Page 130 - SAMRC Annual Report 2024-2025

DDD-Africa International Training Programme (ITP) Dr Nadia Carstens (SAMRC Genomics Platform)
trainees celebrate receiving their certificates after will now guide ITP trainees through Phase 3 of the
completing the coursework component of the programme, where the Genomics Platform will provide
3-year programme, marking a significant milestone clinical exome sequencing data for trainees to apply
in strengthening genomic medicine capacity their newly acquired genomic medicine skills within
across Africa. their home countries.

In partnership with DIPLOMICS, the SAMRC Genomics Platform offers an internship programme designed to
provide technical training and capacity development in next-generation sequencing (NGS) and good laboratory
practice (GLP). Pictured here is the 2025 intake, ready to contribute to advancing genomics in South Africa.

Research Translation The Platform prides itself on being an enabler of

Through Arts and Science translational science and aims to use sequencing
technology to improve the health of all South
In May 2024, the Genomics Platform held Africans. This is evident from a recent communication
a stakeholder event to commemorate the we received from one of our close collaborators,
sequencing of the 10,000th sample at the Prof Shahida Moosa, the Head of Medical Genetics
Genomics Platform. This event marked a significant at Tygerberg Hospital, who said, "Your team has
milestone for the Genomics Platform, which has helped us make an incredible impact in the lives
grown from sequencing nine human genomes in of people who were living with undiagnosed rare
2019 to becoming a major hub for next-generation diseases: they now have a name for their condition
sequencing (NGS) in Africa. The event was attended and all the information, care and community that
by clients, collaborators, funders and a delegation comes with a diagnosis".
from the Chinese Embassy. The event also served Members of our team have also been involved with
to celebrate the pivotal role the Genomics Platform various media engagements throughout the year.
has played in advancing scientific research across Dr Nadia Carstens was featured in the Women in
the African continent, particularly in areas like Science publication, while Prof Kinnear discussed
precision medicine, pathogen surveillance, and the impact of genome sequencing on the diagnosis
biomarker discovery. of rare diseases on Radio 786.

128 SAMRC ANNUAL REPOR T 2024-25