The Journal of Community Genetics is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 grant supporting attendance at the African Genomics Short Course: “From Origins to Discovery and Innovation: strengthening genomics expertise and leadership in Africa”, held at the University of Cape Town (UCT) from 30 November to 10 December 2025. The African Genomics Short Course is officially registered as a short course at the University of Cape Town.
The African Genomics Short Course is the result of a long-standing collaboration between The Jackson Laboratory (USA), which has organized the McKusick Short Course in Human Genomics for the past 66 years, Johns Hopkins University, Wellcome Connecting Science, and the African Society of Human Genetics (AfSHG), under the leadership of Ambroise Wonkam, current AfSHG President. The idea originated from Professor Wonkam’s participation in the McKusick Short Course in 2003. It was further supported by Dr. Charlie Ray, Vice President for Education at The Jackson Laboratory, and Dr. David Valle of Johns Hopkins University, who met in 2018 at the ASHG Annual Meeting in Houston, Texas. This collaboration was followed by a sustained three-year “train-the-trainer” program, during which more than 30 African lecturers were exposed to the McKusick Short Course. These individuals now form the core faculty for the African Genomics Short Course across the continent. The initiative was further strengthened through curriculum design in collaboration with Wellcome Connecting Science and exposure to facilities at the University of Cape Town. Over 75 faculty members and genomics professionals contributed to the development of the African Genomics Short Course, which was successfully launched last year.
Africa is the source of the greatest human genetic diversity, yet African populations remain significantly underrepresented in global genomics research. The African Genomics Short Course was designed to address this gap by building a self-sustaining ecosystem of African researchers trained in genomics, data science, and ethical research practices. Its purpose is to develop a new generation of African genomics leaders through intensive, modular training that integrates theoretical foundations, hands-on computational workshops, laboratory exposure, ethics, leadership development, and mentorship. While the course is primarily intended to strengthen genomics capacity across Africa, in future editions a small number of non-African students will be accepted to support meaningful global exchange, collaboration, and shared learning aligned with the course mission.
The Journal of Community Genetics is committed to strengthening and increasing the visibility of human genomics research conducted in the African continent by supporting promising early-career scientists and empowering them to engage in high-impact, community-centered genomics research.
The African Society of Human Genetics received 205 applications from 30 countries across the African continent. The selection committee conducted a multi-stage review process in which applications were evaluated for academic excellence, demonstrated commitment to genomics research, alignment with the course objectives, and potential for leadership in community-focused genomic science. From this highly competitive pool, 30 participants were selected. Among the selected participants, the Journal of Community Genetics grant was awarded to three applicants based on the strength of their academic background, research contributions, and demonstrated leadership potential in African genomics.
Addis Tekaw Birhenie
Addis Tekaw Birhenie is a bioinformatician at the Institute of Biotechnology, Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia. He holds an MSc in Bioinformatics and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. His work integrates computational approaches with biological sciences to support genomics and molecular biology research. Through his role at Bahir D
Gloria Kirabo
Gloria Kirabo is a bioinformatician and recent MSc graduate from Makerere University. Her research focuses on kidney disease genomics in African populations. She conducted a genome-wide association study on blood urea nitrogen using data from the Uganda Genome Resource, identifying variants of potential importance to kidney function.
She plans to pursue a PhD in Bioinformatics, expanding her work toward an African-optimized polygenic risk score for chronic kidney disease. The course strengthened her analytical skills, understanding of ethical research, and collaborative connections within the African genomics community.
Abimbola Fatimat Ogbo
Abimbola Fatimat Ogbo is a postdoctoral researcher working under the ICCaRE for Black Men Phase II grant, advancing prostate cancer genomics research in Africa.
Her work emphasizes equitable partnerships, capacity strengthening, and mentors hip within African genomic science. Participation in the Short Course enhanced her technical expertise and expanded her collaborative networks, strengthening her impact on cancer genomics research across the continent.