BioStruct-Africa: empowering Africa-based scientists through structural biology knowledge transfer and mentoring - recent advances and future perspectives
BioStruct-Africa: empowering Africa-based scientists through structural biology knowledge transfer and mentoring - recent advances and future perspectives
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DOI：
10.1107/s1600577519008981
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发表时间：
2019-09-01
影响因子：
2.5
通讯作者：
Doyle, Declan A.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Nji, Emmanuel;Traore, Daouda A. K.;Doyle, Declan A.
能够在分子水平上可视化生物学对于我们理解世界是必不可少的。结构生物学方法揭示了疾病过程的分子基础，可以指导新药的设计，并有助于优化现有药物。然而，由于缺乏同步辐射光源、充足的基础设施、技术人员和对科学家的激励，加上有限的财政支持，整个非洲大陆的大多数国家都不进行结构生物学研究。然而，随着机器人蛋白质结晶和许多同步辐射光源提供的远程数据收集能力等技术进步，非洲的科学家现在有可能获得X射线结晶学。这一技术飞跃导致在2017年成立了生物结构-非洲组织，这是一个非营利性组织(瑞典公司ID：802509-6689)，其核心目标是非洲学生和研究人员在结构生物学领域的能力建设，重点是非洲大陆的流行疾病。该团队主要由一群来自非洲侨民的结构生物学家组成，但不限于此。非洲生物结构组织的成员担当起了催化剂的角色，以促进将信息和技术转让给非洲最渴望和最需要的人。生物结构-非洲通过在我们设在非洲的伙伴大学和机构现场组织研讨会，然后对参与者进行特别在线指导，以确保可持续的能力建设，实现了这一点。这些讲习班提供了蛋白质结晶学的理论背景，在蛋白质结晶、晶体收获和冷冻方面的实践经验，同步加速器光束线上的实时远程数据收集，但最重要的是通过研究推动进一步合作的联系。非洲研究人员在结构生物学方面的能力建设对于战胜被忽视的热带病至关重要，这些热带病包括蛔虫病、钩虫病、鞭虫病、淋巴丝虫病、活动性沙眼、血吸虫病、黄热病、麻风病、狂犬病、昏睡病、盘尾丝虫病、血吸虫病等，这些疾病给非洲大陆造成重大的健康、社会和经济负担。BioStruct-Africa的目标是建立地方和国家的专业知识，这些专业知识将直接惠及非洲大陆的医疗保健。
Being able to visualize biology at the molecular level is essential for our understanding of the world. A structural biology approach reveals the molecular basis of disease processes and can guide the design of new drugs as well as aid in the optimization of existing medicines. However, due to the lack of a synchrotron light source, adequate infrastructure, skilled persons and incentives for scientists in addition to limited financial support, the majority of countries across the African continent do not conduct structural biology research. Nevertheless, with technological advances such as robotic protein crystallization and remote data collection capabilities offered by many synchrotron light sources, X-ray crystallography is now potentially accessible to Africa-based scientists. This leap in technology led to the establishment in 2017 of BioStruct-Africa, a non-profit organization (Swedish corporate ID: 802509-6689) whose core aim is capacity building for African students and researchers in the field of structural biology with a focus on prevalent diseases in the African continent. The team is mainly composed of, but not limited to, a group of structural biologists from the African diaspora. The members of BioStruct-Africa have taken up the mantle to serve as a catalyst in order to facilitate the information and technology transfer to those with the greatest desire and need within Africa. BioStruct-Africa achieves this by organizing workshops onsite at our partner universities and institutions based in Africa, followed by post-hoc online mentoring of participants to ensure sustainable capacity building. The workshops provide a theoretical background on protein crystallography, hands-on practical experience in protein crystallization, crystal harvesting and cryo-cooling, live remote data collection on a synchrotron beamline, but most importantly the links to drive further collaboration through research. Capacity building for Africa-based researchers in structural biology is crucial to win the fight against the neglected tropical diseases, e.g. ascariasis, hookworm, trichuriasis, lymphatic filariasis, active trachoma, loiasis, yellow fever, leprosy, rabies, sleeping sickness, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, etc., that constitute significant health, social and economic burdens to the continent. BioStruct-Africa aims to build local and national expertise that will have direct benefits for healthcare within the continent.