Good News

BULLETIN 23 April 

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# Therapeutic drugs have long been ill-suited to African patients’ needs. This is according to the University of Cape Town’s Holistic Drug Discovery and Development Centre director, professor Kelly Chibale. In his research he says today, Africa makes up 15-percent of the world’s population, but carries 20-percent of the global disease burden, showing medicines have not historically been optimised for the African patient population. Chibale says artificial intelligence has a lot of potential to accelerate medical research on the continent and help to tailor drugs for Africa.

# The City of Cape Town says its leadership programme in partnership with the Cape Clothing and Textile Cluster is continuing to make a difference in the lives of young people. Recently 66 young learners graduated after taking part in a city-funded programme. Mayoral committee member for Economic Growth, James Vos, says the clothing and textile manufacturing industry contributes 3.1-billion-rand to Cape Town’s economy:

# The L’Oréal Foundation has launched the sixth edition of the Women in Science Young Talent Search in South Africa. This is an initiative between the foundation and the United Nations’ Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO. Since it first started, the programme has awarded grants worth more than three-million-rand to 32 outstanding female researchers, providing financial support for leading-edge research. Female researchers under the age of 40 are eligible to apply. Applications close on the 19th of next month.

# Four young scientists are set to represent South Africa at this year’s International Science Technology Engineering Competition in Bali, Indonesia. Rikyle Andrio Jordaan, Husna Docrat, S’qiniseko Mpilenhle Mpontshane, and Maria Isabella Lutz, were selected by a panel of academics and professionals at the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists International Science Fair in October last year. Eskom Expo executive director, Parthy Chetty, says the four will have an opportunity to showcase their research projects in Bali:

# And finally: Today is World Book and Copyright Day, a celebration to promote the enjoyment of books and reading and highlight the importance of the protection of intellectual property through copyright laws. This day also marks the anniversaries of the death of famous authors William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s director-general, Audrey Azoulay, says for books to be able to unleash their full potential, they must reflect the linguistic diversity of the world.

Stay tuned for more news………….