Personnel

Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST)

Botswana · UB

Short bio

Computational and physical chemist with extensive postdoctoral experience in Norway and the Czech Republic, leading projects on phytochemical investigation of African medicinal plants and coordinating STEM initiatives at UB.

Prof. Kwaku Kyeremeh

Role

UG Local Coordinator and CB Member

Institution

University of Ghana (UG)

Ghana · UG

Short bio

Pioneer in marine and microbial natural product drug discovery in Ghana with extensive graduate supervision and international grant leadership.

Dr Ofentse Mazimba

Role

BIUST Local Coordinator and CB Member

Institution

Botswana · BIUST

Short bio

Organic chemist conducting natural product and synthetic chemistry research with active supervision of MSc and PhD candidates.

Dr Barry Hayes

Role

EU Technical Partner and CB Member

Institution

University College Cork (UCC)

Ireland (EU Partner) · UCC

Short bio

Associate professor in engineering and senior IEEE member with extensive experience on EU-funded programmes and project governance.

Prof. Tegene Desalegn

Role

ASTU Local Coordinator and CB Member

Institution

Adama Science and Technology University (ASTU)

Ethiopia · ASTU

Short bio

Inorganic chemist and Dean of Research Park & Technology Transfer with experience in university–industry collaboration and applied research.

Dr. Girum Ayalneh Tiruye

Role

AAU Local Coordinator and CB Member

Institution

Ethiopia · AAU

Short bio

Dr. Girum Ayalneh Tiruye is an Associate Professor at Addis Ababa University specializing in sustainable energy, energy storage, and advanced materials. With extensive EU research experience, he leads Materials Science at AAU and coordinates major EU–AU p

Prof. Karel von Eschwege

Role

UFS Local Coordinator and CB Member

Institution

South Africa · UFS

Short bio

Prof. Von Eschwege did his PhD on the syntheses, spectroscopy and structural work related to photo-active compounds in the porphyrin and dithizone classes. Since then he published and expanded this field of work significantly, also involving photo-catalys

Dr Adwoa Padiki Nartey

Role

UG Team Member

Institution

University of Ghana (UG)

Ghana · UG

Short bio

Natural product chemist at the Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology with interests in bioactive compounds and cancer research.

Dr Amare Aregahegn

Role

AAU Team Member

Institution

Ethiopia · AAU

Short bio

Associate professor of analytical chemistry with postdoctoral experience and multiple international grant-funded projects.

Dr Getachew Kebede

Role

AAU Team Member

Institution

Ethiopia · AAU

Short bio

Computational scientist specialising in density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulations for materials and drug-related systems.

Dr Moses Koobotse

Role

UB Team Member

Institution

Botswana · UB

Short bio

Cancer biologist with experience in tumour biology, diagnostics and postgraduate training.

Dr Nayang Kgakatsi

Role

UB Team Member

Institution

Botswana · UB

Short bio

Specialist in natural products and synthetic organic chemistry focusing on discovery of bioactive molecules from African medicinal plants.

Mr Thomas Mensah

Role

UG Team Member

Institution

University of Ghana (UG)

Ghana · UG

Short bio

Senior technologist and PhD candidate operating high-field NMR, LCMS and X-ray diffraction facilities for drug discovery research.

Dr Baagi Mmereki

Role

UB Team Member

Institution

Adama Science and Technology University (ASTU)

Botswana · UB

Short bio

Senior lecturer in physical chemistry with expertise in chemical safety and persistent organic pollutants.

Prof. Yadessa Melaku

Role

ASTU Team Member

Institution

Ethiopia · ASTU

Short bio

Natural product chemist working on discovery of bioactive molecules from Ethiopian medicinal plants and training postgraduate researchers.

Dr Mekonnen Abebayehu Desta

Role

AAU Team Member

Institution

Ethiopia · AAU

Short bio

Associate professor focusing on medicinal chemistry, energy-related applications and postgraduate research supervision.

Dr Gomotsang Bojase Sekati

Role

UB Team Member

Institution

Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST)

Botswana · UB

Short bio

Organic chemist with expertise in natural product synthesis and supervision of postgraduate chemistry research.

Dr Tebogo Kwape

Role

BIUST Team Member

Institution

Botswana · BIUST

Short bio

Conducts research that encompasses development of different animal models that mimic diseases like diabetes mellitus, cancer and hypertension with active supervision of postgraduates students.

Dr Anke Wilhelm

Role

UFS Team Member

Institution

Adama Science and Technology University (ASTU)

South Africa · UFS

Short bio

Dr Wilhelm is an organic chemist with experience in natural product chemistry and biological activity screenings. Dr Wilhelm was involved in two European Framework 7 projects in collaboration with European, North American, and African universities.

Dr Fedlu Kedir Sabir

Role

ASTU Team Member

Institution

Ethiopia · ASTU

Short bio

Dr. Sabir is associate professor of Physical Chemistry at Adama Science and Technology University (ASTU). He has received his M.Sc. and PhD from Addis Ababa University in Physical Chemistry. His area of research is organic photovoltaic and nanomaterials

Dr Japheth Ombito

Role

UB Team Member

Institution

Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST)

Botswana · UB

Short bio

Senior lecturer in organic chemistry with research interests in small-molecule synthesis and natural product drug discovery.

Dr Sebusi Odisitse

Role

BIUST Team Member

Institution

Botswana · BIUST

Short bio

Dr Sebusi Odisitse is an Inorganic Chemistry Lecturer and Researcher in the Department of Chemical and Forensic Sciences at BIUST. He obtained his PhD from the University of CapeTown- (UCT) in 2006.

Dr Susanna Bonnet

Role

UFS Team Member

Institution

South Africa · UFS

Short bio

Dr Bonnet obtained her PhD in Organic Chemistry in 1993 at the University of the Free State. In 2004, she started working as a researcher at the Department of Chemistry at the Bloemfontein Campus.

Dr. Charlene Marais

Role

UFS Team Member

Institution

South Africa · UFS

Short bio

Dr. Charlene Marais (née Rabe) completed both her M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees at the University of the Free State. These projects entailed the isolation, identification and synthesis of metabolites from rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis) and also a biomimetic.

Prof. Vladimir Azov

Role

UFS Team Member

Institution