Year 2018 - Vol. 30 - No.3/4

NEWSLETTER A PUBLICATION OF THE WORLD ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

Trieste, City of Science The 28th TWAS General Meeting

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2 Bai Chunli’s 18 Using stem cells distinguished service to restore eyesight The retiring TWAS President guided TWAS Stem cell transplants create remarkable to new heights, says TWAS Executive Director possibilities to repair eyes. Romain Murenzi. 20 Big data techniques 3 In the news for a better future Infrastructure plans could disrupt Indian The Elsevier Foundation’s symposium convened wildlife. Zimbabwe faces a cholera crisis. experts in big data and machine learning.

4 TWAS: a vital voice for science 22 An urgent focus At the 28th General Meeting, science and on the environment policy leaders praised TWAS’s contributions. TWAS Young Affiliates spot toxic elements in living organisms and unusual places. 8 6 Q&A: An era of growth and impact 24 Flower power – (top) Fabrizio Nicoletti, minister Bai Chunli explores challenges, opportunities and soil power, too plenipotentiary in the Italian Ministry that await TWAS. Experts emphasize that flowers could be key of Foreign Affairs and International to improving crop yields. Cooperation, delivered remarks at the opening ceremony of the 14th TWAS General 8 Hassan elected Conference and 28th General Meeting. TWAS president 26 Solving the puzzle To the right are TWAS Executive Director The founding executive director returns of sandy soils Romain Murenzi and Ylann Schemm, to take a key leadership role. Lydie-Stella Koutika wins the TWAS-Al-Kharafi director of the Elsevier Foundation; (below) Prize for work on enriching soil. Mohamed Hassan (left), just after his 9 Quevedo Wins election as TWAS president, is congratulated 27 by Mohamed M. El-Faham, scientific Abdus Salam Medal Surprising insight adviser to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina Winners count among the elite science on infectious disease in Egypt. (Photos: TWAS/Paola Di Bella) leaders from the developing world. For discoveries on malaria, Sedaminou Gbenoudon wins the TWAS-Abdool Karim Prize. Cover picture: Trieste, Italy, is a world 10 R.A. Mashelkar wins capital of South-North science cooperation 28 Sudan: a vision – and the headquarters of TWAS. The 14th TWAS-Lenovo Prize TWAS General Conference and 28th General The Indian polymer scientist helped develop of sustainable eneregy Meeting were held in Trieste in November and find uses for smart gels. Hazir F. A. Elhaj wins the TWAS-Samira Omar 2018. (Photo: Universal Images Group Prize for testing plants as biofuel producers. North America LLC / DeAgostini / Alamy Stock Photo) 12 A revolution in medical research 29 ‘Green’ cement for a better future Ismail Cakmak, a 2016 TWAS Prize winner In a TWAS Medal Lecture, pioneering Tchakouté Kouamo Hervé wins the in agriculture from Sabanci University researcher Subra Suresh describes advances in Turkey, visiting field trials in Zambia. in disease treatment. TWAS-Atta-ur-Rahman Award for work on climate-friendly cement. 14 Making light bounce and bend 30 24 Palestinian TWAS Fellow Hala J. El-Khozondar Zooming in on malaria delivered a TWAS Medal Lecture about her mosquitoes metamaterials research. Yeya Tiemoko Touré wins 2018 TWAS-C.N.R. Rao Award for discovering genetically different mosquitoes. 16 The spirit of science Scenes from TWAS’s 28th General Meeting in Trieste, Italy. 31 People, places & events

TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 1 EDITORIAL BAI CHUNLI: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE he past six years have been a period of robust of TWAS Fellows were women; today the number Tgrowth and gathering strength for TWAS. We is 13.1% – over a quarter of our new Fellows now have members in more countries than ever in these six years have been women. And we before, and our programmes are serving more have met his goal of expanding membership scientists. These advances have done much to to 100 countries – 104, to be exact. burnish the Academy’s international reputation, Under Prof. Bai’s leadership, TWAS has both in the South and the North. had an important role at conferences on Many factors contribute to this success – our climate in Asia and on climate, ecosystems allies, our Regional Partners, our Secretariat, and human livelihoods in Africa. He has built and our effective global communication. But to our relationship with the Royal Society, and understand the Academy’s recent growth, one enthusiastically supported the founding of conclusion is inescapable: TWAS President Bai academies of sciences in Ecuador and Rwanda. Chunli has been instrumental in guiding us to These accomplishments and others, taken historic new heights. together, have transformed the Academy. Romain Murenzi, Bai was president of the Chinese Academy Through these contributions, Prof. Bai takes his TWAS Executive Director of Sciences (CAS) when he took office at TWAS place alongside past presidents José Vargas, in 2013, and within weeks, he delivered a major C.N.R. Rao and Jacob Palis, each of whom has new initiative: The CAS-TWAS President’s PhD earned a permanent position of honour in the Fellowship Programme initially offered 140 PhD annals of science for the developing world. scholarships per year, and soon expanded to Prof. Bai will serve an important role as 200 per year. Today, thanks to the CAS-TWAS immediate past president. And he has left the Fellowships, TWAS has more than 1,000 young Academy in the hands of another good leader. scientists from the developing world at top I am pleased to welcome Mohamed Hassan research centres pursing their PhDs. of Sudan as the new president of TWAS, This initiative was promptly followed by effective in 2019. Mohamed is a storied figure the opening of five CAS-TWAS Centres of in our history: founding executive director of Excellence, focused on key areas such as TWAS, close adviser to TWAS founder Abdus climate, water, environment, biotechnology and Salam, a globally influential science diplomat. green technology. In November of this year, Prof. Hassan was Lenovo, the global computing and technology inducted by Pope Francis into the elite ranks leader, emerged that same year as a vitally of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. important partner. Lenovo had sprung from the With such eminent leadership, drawn from TWAS President fertile soil of CAS in the mid-1980s, at about throughout the global South, we can be Bai Chunli the same time TWAS was taking its first steps. confident of the Academy’s continued success Now the company underwrites the prestigious in the years to come. TWAS-Lenovo Science Prize, and it provides essential support for the TWAS Young Affiliates Romain Murenzi, TWAS Executive Director Network (TYAN), a platform for the unification and collaboration of young scientific talents in the Global South. From the start, Prof. Bai has urged us to expand our membership to more women and to more countries. At the start of 2013, 9.8%

