A Zimbabwean scientist has set up a research institute as a way of turning to science to find solutions to the country’s healthcare challenges.
Brighton Samatanga, 36, a molecular biophysicist and
founder of The Biotech Institute, reached professorship in Germany. In August
2020 he returned home to set up what is reputedly the country’s first
privately-owned research institute.
“The research institute is a hub of many things. We have
three departments: technical services, research and education. We have a team
of researchers and graduate students in our labs. Our aim is to bring the
foremost molecular technology to Zimbabwe as a way to strengthen the country’s
health system,” Samatanga told TimesLIVE.
At the research institute, Samatanga is currently working
on CRISPR, a new technology that facilitates making specific changes to
organisms’ DNA.
“Compared to previous techniques for modifying DNA, this
new approach is fast and very accurate. Our aim to use CRISPR to edit genes of
crops such as maize to help them become resistant to drought. We don’t just
want to apply it, we want to understand how it works and make it better. We use
the same technology for biomedical applications. Some genetic diseases in
people can be corrected by making one or two substitutions, or gene editing,”
he said.
The Biotech Institute has come up with an effective way to
tackle the Covid-19 pandemic when it comes testing.
“When I set up the research institute, it was at the peak
of the Covid-19 pandemic and it made me focus on technologies that can provide
fast Covid-19 testing turnaround time. We have a portable battery-powered
system known as the RT-LAMP. It can test for Covid-19 in 35 minutes. With a
test like this, you can detect the virus quickly and avoid transmission.
“I am using all the competencies I gained during my time in
Europe to try to make a difference back home,” said Samatanga,
TimesLIVE
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