Strengthening human genetics research in Africa: report of the 9th meeting of the African Society of Human Genetics in Dakar in May 2016.

Rokhaya Ndiaye Diallo ,Macoura Gadji ,Ahmadou Dem ,Melanie J Newport ,Jean Pascal Demba Diop ,Pape Madièye Gueye ,Maguette Sylla Niang ,Sidy Ka ,M Sembène ,Omar Faye ,Ambroise Wonkam ,Ndeye Kh Diop ,Amadou Moctar Diéye ,Mamour Gueye ,Amadou Thierno Gaye ,A Cissé ,Scott M Williams ,Raj Ramesar ,Enock Matovu ,Philomène Lopez Sall ,Branwen J Hennig ,Charles Rotimi ,Michèle Ramsay

doi:10.1017/gheg.2017.3

Abstract

The 9th meeting of the African Society of Human Genetics, in partnership with the Senegalese Cancer Research and Study Group and the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Consortium, was held in Dakar, Senegal. The theme was Strengthening Human Genetics Research in Africa. The 210 delegates came from 21 African countries and from France, Switzerland, UK, UAE, Canada and the USA. The goal was to highlight genetic and genomic science across the African continent with the ultimate goal of improving the health of Africans and those across the globe, and to promote the careers of young African scientists in the field. A session on the sustainability of genomic research in Africa brought to light innovative and practical approaches to supporting research in resource-limited settings and the importance of promoting genetics in academic, research funding, governmental and private sectors. This meeting led to the formation of the Senegalese Society for Human Genetics.

Highlights

The 9th meeting of the African Society of Human Genetics (AfSHG) was hosted in Dakar, Senegal, from 15 to 17 May 2016 as a joint conference with the Senegalese Cancer Research and Study Group (GERC) and the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Consortium to discuss and explore mutual challenges and significant synergies in genomic science across the African continent and globally
The theme of the meeting was ‘Strengthening Human Genetics Research in Africa’ and it attracted a total of 210 delegates representing 27 nationalities including Senegal, Mali, South Africa, Congo, Erithrea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Benin, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Morocco, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan, Tunisia, Rwanda, Ghana, Egypt, Botswana and six non-African countries
This was the first time the AfSHG meeting was held in an exclusively francophone country, a choice motivated by the desire for a closer bond with African scientists from 13 African countries whose academic language is French

Summary

Introduction

The 9th meeting of the African Society of Human Genetics (AfSHG) was hosted in Dakar, Senegal, from 15 to 17 May 2016 as a joint conference with the Senegalese Cancer Research and Study Group (GERC) and the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Consortium to discuss and explore mutual challenges and significant synergies in genomic science across the African continent and globally. The theme of the meeting was ‘Strengthening Human Genetics Research in Africa’ and it attracted a total of 210 delegates representing 27 nationalities including Senegal, Mali, South Africa, Congo, Erithrea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Benin, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Morocco, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan, Tunisia, Rwanda, Ghana, Egypt, Botswana and six non-African countries.

Results

Conclusion