2 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 WORLD NEWS

TWAS NEWSLETTER Published quarterly by The World Academy in India, leading to problems such as habitat of Sciences for the fragmentation and wildlife-vehicle collisions. advancement of science IN THE NEWS in developing countries Experts call for stringent Environment Impact with support from Assesment with the involvement of wildlife the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement biologists. of Sciences (KFAS). Mongabay: ICTP Campus Experts urge Africa to get www.bit.do/RoadsWildlife Strada Costiera 11 more electric cars 34151 Trieste, Italy tel: +39 040 2240327 Africa needs low-carbon transport system fax: +39 040 224559 such as electric cars to cut air pollution, say e-mail: [email protected] website: www.twas.org environmental experts. Electric vehicles reduce burning of fossil fuels, the main source of TWAS COUNCIL transportation-induced air pollution. Africa has President Bai Chunli many used cars that have little to no emission Immediate Past President control mechanisms and that run on low-quality Jacob Palis fuel. Vice Presidents The combined effect is that for most African Moctar Toure Mohammed Hamdan cities, air pollution is heavily a result of the Rabia Hussain emissions from motor vehicles, says David Khatijah M. Yusoff Manuel Limonta-Vidal Rubia, a program officer of UN Environment. Zimbabwe’s chronic cholera crisis Secretary-General SciDev.Net: Residents of Harare’s poor suburbs of Glen Ajay K. Sood www.bit.do/AfricaElecCars View and Budiriro endure dry traps, burst pipes, Treasurer Samira Omar Asem and human excrement flowing out of leaking Council Members sewer lines daily. Worse still, they now live in Robin Crewe Asian powers bring focus to biofuels the epicentre of Zimbabwe’s deadliest cholera Abdel Nasser Tawfik Habib Firouzabadi New policy schemes in India and China are outbreak in a decade. Bishal Nath Upreti anticipated to significantly boost the market for The outbreak – one of several in Zimbabwe this Mahabir Prashad Gupta biofuels. year – has claimed at least 54 lives nationwide, Ex-officio Council Member Fernando Quevedo For example, India recently announced a new with three quarters of the nearly 10,000 national biofuels policy that allows ethanol infections in densely populated Glen View and TWAS Executive Director Romain Murenzi production from agricultural waste and crops Budiriro. Editor residue such as corn, cassava and sugarcane. The New Humanitarian: Edward W. Lempinen This could boost farmer income and help www.bit.do/CholeraOutbreak Assistant editors Francesca Pettoello address the severe pollution that engulfs Delhi Cristina Serra every winter, caused by the annual burning of Sean Treacy crop stubble. Special passport could aid Design & Art Direction Rado Jagodic India Climate Dialogue: climate refugees Studio Link, Trieste, Italy www.bit.do/IndiaBiofuels Nearly half a million people lost their countries Printing during World War I and had to use the Nansen Grafica Goriziana Gorizia, Italy Passport till they could get citizenship of one Infrastructure plans country or another. A higher number may lose Unless otherwise indicated, the text is written by could disrupt wildlife their countries as the sea level rises due to the editors and may be A committee appointed by India’s Ministry climate change. reproduced freely with due credit to the source. of Road Transport & Highways has endorsed They should get a climate passport, said plans to lift the night-time closure in Bandipur Dirk Messner, Director of the United Nations Printed on Fedrigoni National Park in Karnataka and build elevated University Institute for the Environment and Arcoprint 1 E.W., a paper made with environment- corridors and fences despite agencies advising Human Security and Co-chair of the German friendly ECF pure cellulose, against them. Advisory Council on Global Change. FSC certified. Infrastructure intrusions like roads, railways and The Third Pole: power lines commonly disrupt protected areas www.bit.do/ClimatePassport

TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 3 TWAS: A VITAL VOICE FOR SCIENCE At the opening ceremony of the 28th General Meeting, science and policy leaders praised TWAS for its work in sustainability, the advancement of women and science diplomacy.

by Edward W. Lempinen

ddress global challenges, train a new international science and policy bodies, Ageneration, use diplomacy to build science attended the opening ceremony on 27 cooperation – these core missions are required November 2018. The three-day meeting for global scientific progress. At the opening was held on the campus of the Abdus Salam ceremony of the 28th TWAS General Meeting, International Centre for Theoretical Physics a distinguished panel of science and policy (ICTP) in Trieste, Italy; additional support leaders cited TWAS’s leadership in these areas was provided by the International School for and urged the Academy to extend its influence Advanced Studies (SISSA) and the National in the years ahead. Institute of Oceanography and Applied Meeting in Trieste, Italy, the headquarters Geophysics (OGS), both based in Trieste. All of of TWAS and the European City of Science the organisations will play prominent roles in for 2020, the leaders praised the Academy’s preparations for next year’s EuroScience Open positive influence in its home city, in the Friuli Forum (ESOF 2020), with Trieste hosting the Venezia Giulia (FVG) region and across Italy. At event as the European City of Science. the global scale, they said, TWAS has a crucial Following TWAS President Bai Chunli’s role in assembling the expertise – both senior opening address [www.twas.org/node/14641], and early-career researchers – to address the dignitaries stressed the themes of partnership United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and cooperation in addressing challenges (SDGs). And they observed that TWAS, along confronting humanity and the Earth. Several with colleagues at the Organization for Women From top: Fabrizio themes were prominent: in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), Nicoletti, minister plenipotentiary-principal show a growing impact in creating opportunities director for innovation and The SDGs define an urgent mission for women scientists. research in the Italian for international science. “We all know that today, the need for science Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International diplomacy is growing,” said Fabrizio Nicoletti, The SDGs are “actually the first development Cooperation; Flavia minister plenipotentiary-principal director for Schlegel, assistant director agenda that puts sciences as a driver, as an innovation and research in the Italian Ministry general in UNESCO’s enabler, at the heart of all the initiatives to of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Natural Sciences Sector. sustainable and peaceful development,” said The Ministry, he added, “strongly believes that Flavia Schlegel, assistant director general in TWAS can connect globally and locally, with an UNESCO’s Natural Sciences Sector. integrated approach toward the local scientific “TWAS Fellows and TWAS prize winners, you communities and an expanding global vision.” are essential for contributing to achieving Some 300 accomplished scientists, along the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development with top Italian officials and the leaders in Goals,” added Eva Ohlsson, senior research

4 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 PARTNERS IN PROGRESS

Foundation Awards for Early-Career Women Scientists in the Developing World. But, she added: “How can we create an inclusive environment in our organisations and conferences so that men and women feel a part of it, so that people from Africa feel a part of it, so that we really can bring all of our amazing brains here and work together... We have a positive role to play as partners to keep up the positive pressure.” adviser in the unit for research cooperation From left: Eva Ohlsson, at the Swedish International Development senior research adviser in the unit for research [The Ministry] strongly Cooperation Agency (Sida). “You are so cooperation at the Swedish important for asking the critical questions, International Development believes that TWAS can developing new methods, and seeking further Cooperation Agency (Sida); Alessia Rosolen, FVG’s connect globally and locally, knowledge using the situated perspective that counselor for Education, only you have.” Universities and Research with an integrated approach for the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia; Vaughan toward the local scientific Science diplomacy is essential for bringing Turekian, executive director nations together to pursue the SDGs and of the Policy and Global communities and an for other science-related initiatives. Affairs Division at the US National Academies of expanding global vision. Sciences, Engineering and Fabrizio Nicoletti, minister plenipotentiary “In a landscape marked by big global Medicine. challenges....the internationalisation of research in the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and requires frequent interactions between science International Cooperation and diplomacy,” said Alessia Rosolen, FVG’s counselor for Education, Universities and Research. From top: Ylann “The critical ties developed through scientific Schemm, director of the TWAS is an important leader among research... offer a productive way to build Elsevier Foundation; Trieste the research institutions of Trieste, Friuli and maintain the connections among people, Mayor Roberto Dipiazza. Venezia Giulia and Italy. communities, institutions and nations to reach a better world,” said Vaughan Turekian, TWAS’s “presence here in Trieste underlines executive director of the Policy and Global once more the international role of our city Affairs Division at the US National Academies of within the scientific world,” said Trieste Mayor Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. “In many Roberto Dipiazza (in a prepared statement read ways, this is the hallmark of science diplomacy.” by TWAS Executive Director Romain Murenzi). “The proof of that is the EuroScience Open Increasing and improving opportunities Forum nomination of Trieste as the European for women in science is required to advance City of Science in 2020.... Science can act as a scientific knowledge and address global bridge that links different cultures, a common challenges. ground where all can work together to help our communities and our nations grow.” “TWAS has been a forerunner in terms of sustainability science, but also in terms of gender,” said Ylann Schemm, director of the Read more about the opening ceremony: Elsevier Foundation. Schemm cited TWAS efforts www.twas.org/node/14640 to increase women among its Visiting Experts Watch the opening ceremony of the 14th TWAS General and in other programmes, and the OWSD role in Conference and 28th General Meeting at organising and supporting the OWSD-Elsevier https://tinyurl.com/TWAS-2018-opening-video

TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 5 BAI CHUNLI: AN ERA OF GROWTH AND IMPACT

TWAS has experienced significant growth during and engagement of issues of global concern, the United Nations the six-year presidency of Bai Chunli. In an interview, Sustainable Development Goals, Bai explored the challenges and opportunities displaced and refugee scientists, and others. Helped by its science diplomacy that await in future years. programme, TWAS is taking a lot more real actions. ai Chunli, an accomplished Chinese bigger and better in these years, and Bmaterials scientist, was elected more people are hearing its voice. The Academy has shown significant to serve as the president of TWAS six I am proud, more than anything, of growth since you took office in 2013. years ago, and in the years since TWAS the significant growth of TWAS in its In your view, what have been the has achieved sustained, substantial representation, programmes, impact drivers for this growth? growth. and involvement in international Bai also serves as president of the science and education. Including nearly I personally think this progress is Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 50 new Fellows to be elected this year, backed by three key factors: and with support from CAS, TWAS has over 250 excellent scientists from First, the role of science has been strengthened its fellowships and prizes the world’s science elites have been more and more recognized globally. programmes, founded the TWAS Young admitted to TWAS, and among these From the imbalance of globalization Affiliates Network (TYAN) and added about one in five are women. Eighteen to poverty eradication, from climate five centres of excellence in China. of these new Fellows are from the change to energy shortages, to food In an email interview, Bai expressed TWAS list of 66 S&T-lagging countries, security and worldwide pandemics, all confidence that TWAS would continue and 10 from Least Developed Countries these challenges are deeply rooted its historic influence – provided it (LDCs). We have extended our development issues. More than remains at the forefront of a changing membership to eight new countries, ever before in the history of human scientific environment. The interview including two LDCs: the Central African civilization, science development was conducted by Edward W. Lempinen, Republic and the Democratic Republic and scientific capacity-building have the TWAS public information officer. of Congo. For the first time, we have been accepted as the key driving The version below has been condensed; members representing over 100 force for national development and please see the full interview at www. countries – 104, to be exact. sustainability. TWAS’s development twas.org/node/14538. Our PhD programme has doubled is embedded in this global trend. its volume. TWAS awards, prizes and Second, there is a growing need After two terms as TWAS president, grants programmes are recognizing for the developing world to develop what accomplishments are you most more and more scientists. A network science capacity and to apply science proud of? of young scientists under the TWAS to address societal challenges. More framework was launched and is investments for science and innovation It has been my great honor to serve functioning in good shape. have been made in different parts of the TWAS in these six years. With the solid I have seen more and more world. I recently visited Panama where I foundation it has, TWAS has grown involvement of TWAS in the discussion saw a new modern research institute in

6 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 INFLUENCE AND IMPACT bioscience built with the strong support TWAS has made huge efforts in development in LDCs as they were once of the government. That the institute promoting young scientific talents under-developed themselves. Emerging could become a reality is a result of training. The TWAS Young Affiliates countries have gone through very the contributions of a TWAS Fellow – Network (TYAN) is actively engaging different ways of development and Mahabir Prashad Gupta of Panama, who young scientific talents in our experienced different challenges in serves on the TWAS Council. community. terms of social economic development. Third, the world is growing more The CAS-TWAS Center of Excellence For the LDCs, I believe it is important and more connected. TWAS serves as for Green Technology (CEGT) to find a way that suits their own a good linkage between academia and transferred green mining technology characteristics, to build their future society, between the developed and in the largest copper mine in Myanmar. success on their current strength and developing countries. On a more individual level, one TWAS advantages. And it is highly important Fellowship graduate, by cooperating to prioritize their agenda and to set Is it possible to demonstrate that the with the biodiversity institute in achievable goals for development. Academy’s accomplishments and Myanmar, has discovered more than Young talents training is a key growth have already had an impact in ten new plants species. for continued success. This would building the strength of science in the be lesson No. 1. Another great developing world? In your view, do the emerging nations lesson would be to be fully engaged have special experiences to share with in international interactions and With TWAS’s advice and assistance, the LDCs? Do the emerging countries collaborations. From our experience, the Rwanda Academy of Science was have a particular responsibility to international exchange brings in officially established from scratch with support science-related development information, knowledge and resources. the great support of President Paul in the LDCs? It helps build one’s own strength in the Kagame and the Rwandan government. long run. TWAS also helped the establishment of Emerging countries do have a the science academy in Ecuador. responsibility to support science From your perspective, what are two or three of the most important challenges confronting TWAS? Do you have any recommendations or advice to share with the next generation of TWAS leaders?

There certainly are lots of challenges ahead of us, yet I am optimistic there are even more opportunities. I would recommend that TWAS should always be fully engaged in the global science agenda, always stand on the collective strength and wisdom of the whole community and always try to lead and keep track of the frontier of global science development. I wish TWAS all the best for the future and will continue to commit my own strength to the cause of TWAS.

For further information, see President Bai Chunli’s address – “Partnerships, the key to our future” – at the opening ceremony of TWAS President Bai Chunli the 28th TWAS General Meeting in Trieste, Italy: www.twas.org/node/14641

TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 7 MOHAMED HASSAN ELECTED TWAS PRESIDENT

