pollutants.
The project aimed at water pollution control using locally available materials and monitoring of both ground and surface water quality in different water sources.
- Work on removal of phosphate ions from aqueous solutions using calcium containing clays work.
- Water defluoridation activities: development of a domestic defluoridation unit from clay pots that may be used for fluoride removal in borehole water to produce safe drinking water using raw bauxite and calcined gypsum.
- Assessment of water quality, e.g of watersheds and of groundwater; impact of a wastewater treatment plant in nearby streams and in groundwater.
Achievements
Over the years of ISP support the group graduated 2 PhD students and 5 MSc students. In addition the group published 8 papers in international journals, 1 in a regional journal, 1 in a national journal and made 17 contributions to conferences.
More information
In 2016, the group was checked for continued activities and found not to be as active as it used to be "because most members of the group have relocated or taken administrative positions at the university. The students who graduated through the group are now spread out as lecturers at different universities in the country. Two former PhD students of the group currently remain at the university, both in administrative positions. They dedicate approximately 40% of their time to research, mainly focusing on an African Union project on appropriate capacity and training for Sub-Saharan Africa water security. There are master students involved in the project, but no scientific papers have been published since the conclusion of ISP support. The original team has been dissolved, but there are activities although scarce."
Mali
IPICS MAL:01 Physicochemical studies of clay raw materials from Mali
ISP supported the research group at University of Sciences,Techniques and Technologies of Bamako between 2002 to 2018. The group leader was Professor Mama Plea.
Objectives
The overall objective of the research group was to find modern methods to use traditional Malian clay, e.g. in the building industry where Mali import tremendous amounts of raw material for construction work.
The group has:
- Determinated chemical qualitative and quantitative composition of clay minerals.
- Studied the raw materials phases and contents and identified which were suitable for roughcasting and bogolan technique (cloth dyeing using traditional techniques).
- Enhanced the local clay materials' physicochemical properties so they can better fit with foreseen traditional or modern new uses.
- Explored possible good interactions between clay minerals and local natural vegetable derivatives or synthetic organic compounds like pesticides.
Achievements
Over the years of ISP support the group graduated 1 PhD student and 8 MSc/Phil/Lic students. In addition the group published 5 papers in international journals and produced 11 conference reports.
Nigeria
IPICS NIG01 - Investigation into anti-infective activities of some local plant materials as drugs
The research group at Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ife-Ife, received ISP support between 1977 and 2004.
ISP assisted in the establishment of a molecular biology research laboratory at the university.
Background
In spite of the influence of modern medicine, about 80% of the rural population in Nigeria depend on traditional medical care for their health needs. The country is blessed with a great variety of medicinal plants from which the traditional remedies are made, but not much scientific information is available on the efficacy, toxicity, interactions and standardisation of the various remedies.
The research group aimed to establish concrete scientific basis for the ethnomedicinal use of plant materials prevalent in the local environment. The focus on anti-infective agents was deliberate because infections constitute the most frequent cause of both morbidity and mortality in Nigeria.
Objectives
The objective of this project were to make it possible for plants and plant products to be effectively utilised within the health care delivery system through isolation of active component(s) and standardisation of extracts.
Over 200 plants comprising weeds, aromatic plants and trees from about 30 genera as well as fungi, chosen from an inventory of medicinal recipes used traditionally for treating infections and associated ailments, were screened for antimicrobial properties, using typed micro-organisms and clinical isolates. The investigation was also extended to include cytotoxicity testing using the Brine Shrimp assay procedure, and tests for anti-inflammatory properties, since inflammation plays very important roles in the progression of infections. Plants with promising activities based on comparative ranking were studied in detail using bioactivity-guided fractionation to isolate the compounds responsible for the observed activities.
Achievements
Over the years of ISP support the group has graduated 5 PhD students and 25 MSc/MPhil/Licentiate students. In addition, the group has published papers in 41 international journals, 10 papers in national journals and produced 36 conference reports.
More information
A follow-up study from 2016 showed that the group research lab was still functional and also that the group had continued to work together and had expanded the scope of biological tests beyond antimicrobial tests. The group managed to secure funding from other sources after the end of ISP support, from Carnegie foundation (USA) and from the International Foundation of Science, used for conferences and training of scientists from the West African sub-region.
In 2014, support was granted from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and, again, from the International Foundation of Science. Group members have also been provided with travel grants. At the time for the follow-up study, there were four PhD students in the group, and eight PhD’s had graduated since the end of support in 2004. The group has published 72 papers in international scientific journals and contributed to approximately 60 scientific meetings. The group organised five training workshops on molecular biology and equipment use in collaboration with the Central Science Laboratory. Due to lack of funds, no collaboration was ongoing with the former host department in Sweden. The group was collaborating with the pan-African Natural Products Library (p-ANPL).
IPICS NIG02 - Cassava related neurotoxicity research
ISP supported the research group at Institute of Advanced Medical Research and Training at University of Ibadan in Nigeria, between 2002 and 2205. Group leader was Dr Steven Oluwole who was an ISP PhD graduate from the Cassava Safety Network.
The general aims were to investigate risk factors for ataxic polyneuropathy, to study the kinetic of cyanogenic compounds during cyanogenesis, which occurs during the processing of cassava roots to gari, and to develop public health tools to reduce exposure to cyanide for consumption of cassava foods.
A follow-up study from 2016 showed that the research group were still active at that time.