Karachi, In a significant advancement for neuroscience research in Africa, the Aga Khan University Institute for Human Development (IHD) has initiated the African Leadership for Measuring Brain Health in Children and Adolescents (ALMA) consortium. This innovative project focuses on studying early-life brain development within the African context, with the objective of addressing the specific developmental needs of African children and adolescents.
According to The Aga Khan University, the ALMA consortium is established to tackle three major challenges in the field of neuroscience in Africa. The first is the lack of locally generated evidence that is critical for interventions tailored to African conditions. The second challenge is the scarcity of trained professionals in neuroscience, particularly female scientists. Lastly, the project aims to address the dearth of centers of excellence specializing in neuroscience for child and adolescent development across the continent.
Professor Amina Abubakar, IHD Director and ALMA co-director, highlighted the consortium’s vision during the launch. She emphasized the need for highly trained research scientists and the establishment of centers of excellence in neuroscience to foster an environment conducive to high-quality research by African scientists.
The ALMA initiative is grounded in four fundamental principles. It aims to advance neuroscience in Africa by introducing contemporary knowledge and methods. An essential component of the project is the training of African research scientists, with a special emphasis on mentoring female neuroscientists. Moreover, ALMA plans to utilize existing infrastructure to create state-of-the-art neuroscience centers of excellence throughout Africa. Lastly, the initiative seeks to cultivate a research culture through dissemination of findings, policy engagement, and stakeholder involvement.
Mr. Joel Kamoko, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education in Zambia, expressed his support for the ALMA initiative, noting its alignment with many African countries’ policy priorities, including Zambia’s efforts to promote women’s participation in science.
The ALMA project is a collaborative effort involving the Aga Khan University Institute for Human Development, the Institute for the Neurosciences at the University of Cape Town, the University of Zambia, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences in Malawi, the Centre of Genomic Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in the USA, and the University of Oxford in the UK. It is funded by the Science for Africa Foundation through the DELTAS Africa initiative, supported by Wellcome and the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.
DELTAS Africa, launched in 2015, is a long-term, multimillion-dollar program aimed at supporting Africa-led development of world-class research and scientific leaders on the continent while strengthening African institutions.