by Edward W. Lempinen

As its founding executive members will now serve single four- Salam asked him to help organize the year terms. meeting that would establish TWAS director, Mohamed Hassan praised Bai for serving – originally the Third World Academy Hassan helped to build with “dedication, distinction and of Sciences. He was appointed the effectiveness” as TWAS president. Academy’s first executive director in TWAS into a global Bai oversaw a period of “substantial 1985, and in that post, Hassan was a voice for science. Now expansion in its membership and close adviser to Salam and manager of programmes”, he added, and helped the Academy’s day-to-day operations. he returns as president, to achieve significant growth in He led TWAS through the uncertain seeking to guide it to new China’s contributions to TWAS and its period following Salam’s death in programmes to build science capacity. 1996, then used his experience and achievements. Hassan is currently president of diplomatic skill to build worldwide the Sudanese National Academy of networks with far-reaching impact. ohamed H.A. Hassan, a Sciences. He was elected without After retiring as executive director Mdistinguished and highly influential opposition by a vote of Academy in 2011, Hassan continued to serve as Sudanese advocate for science in the members at the 28th TWAS General TWAS treasurer until the end of 2015. South, has been elected to serve as the Meeting in Trieste, Italy. In July 2018, Hassan was appointed sixth president of The World Academy Hassan was an early-career by Pope Francis to the eminent of Sciences for the advancement of Sudanese mathematician when Abdus Pontifical Academy of Sciences based science in developing countries. Salam recruited him to come to the at the Vatican in Rome, Italy. In 2016, Hassan was TWAS’s founding International Centre for Theoretical then-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- executive director and served 26 years Physics (ICTP) in Trieste. In 1983, moon named him to chair the Governing in that role, establishing a reputation Council of the new Technology Bank for as a scholar and diplomat who moved Incoming TWAS President Least-Developed Countries. effectively at every level of global Mohamed H.A. Hassan He formerly served as president research, education and policy. of the African Academy of Sciences, “I am greatly honoured and privileged founding president of the Network to be given the opportunity to serve of African Science Academies and TWAS in a new and more challenging president of the InterAcademy capacity,” Hassan said. “I am grateful Partnership, an associated partner of to the TWAS Council and membership TWAS; and as chairman of the Council for the faith and confidence they have of the United Nations University. placed in me and I hope to live up to He has won numerous awards, their expectations – and maybe exceed including the TWAS-Abdus Salam Medal them a little bit.” and the G77 Achievement Award. Beginning in 2019, he will succeed TWAS President Bai Chunli of China, Read more about the election of Mohamed who took office in 2013 and served Hassan and the new TWAS Council: www.twas.org/node/14555 two three-year terms. Under changes newly approved by the TWAS Council, See the statement issued by Mohamed Hassan after his election as TWAS president: the Academy president and Council www.twas.org/node/14556

8 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 LEGACY OF ABDUS SALAM ICTP’S QUEVEDO: ABDUS SALAM MEDAL WINNER

by Edward W. Lempinen

Fernando Quevedo, ways and others, he embodies Abdus Salam’s deep commitment to our ICTP director, joins shared mission.” a cadre of past Salam Said Quevedo: “For the past nine years, Abdus Salam’s vision for ICTP ICTP Director Fernando Quevedo Medal winners who has guided my efforts in building the count among the elite centre to what it enjoys today: a vastly expanded presence throughout the Salam’s partner in founding ICTP and science leaders from developing world, strongly committed TWAS; and former TWAS Presidents the developing world. to a mission of promoting scientific José I. Vargas of Brazil, C.N.R. Rao of excellence and opportunities for all. To India, and Jacob Palis of Brazil. be recognized for these efforts by an Quevedo was born in Costa Rica he World Academy of Sciences award named after ICTP’s founder is a and obtained early education in Thas awarded its prestigious TWAS- great honour for me.” Guatemala. He earned his PhD from the Abdus Salam Medal to Fernando The medal was presented to Quevedo University of Texas at Austin in 1986. Quevedo for his strong leadership on 27 November 2018 during the His early career included research of the Abdus Salam International opening ceremony of the 28th TWAS appointments at CERN in Switzerland; Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) General Meeting in Trieste, Italy. McGill University in Canada; Institut and his efforts to build science in the Salam led efforts to found ICTP in de Physique in Switzerland; and Los developing world. 1964 and TWAS in 1983, and through Alamos National Laboratory in the Quevedo, a Guatemalan theoretical much of his career he wrote prolifically United States. physicist and 2010 TWAS Fellow, has and travelled the world to advocate the Under Quevedo’s leadership, ICTP served as ICTP’s director since 2009. central role of science and technology has expanded dynamically, moving He has credited Salam with being a role in bringing the poorest countries out of into energy, climate science, medical model and an inspiration, saying that poverty. At the same time he continued physics, quantitative life sciences and he sought to emulate Salam’s balanced his research, and won the Nobel Prize high-performance computing. ICTP commitment to scientific research and in physics in 1979. also has worked with partners to open to building scientific institutions for TWAS inaugurated the Abdus Salam international research centers in Brazil, developing countries. Medal in 1995, a year before his Mexico, Rwanda and China. All are, “Professor Quevedo’s leadership has death. The medal is awarded to highly or will soon be, UNESCO Category 2 had a profound impact on the field distinguished scholars who have served institutes. of physics in the developing world,” the cause of science in the developing said TWAS President Bai Chunli. “ICTP world. is a thriving institution, and in recent Among past winners have been years it has helped to open important entomologist Thomas R. Odhiambo of new research centres in developing Kenya, a giant of African science who Learn more about Fernando Quevedo’s countries. And he has been a very was a founding Fellow of TWAS; Italian accomplishments at ICTP: important friend to TWAS. In these physicist Paolo Budinich, who was www.twas.org/node/14548

TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 9 MASHELKAR WINS TWAS-LENOVO PRIZE The Indian polymer scientist, a TWAS Fellow, helped develop and find uses for smart gels that opened the door to a long list of discoveries put to innovative use across fields.

by Sean Treacy

ndian polymer scientist R.A. Mashelkar was Chunli. “His work has had an impact on a Inamed the winner of the 2018 TWAS-Lenovo broad range of applications from agriculture Science Prize for his pioneering research on to medicine, and it reflects a deeply smart polymer gels that have yielded a long list ingrained spirit of science: that investment of useful applications. in fundamental research can give rise to Mashelkar, a 1993 TWAS Fellow, was honoured discoveries in applied science that have a real for work that has contributed to high-impact and powerful impact on people’s lives.” developments in agriculture, medicine and Mashelkar, born in 1943, lost his father at other fields. He has had broad influence shaping the age of six and, with his mother, moved to India’s science and technology policies and Mumbai. He went to a municipal school there he served as chairman of India’s National and often couldn’t even afford a notebook for Innovation Foundation for 18 years. his classes. But he excelled anyway throughout The TWAS-Lenovo Prize was announced at his childhood and into adulthood, developing a the 28th TWAS General Meeting in Trieste, Italy hungry curiosity and a keen interest in science. in November 2018. The annual prize, now in its sixth year, includes an award of USD100,000 provided by the Chinese technology company Lenovo, the global leader in consumer, commercial, and enterprise technology and the largest PC company in the world. The prize is one of the most prestigious honours given to scientists from the developing world. “We are enormously happy to congratulate Dr. Mashelkar for his accomplishments setting the stage for innovations in polymer science,” said Lenovo Senior Vice President George He. “His research has been spectacular and it is indeed our honour to present this year’s TWAS-Lenovo Science Prize to him, and we wish him many fruitful years of discovery and innovation in the future.” “Dr. Mashelkar is one of the most 2018 TWAS-Lenovo Prize distinguished scientists in his field, and in winner R.A. Mashelkar. polymer research,” said TWAS President Bai (Photo provided)

10 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 TWAS-LENOVO SCIENCE PRIZE

Xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxx to water after a rainfall, helping to ensure that xxxx xxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxx farmers would have a successful crop. xxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxx “So we started using chemistry for the good xxxx xxxx xxx of the people,” Mashelkar said, “and then we started asking: Why does such a polymer absorb such huge quantities of water?” To the naked eye, the gel resembles Jell-O. But zoom in to the microscopic level, and it looks like a series of long chains, that are linked across to each other with smaller molecules. When water enters, the chains repel each other, creating spaces in which enormous quantity of water gets absorbed. Through more work, they discovered the We started using chemistry for the good polymers also suddenly expand and then collapse of the people, and then we started asking: at very specific temperatures. Still the science behind such super-absorbing and changeable Why does such a polymer absorb such huge polymers was not well understood. As Mashelkar’s quantities of water? group continued to make discoveries, the polymer gel field found innovation after innovation and R.A. Mashelkar, TWAS Fellow, winner of 2018 TWAS-Lenovo Science Prize success after success. The study of smart hydrogels became a hot area of research and a long list of applications emerged. Mashelkar’s group created gel-based enzymes R.A. Mashelkar's work led “I dedicate this greatest honour in my life to my – microscopic substances with multiple to the study of smart late mother who, despite extreme poverty, gave functions that can be turned on or off by a hydrogels, which produced a long list of high-impact me the precious gift of education,” Mashelkar trigger, such as light. For example, by switching applications. (Photo: Shyni said after learning of the honour. the ultraviolet light off, the enzyme would carry Verghese/Duke University) out a chemical reaction but by switching the UV THE PROMISE OF POLYMERS light on, the enzyme would stop being active, R.A. Mashelkar’s story is the story of a thus stopping the chemical reaction. developing world scientist who returned home His group also discovered a gel with self- to help. After serving six years in the U.K. as repairing properties, which heals tears on its a lecturer in chemical engineering, he returned own, behaving like a healthy living tissue. This to India in 1976, years before the growth material can patch up tricky-to-monitor wounds and development that has brought new wealth or even help in doing ‘suture less’ surgery. to the country. He had no access to computers, Mashelkar emphasised that the greatest to imported chemicals or much other essential satisfaction is not his own discoveries but the laboratory equipment. Nevertheless, he joined fact that many scientists have been able to use with India’s National Chemical Laboratory his foundational work as the basis for countless and began important work advancing the more applications. country’s prowess in polymer science and “In a developing country, we may start with engineering. something practically useful to the farmers and His group sought uses in India for a special their work,” Mashelkar said. “But exploration of kind of polymer, of which even a single gram fundamental science is absolutely critical so could pick up hundreds of grams of water. that more applications can actually come out, India is dependent on rain for agriculture, and and some of them come out accidentally, of sometimes the rains start but then stop again course! That is the story of science in general, for weeks. By coating seeds with this gooey because while we have organized science, a lot polymer, they would have much longer access of these discoveries are unorganised.”

TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 11 A REVOLUTION IN MEDICAL RESEARCH In a TWAS Medal Lecture, pioneering researcher Subra Suresh describes the revolutions shaping future treatments of diseases that afflict the developing world.

by Edward W. Lempinen

n image glows on the big screen: a luminous “everything is usually chemistry. If you talk Viewed in a micro-fluidic Apurple field populated with a precise grid to many biologists, everything typically centres device, healthy red blood cells are supple enough of more than 100 slightly tapered blocks. The around biology. If you talk to most geneticists, to extend and squeeze grid is like a maze of obstacles: Small objects everything is probably based on genetics. What through the tightest stretch and glide easily through the tight I am trying to show here is a combination of channels, just as they do in narrow blood vessels. channels. But when the objects change shape, all of this. The intersection of engineering, [“Kinetics of sickle cell becoming more stiff, they get stuck in the sciences and medicine is very important.” biorheology and channels and obstruct the flow. Suresh, a 2004 TWAS Fellow, is renowned implications for painful Pioneering researcher Subra Suresh offers for his pioneering work on the mechanical vasoocclusive crisis”, E Du, Monica Diez-Silva, Gregory the brief video to illustrate the workings of sickle properties of engineered and biological J. Kato, Ming Dao, and cell disease, a group of hereditary disorders that materials and for establishing connections Subra Suresh, Proceedings affect millions of people worldwide. The grid, between cell mechanics and human diseases. of the National Academy of Sciences, February 3, he explains, is within a tiny microfluidics device Today he is the president of Nanyang 2015 112 (5) 1422-1427] with channels – just a few micrometres wide – Technological University in Singapore. He served to simulate blood vessels. Because of a defect as president of Carnegie Mellon University in in one of the genes that code for haemoglobin, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA) from 2013- red blood cells that have discharged their 2017; he directed the U.S. National Science oxygen into body tissues then transform into Foundation from 2010-2013, and before stiff sickles as they circulate back to the lungs. that he was the dean of engineering at the In this state they can obstruct blood vessels, causing painful swelling and sometimes even strokes. The effect was clearly visible on the screen, cell by cell, as researchers reduced and increased the oxygen. But in a recent TWAS Medal Lecture, Suresh said the image on the screen also reflects a revolution in medical research. By drawing from chemistry, biology, physics and a range of other fields, and with engineering to develop powerful new technologies, researchers are improving their knowledge of diseases such as cancer and malaria. With new understanding comes the potential for new treatments. “If you talk to most chemists,” he said,

12 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 SUBRA SURESH

Subra Suresh is In the lungs, it picks up oxygen. It carries the renowned for pioneering oxygen through the body, discharging it into the work on the mechanical properties of engineered tissues. It must be able to squeeze through the and biological materials narrowest vessels of the brain – about two to to improve health care. three micrometres in diameter. Then it returns to the lungs for an oxygen recharge. “If it loses its ability to stretch,” he said, “we will get a disease.” In Suresh’s view, creative new applications of physics, genomics and computing are opening new fields for medical research. With parallel advances in fields such as nanotechnology, these innovations are having an impact across medical sciences. “Nature wants to work in a very precise way,” Suresh said. “And these kinds of tools at the intersection of engineering and physics help our understanding.”

NEW INSIGHTS ON MALARIA AND CANCER Nature wants to work As researchers use these new technologies to better understand the physical properties in a very precise way, of cells, Suresh said, they set the stage for and these kinds of tools advances in treating diseases. For example, Plasmodium falciparum is at the intersection of the parasite linked to 50% of malaria cases engineering and physics worldwide – and 99.7% in Africa. The UN’s World Health Organization reports that it is also the help our understanding. most lethal, linked to the majority of 435,000 Subra Suresh, 2004 TWAS Fellow, president malaria deaths in 2017. Researchers know that of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. infected red blood cells become stiffer and more sticky, but how much stiffer was unknown. Research by Suresh and his colleagues used

Learn more: optical tweezers to find that the stiffening www.twas.org/node/14736/ Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). was far greater than expected. Such improved He earned his bachelor of technology degree understanding “can shape clinical decisions, at the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras. such as the use of medications, to improve He delivered the TWAS Lecture on 28 blood flow,” he said. November 2018 in Trieste, Italy, at the Academy’s Cancer provides another example. In recent General Meeting. research, Suresh and an international team of colleagues found that sound waves can A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY REVOLUTION separate cells of different sizes or different Disease changes the physical properties of physical properties, without damaging the cells. the cells, Suresh explained, and, therefore it is In one study of breast cancer patients, they essential to better understand cell properties. were able to isolate one cancer cell from as Red blood cells, for example, are disc shaped, many as 100,000 healthy cells. about eight micrometres wide. (A human hair “If we could have one more diagnostic tool,” is about 50 to 100 micrometres.) During a he said, “if we can diagnose someone’s cancer life span of about 120 days, a red blood cell a little bit earlier, then how many lives could we circulates millions of times through the body. save? That’s the spirit of this work.”

TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 13 MAKING LIGHT BOUNCE AND BEND Hala J. El-Khozondar, a Palestinian materials scientist and TWAS Fellow, delivered a TWAS Medal Lecture about her research on “metamaterials” that can control the behaviour of light.

by Sean Treacy

pecial “metamaterials” have provided Making her work even more remarkable is that TWAS Fellow Hala Sresearchers with new and exciting ways to El-Khozondar’s research was developed in the J. El-Khozondar delivers her TWAS Medal Lecture control the behaviour of light, said Palestinian Palestinian territories, at the Islamic University at the 28th General materials scientist Hala J. El-Khozondar in a of Gaza, where she and her colleagues had Meeting in Trieste. (Photo: TWAS Medal Lecture. Reflecting on her own work scarce resources and no access to advanced Paola di Bella/TWAS) in the field, the Palestinian researcher said the equipment such as high-powered microscopes. applications are broad and are already having a “We work much harder than normal,” she said. powerful impact in medical, security and solar “We spend a lot of time doing paperwork and technology. computer simulations.” El-Khozondar is a 2011 TWAS Fellow and she The idea for metamaterials has been has won worldwide respect for her research, around since 1968, conceived of by the late which has had implications for wireless Russian physicist Victor Veselago. But it wasn’t communication, optical communication, produced in a lab until 2000, in an experiment optical fibre sensors, renewable energy and proposed by British physicist John Pendry other areas. She currently is a professor in the and carried out by American physicist David R. electrical engineering department at the Islamic Smith. Since then, metamaterials have been University of Gaza. used in numerous fields. Based on her accomplishments, she was “These metamaterials have attracted awarded a TWAS Medal and invited to deliver attention the last decade,” El-Khozondar said. the TWAS Medal Lecture on 29 November at “And they attracted a lot of attention because the Academy’s 28th General Meeting. The TWAS they have applications.” Medal Lectures were established in 1996; a General Meeting typically features two or three CONTROLLING LIGHT WITH PRECISION leading scholars who have been awarded the The way metamaterials refract light is not honour and invited to present their work. found in nature. One way to conceive of it is to El-Khozondar’s focus has been on imagine a glass of water with a straw in it. Light metamaterials, structures in which atoms are can move directly through air without changing arranged in a pattern where each is less than one direction, but it will bend at an angle when it hits nanometer from the other. This distance is much water in a glass, making a straw in the water less than the wavelength of visible light, and by look slightly off, as if it were at a different angle adjusting the distance between the atoms within below the water line. But the light generally will metamaterials, scientists can make light bend still travel in a similar direction, so the straw and bounce in ways that open up new options for does not look drastically disjointed. A straw in innovation to researchers across countless fields. “negative” water functions as metamaterials

14 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 HALA EL-KHOZONDAR

[Metamaterials] have a lot of applications designs by presenting more options for manipulating radio waves, a form of light. It’s because we can control them. We can control also useful for security technology as well as the gap size of the atoms, and these all camouflage and stealth technology, making people and objects – and even their shadows – affect the applications. invisible to the naked eye. An object surrounded 2011 TWAS Fellow Hala J. El-Khozondar of Palestine by a “cloaking device” made of the metamaterial will be practically invisible to the naked eye. El-Khozondar’s own work has largely focused on improving crystals used to absorb light in solar panels and converting it to usable do: once that light hits the water, it will bounce electricity. It can also help filter or amplify back the way it came as if it ricocheted off an signals in transmission lines, improve sensors invisible wall placed down the middle of the that detect bacterial changes in food, and water. Since the behaviour of light determines improve the quality of lenses. what the human eye will see, the portion of the “They have a lot of applications because we straw inside the water would appear wildly out can control them,” she said. “We can control the of place, entering the water at a completely gap size of the atoms, and these all affect the different location. applications.” This effect provides researchers with precise control over the behaviour of light.

Learn more: The material is useful in communication, www.twas.org/node/14614/ because it provides for more radio antennae

TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 15 TWAS 14th GENERAL CONFERENCE & 28th GENERAL MEETING IN TRIESTE, ITALY

TWAS General Meeting The winners of 2018 TWAS prizes and awards gathered with TWAS Abdin Mohamed Ali Salih, a 2002 TWAS Fellow attendees speak during President Bai Chunli and Executive Director Romain Murenzi. from Sudan, left, speaks with new TWAS preparations for the President Mohamed H.A. Hassan. opening ceremony.

16 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 28TH TWAS GENERAL MEETING

TWAS President Bai Chunli Representitives of TYAN, the TWAS Young Affiliates Yemeni researcher Fathiah Zakham, winner of the 2017 speaks with a television Network, explain how the organization elevates the careers TWAS-Al-Kharafi Prize, gives a talk at the General Meeting crew during the meeting. of young scientists at the meeting. on her tuberculosis research.

For more photos from the meeting, see TWAS’s Flickr page: www.flickr.com/photos/twas All photos are by Paola di Bella/TWAS

TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 17 USING STEM CELLS TO RESTORE EYESIGHT Stem cell transplants create remarkable possibilities to repair eyes that have been injured or scarred, researchers said at the 28th TWAS General Meeting.

by Cristina Serra

here are events that change our life and However, a big step forward in his career Dorairajan Tperspectives. One such event happened to a came from his post-residency training: while Balasubramanian from India charing the session Nigerian factory worker named Ibrahim, whose training on cornea and eye anterior segment on stem cells at the TWAS eyesight was heavily damaged by an explosion surgery at the LV Prasad Eye Institute in General Meeting in Trieste. in November 2015. Hyderabad, India, he met TWAS Fellow Ibrahim was mixing dangerous chemicals at Dorairajan Balasubramanian, a distinguished Nigerian ophtalmologist his workplace, but something went wrong and scientist and director emeritus of research at Bade Ogundipe during his speech on stem cells at his face and eyes suffered from major injuries the Institute. TWAS General Meeting. after a violent blast. Luckily, when the acute Balasubramanian, an Indian chemist and phase had passed by, he was offered a life- ophthalmologist and a 1997 TWAS Fellow, changing surgery that partially restored his served as the director of the Centre for Cellular sight. He received a stem cells transplantation from a donor, his father, and experienced the therapeutic power of what is known today as regenerative medicine. “Simple limbal stem cell transplantation offers incredible potential for treating eye diseases arising from limbal stem cell damage,” Ayobade Ogundipe, an ophthalmologist from University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria, explained during a symposium at the 28th TWAS General Meeting in Trieste. Knowing that under proper chemical treatment limbal stem cells may turn into a specific, more mature cell type, Ogundipe added, doctors used this technique to restore Ibrahim’s damaged corneal tissue.

PARTNERSHIPS AND BREAKTHROUGHS Ogundipe is an associate lecturer at the University of Ibadan College of Medicine, and the president of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria. He completed his basic medical training at the University of Jos Medical School in central Nigeria.

18 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 STEM CELLS FOR VISION

eye care: cornea and retina,” Balasubramanian said in his presentation. “And we are lucky, because in the eye there is a specific area called limbus, rich in stem cells that have the potential to regenerate other layers of the eye, in particular the corneal layer in case of scars or accidental damage.”

