UCT R&I Highlights 2020-21 High res - Flipbook - Page 15
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UNCOVERING THE EXPANSIVE
AFRICAN GENOME
An estimated three million novel genetic variants in over 300
genomes have been discovered through a new, large-scale
African collaboration involving UCT researchers.
The Human Heredity and Health
in Africa (H3Africa) consortium –
which includes academics from UCT
– participated in the study, which
explored the breadth of genomic
diversity across Africa.
Whole genome sequencing was
carried out on 426 individuals from 13
African countries, of which 314 were
analysed in depth. Findings revealed
extensive genomic diversity among
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these genomes, even within countries
and regions, with unique variants
identified in each ethnolinguistic group.
“This reflects the long history and
rich genomic diversity across Africa,”
said Professor Nicola Mulder from the
H3ABioNet.
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ANALYSING COVID-19
FROM AN AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE
Paper identifies contextual features to consider in ongoing efforts to
limit the spread of COVID-19 and mitigate its impacts on the continent.
“It seemed to me that there was
precious little analysis of COVID-19 in
African contexts, and especially
from a broader social science
perspective rather than an
epidemiological or public
health perspective,” said
Professor Ralph Hamann from
the UCT Graduate School of
Business (GSB).
In work published in the journal
Environment: Science and Policy for
Sustainable Development, Hamann and
colleagues from Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria
and South Africa identified five contextual
features to consider.
These included a specific focus on the
ability of people living in informal settlements
to adhere to ‘shelter-in-place’ rules,
consideration of poverty and food insecurity
on the continent, and the lack of fiscal and
organisational resources.
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TACKLING AFRICA’S GROWING
BURDEN OF STROKE
With the pan-African African Stroke Organisation, UCT researchers
help address the continent’s unique risk factors.
The African Stroke Organisation brings
together stroke researchers, clinicians and
other healthcare professionals from across
the continent to drive research, capacity
building, development of stroke services,
and collaboration with all stakeholders.
“Its role is to address the rising rates
of stroke on the continent, as well as the
high rates of death and disability that can
follow,” said the founding researchers in an
article in The Conversation.
Among those members are UCT’s
Professor Alan Brye, consultant neurologist
Kathleen Bateman, head of the Division of
Neurology Lawrence Tucker, and Honorary
Professor Pamela Naidoo.
Stroke is a leading cause of disability,
death and dementia worldwide. Over 20%
of people in Africa are at risk of stroke at
some point in their life. Fortunately, the
vast majority of stroke risk factors are
modifiable – and thus most strokes may
be avoided.
Tackling this requires an African
organisation, the group says, because
there are combinations of risk factors
that are unique to the continent. A good
example of this is hypertension working
in concert with diabetes and high levels
of cholesterol in the blood. Research,
education and policy responses need
to focus on these factors singly and in
combination, the researchers said.
“Tackling the escalating burden of stroke
on the continent requires prioritised, multipronged and intersectoral strategies. These
must be tailored to the epidemiological,
cultural, socioeconomic and lifestyle
landscape in African countries.”
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