The Consortium of Genomics Students and Young Researchers in Africa (CoGSAYR Africa) has held its 2026 Summit at Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM).
The event was a hybrid conference that brought together the continent’s emerging genomics talent, both in person and virtually via Zoom.
Themed: “Advancing Innovation in Genomics and Bioinformatics in Africa for Students and Early Career Researchers,” the conference created a platform where cell biologists, pharmacologists, bioinformaticians, toxicologists, and science communicators found common purpose in advancing African genomics research.
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Executive Director of CoGSAYR Africa, Gladys Zugwai Ibrahim, opened the summit by recounting how her passion for genomics, which grew during the pandemic, led to the idea of starting the consortium in the years that followed, culminating in its launch in August 2024.
”That simple desire to find like-minded colleagues has grown into a continent-wide network that now gathers to share knowledge and build capacity,” she said.
A Professor of Molecular Biology and Genomics and Director of the Institute of Genomics and Global Health at Redeemer’s University, Professor Christian Happi, delivered the opening keynote address. He highlighted how Nigerian researchers have built the capacity for real-time genomic sequencing, eliminating the months-long wait for sample characterisation from foreign institutes.
“We have made tremendous progress in building our capacity for real-time sequencing right here in Nigeria. This means we no longer have to send our samples abroad and wait months for results. We can respond to health emergencies in real time.”
