About GenCoE
Africa's first unified, coordinated, and collaborative network of genomic research centres generating knowledge and clinical applications across the continent.
Our Vision
The African network of Genomic Centres of Excellence (GenCoE) will empower Africa with its first unified, equitable, coordinated, and collaborative network of genomic research centres that will generate knowledge and clinical applications across the continent. GenCoE is one mechanism by which African health leaders and researchers can vastly expand the African capacity in genomics technologies with the aim of reducing global health inequities, training the next generation of the African workforce, and empowering genomic discovery for diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines.
Building on Strong Foundations
GenCoE builds upon existing entities in Africa focused on genomic research such as the Africa CDC-led Pathogen Genomic Institute (Africa PGI), the Human Heredity and Health Africa (H3Africa) programme, and the World Bank African Centres of Excellence (ACEs).
The Urgency and Opportunity
In recent decades, advances in genomics have revolutionised our understanding of health and disease. However, despite Africa being home to more genetic variation than any other continent, African people and people of African descent are represented in just 1% of genomic analyses. This dramatic underrepresentation hinders scientific and medical advancements that could benefit people around the world.
99% of Human History
Despite 99% of human evolutionary history occurring in Africa, less than 3% of global genomic datasets come from individuals of recent African origin
Investment Gap
Only 1.3% of global investment in R&D is spent in Africa, and only 2.5% of clinical research trials are conducted on the continent
Genetic Diversity
Africa is home to the most genetically diverse population on the planet, holding the key to understanding human genomic variation
Global Impact
A comprehensive understanding of African genomic diversity has the potential to enhance scientific and medical progress for patients worldwide
Strategic Priorities
GenCoE addresses three critical priorities to transform genomic research and healthcare delivery across Africa:
Pathogen Genomic Surveillance
Boost readiness for the next pandemic through advanced genomic monitoring of infectious agents and emerging threats
Precision Public Health
Deliver genomics-informed precision medicine to provide optimal treatment tailored to African populations
Next-Generation Training
Develop and train the next generation of genomics researchers, building sustainable capacity across the continent
What Genomic Research Can Achieve
Genomic research provides profound insights into how genetic variations influence health, disease, and responses to medications. These discoveries enable scientists and clinicians to:
- Improve the safety and efficacy of treatments by tailoring medical interventions based on genetic profiles
- Design more effective and inclusive clinical trials with diverse genomic data
- Understand how medications can have varying impacts on people from different backgrounds
- Develop improved preventive strategies by understanding genetic predispositions to certain conditions
- Identify more effective targets for drug development - studies show that drug targets are twice as successful in clinical development when supported by genomic evidence
- Enable accurate disease risk prediction for African populations
- Support development of therapeutics tailored to African genetic profiles
The GenCoE Network
GenCoE will establish a coordinated network of Centres of Excellence across Africa, each partnered with relevant academic institutions and public health facilities to ensure sustainability and impact.
Network Structure
A coordinating hub will oversee the network of Centres of Excellence, with an open call to all African countries to apply to host a centre. The program is designed to avoid adding more capacity only to already well-resourced nations, ensuring equitable distribution across the continent.
Coordinating Centre
The Coordinating Centre, hosted by Jhpiego in Kigali, Rwanda, serves as the strategic and operational hub for GenCoE, providing oversight to the CoEs and Developing CoEs, coordinating capacity-building efforts, and ensuring alignment with national health priorities across the network.
Key Partnerships
GenCoE represents an ambitious collaboration bringing together diverse stakeholders committed to advancing African genomics:
African Researchers
Leading scientists and institutions driving genomic discovery across the continent
Governments
National and regional authorities supporting policy integration and sustainability
Non-Profit Organizations
Global health organizations dedicated to capacity building and knowledge sharing
Multilateral Bodies
International organizations supporting coordination and resource mobilization
Private Sector
Industry partners including pharmaceutical companies committed to equitable research and development
PAGRA Consortium
Partnership for Advancing Genomic Research in Africa, accelerating genomic discoveries
Impact and Outcomes
GenCoE aims to deliver transformative outcomes that will benefit Africa and the world:
Sustainable Capacity Building
The GenCoE construct will promote capacities for institutions to absorb multiple projects, scale training, adopt common standards, and offer greater sustainability than sponsorship of individual projects. This ensures long-term impact beyond the initial investment.
Expected Outcomes
- Build a pipeline from genomic research to clinical implementation
- Train and retain the African scientific workforce
- Apply the vast genetic diversity of Africa to genomic research and analysis
- Sustain COVID-19 research investments and ongoing African genomic initiatives
- Enable Africans to take ownership and leadership of genomic research
- Create valuable resources for global health research
- Establish Africa as a leader in genomic medicine and research
- Reduce global health inequities through inclusive research
A Transformative Vision
Through concerted, collaborative efforts backed by stakeholders across industry, academia and government, Africa can take its rightful place as a leader in genomic science. By doing this, genomic data from Africa will help to inform and develop transformative breakthroughs in healthcare that address the needs of people in Africa and around the world.
Join the Movement
GenCoE represents a momentous opportunity to advance genomic excellence across Africa. With growing momentum powered by African scientists and organisations, along with recent advances in technology, the world is getting closer to tackling critical data gaps and strengthening Africa's health security for generations to come.