INNOVATION IN STEM CELL TRANSPLANTS The ocular surface is made of a layer called conjunctiva, or sclera, and the limbus – a ring surrounding the corneal epithelium, which is covered by a thin film of tears. The corneal epithelium is constantly self-renewing throughout life thanks to the presence of limbal stem cells, located close to the junction between the sclera and the epithelium. As the scientists noted, in the past, limbal cells (stem cells) were harvested from the limbus and transfered in a culture dish to grow. We are lucky, because in the eye there is a There, they grew into specialized cells that specific area rich in stem cells with the potential would still retain the stem cell characteristics. Now the technique has become more to regenerate other layers of the eye. sophisticated. Dorairajan Balasubramanian, TWAS Fellow and director emeritus “Today we achieve better results by directly of research at the LV Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad, India transplanting stem cells harvested from the same patient, or using tissue from a dead body or a living donor,” Ogundipe explained. This is exactly what doctors did with Ibrahim. and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad from 1992 In the stem cell transplant at University to 1998. Today he is a leading scholar in the College Hospital, they harvested tiny pieces biology of the eye, specialising in stem cell of limbal stem cells from Ibrahim’s father and technologies, and a distinguished scientist at transplanted them directly onto Ibrahim’s burnt the Prasad Institute. cornea, with a minimally invasive intervention. Their partnership turned out to be highly Medication, bandage contact lens and productive over many years for both scientists, rest helped the recovery. Today, Ibrahim is and therefore it was natural that they presented autonomos and walks independently. His sight a joint lecture at TWAS’s General Meeting, on has not been completely restored, though, 28 November 2018, in a symposium titled because too much time had elapsed from the “Breakthroughs in the Science of Stem Cells accident to the day of surgery. and Gene Editing”, chaired by Balasubramanian. Such progress was made possible by the Stem cells have been the focus of great knowledge acquired in stem cell therapy. intensive research in recent years. They However, as Ogundipe noted, there is still much are undifferentiated cells able to turn into work to do. Especially in Africa, where clinical specialized cells, with new features that were work remains in its early phase. not present at earlier stages. In the human body “We need collaboration with centres outside this happens spontaneously. In the lab, stem Nigeria,” said Ogundipe. “I had the opportunity cells complete their maturation process when to train at Prasad Institute with Professor Balu.

Learn more: cultured in the right medium. Now it’s time to train younger clinicians in www.twas.org/node/14611/ “Stem cells are routinely used in two areas of Nigeria, too.”

TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 19 BIG DATA TECHNOLOGY FOR A BETTER FUTURE A symposium sponsored by the Elsevier Foundation convened experts in big data and machine learning to explain the promise of the technology – and some new dilemmas.

by Sean Treacy

he world is more interconnected and more makers can support research in developing Attendees of the Tdigitally recorded than ever before, and one countries that will help address those ambitious 28th TWAS General Meeting in Trieste, Italy, listen consequence of this technological shift is that goals. to the symposium “Data scientists have an unprecedented amount of Maria de Kleijn is a senior vice president of Analytics, Social Media and data to work with. But this has also given rise to analytical services for Elsevier who spearheaded Sustrainability”, supported by the Elsevier Foundation. new questions, not just about how to use that a 2018 report, “Artificial Intelligence: How (Photo: Paola di Bella) data, but how to use it optimally and responsibly. knowledge is created, transferred, and used”. These questions were explored in the She described the goals as missions, with an symposium “Data Analytics, Social Media intimidatingly large number of targets – for and Sustainability”, supported by the Elsevier example, providing affordable health care to Foundation, at the 28th TWAS General Meeting everyone on Earth. in Trieste, Italy. The symposium brought Digital communication has completely together a trio of experts in sustainable transformed how research is done – how we development, machine learning and gather data and produces findings, and then cybersecurity to discuss the promise, potential how that information is made available for and challenges presented by the big data era. further analysis, de Kleijn said. In disaster Elsevier Foundation Director Ylann Schemm said the symposium was designed to be a “deep dive” into the importance of harnessing the data revolution for good causes, in particular those pursued by the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “So many of you are involved in sustainability- oriented research,” Schemm said to the assembled scientists at the meeting, “but we wanted to have a space where we could zoom out and look at some of the larger issues in data analytics.”

THE GLOBAL MISSION OF THE SDGS Elsevier began expanding into the area of sustainable development to support the efforts around the launch of the United Nations’ SDGs Xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx in 2015. With powerful data analytics, decision- xxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxx

20 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 BIG DATA

the intensity of fear in each of those countries – and anxiety, anger, depression and stress.” Tshilidzi Marwala, an engineer and the vice chancellor of the University of Johannesburg in South Africa, has long experience training young scientists in the global South. In South Africa, he said, machine learning has been useful for HIV epidemiology. The country’s national department of health provides HIV tests in various circumstances. For instance, hospitals From left: Maria de Kleijn, research, for example, an algorithm can detect will require it from pregnant women. So Marwala senior vice president almost 30,000 articles across all journals and his colleagues collected the data from of analytical serivces for Elsevier; V.S. Subrahmanian over a five-year period, and then sort them the department of health to build models that of Dartmouth College; and across disaster types. This data can then be could estimate its occurrence in the population. Tshilidzi Marwala, vice contrasted with information about the human This proved useful for researchers. chancellor of the University and economic toll of disasters. of Johannesburg in South Africa. (Photos: Paola “If you look at the countries that do the We need to create di Bella) (disaster) research, Japan is one country with both high research and high toll because of infrastructure to create our the earthquakes,” de Klejin said. “High research own data. You can’t do it impact is in Europe where there’s almost no toll. But countries doing the disaster research, do alone. We have to do it with that research on disaster types that matter to our neighbours, and get themselves. If you have disasters that are not present in Japan, China, U.S. or Europe, then enough data in order to solve they are under-researched.” our problems.

THE POWER OF MACHINE LEARNING 2010 TWAS Fellow Tshilidzi Marwala, It’s not just big data, but also the method of University of Johannesburg, South Africa machine learning that is at the forefront of innovation today, said computer scientist V.S. Subrahmanian of Dartmouth College in the United States. Machine learning is a category Even so, the process presents complications. of artificial intelligence that automates data Statistical models are approximations of reality analysis. Programmes that use the method learn that will always be inconsistent, he explained, from the data they analyse to identify patterns especially since the data received by scientists and shape models with little human help. is always going to be incomplete and imperfect. Subrahmanian said the goal of machine “I think we need to produce algorithms that learning is to use large tables of data to work with limited and imperfect information, calculate probabilities. This is useful for and secondly we need to think about regulation the science of global health, which makes of ownership and data,” Marwala said. “And it important to achieving SDG No. 3. For thirdly, we need to create infrastructure to example, machine learning was key in create our own data. You can’t do it alone. predicting the spread of ebola in Western We have to do it with our neighbours, and get Africa. Subrahmanian’s team wanted to predict enough data in order to solve our problems.” mortality rates on a week-by-week basis. “We gathered months of Twitter data from countries, primarily in English and French, and said, ‘Can we extract certain variables from Ebola-related tweets?’” he explained. “Such as

TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 21 AN URGENT FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT TWAS Young Affiliates from Tunisia and Ghana identify toxic elements in living organisms – and broader threats to Earth’s webs of life.

by Cristina Serra

here is little doubt that Planet Earth is Affiliates based on the quality of their work Tfacing increasing threats because of and their future potential. Jebali’s term began humanity’s exploitation of resources. This is why in 2014 and runs through the end of 2018, many scientists are working intensively to find after which he will be a Young Alumnus. solutions to environmental issues, setting off an alarm on situations that call for urgent action SEA URCHINS SIGNAL A GROWING RISK before they get to a point of no return. Environmental degradation and its link with Consider living organisms and how deeply human health was a common focus for many they are connected. This makes them all presentations given in Trieste by TWAS Young essential elements in the food chain. Sea Affiliates. Jebali focused on sea urchins. urchins are a good example: on the one side The seas where they live are often severely they feed on large brown algae seaweeds threatened by heavy metals, pesticide residues called kelp, and on the other side they make an and pharmaceuticals, which jeopardize the excellent food source for starfishes, sea otters survival of younger larvae and adults. and even human beings. But since their habitat “In a time frame that may range from is under pressure, they might soon be reduced minutes to days on the one side, to months or removed altogether from this important and years on the other, pollutant discharges place in the food chain. may affect physiological functions, individuals’ “Urban and industrial discharges, hospital growth rates and, in the end, whole populations’ waste and marine traffic all pose increasing structure,” he explained. risks to marine organisms,” warned TWAS The environmental observations he has Young Affiliate Jamel Jebali, a Tunisian scientist carried out produced an important conclusion: who studies the effect of pollution on marine sea urchins are particularly susceptible to organisms, and sea urchins in particular. Jebali, an associate professor of biochemistry from the Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, Tunisia, gave a lecture to present his most recent data at the 28th TWAS General Urban and industrial Meeting, held in Trieste, Italy, from 27-29 discharges, hospital waste November 2018. He holds a master’s degree in environmental sciences and a PhD in biological and marine traffic all pose sciences and biotechnology increasing risks to marine TWAS Young Affiliates, scientists aged 40 and under, serve five-year terms. Every year, the five organisms. TWAS Regional Partners each select up to five TWAS Young Affiliate Jamel Jebali, Tunisia

22 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 TOXIC THREATS pollutants, and this is why they can be used Users of unregulated as a sensitive model to test toxicity and effects of pesticides and copper in seawater. lipstick brands could suffer In a set of experiments, Jebali and colleagues from a toxicological effect, exposed sea urchin’s sperm to pollutants commonly used in agriculture and industrial after accidental ingestion activities. These substances ultimately reach of the lipstick. the marine ecosystem at high concentrations, and have an impact on many organisms. TWAS Young Affiliate Marian A. Nkansah, Ghana “We confirmed that sperm exposure to increasing concentrations of a much-used insecticide called deltamethrin and to copper, or to a mixture of the two, caused a significant metals, organic pollutants and polycyclic alteration in the fertilizing capability of aromatic hydrocarbons – that are present in spermatozoids,” he said. water, soil, dust, tea, clay and other unusual In particular, he observed that “larvae do not places. These and other substances pose develop full-size and, in addition, exhibit several a threat to humans and other living things. abnormalities, including crossed skeletal tips “Overexposure may occur even in situations and alteration of their general shape.” where trace quantities of cadmium are found, Jebali’s research is making good progress, because the dose which is considered not From top: Chemist now. Thanks to his results, Tunisian scientists Marian A. Nkansah harmful for humans is very low,” she said. are developing sensitive biological markers to of Ghana and biochemist “Ingestion of even small amounts may cause precisely assess chemical contamination in Jamel Jebali of Tunisia. poisoning and damage to liver and kidneys. marine organisms. In addition, cadmium is a known human carcinogen.” LIPSTICK: TOXIC BEAUTY? In her investigation, Nkansah examined Heavy metal and toxic compounds were a focus 20 different lipstick brands sold at different in other presentations, too. Marian Asantewah markets and shops in Kumasi to determine Nkansah, a Ghanaian chemist, highlighted the lead and cadmium levels. What she found threat posed by toxic compounds like cadmium, about cadmium should raise concerns both for which has the potential to infiltrate the human women’s health and for policymakers. domestic environment. “Cadmium concentrations in 19 lipsticks Nkansah is a senior lecturer in chemistry was above the Health Canada threshold at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and for impurities,” she reported. “This is an Technology in Kumasi, Ghana. She was selected important indicator that users of unregulated as Young Affiliate in 2017, a year after winning lipstick brands could suffer from a toxicological the TWAS-Fayzah M. Al-Kharafi Prize. In her talk, effect, after accidental ingestion of the she examined the role of cosmetics: billions lipstick.” of women use eyeshadow and lipstick every Her research showed the importance of day to embellish their look. And most probably regular monitoring of lipstick for all toxic heavy don’t think of what kind of compounds those metals to ensure consumer protection, and the cosmetics contain. need for stricter regulation. But her work goes “Cadmium is a very toxic heavy metal, which well beyond this: Nkansah is also a committed may poison humans by exposure in industrial mentor to female university students, offering workplaces, absorption from soil by plants, herself as an example and a model for young eating of contaminated foods or inhalation of women who would like to start a career in polluted air,” she explained in her presentation science or other fields. She is also active in at the TWAS General Meeting. science communication and public engagement

Nkansah has recently developed a keen Learn more: with science. interest in spotting toxic elements – heavy www.twas.org/node/14608/

TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 23 FLOWER POWER – AND SOIL POWER, TOO Strategies to increase crop yields and food nutrients should seek to improve flowers and soil, experts said at the TWAS General Meeting.

by Cristina Serra

ith world population projected to reach BREEDING PLANTS TO ENDURE CLIMATE CHANGE W9.7 billion by 2050, scientists are focused Many plants react to environmental stress on solutions that will feed as many people as lowering the number of their flowers, Zhang possible. Today there are two key areas for explained. At times they become sterile. research: increasing crop yield, and fortify food Through investigation, he and his team have so that it provides more nutritional value. identified genes directly involved with rice Studies suggest that to feed so many more, sterility, and filed seven patents related to the production of cereal should rise by 60% to control of this trait. 70% in the next three decades. Other research “We found that climate change, i.e. suggests that controlling number and size of temperature fluctuations, has an impact on flowers could have an impact on shape and size rice genes that control male plants’ fertility,” of grains, and that this in turn could increase he explained in his presentation. Above 23 °C, yield. a rice variety is sterile because one of its genes “We have been studying the mechanisms is inactivated. With temperatures lower than responsible for the flower shape in higher 23 °C, fertility is recovered. plants, particularly in rice, at the molecular level,” TWAS Prize winner Zhang Dabing told at the Academy’s General Meeting in November 2018. And, he said, the research has found a number of genes that modulate the number of flowers in cereal grains. Zhang is a plant biologist and molecular geneticist with a PhD in plant molecular genetics from Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). He won the 2018 TWAS Prize in Agricultural Science for his studies on the molecular mechanisms of reproduction in higher plants, especially rice. In 2004 he was appointed full professor at Plant biologist Zhang Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), and a Dabing won the 2018 year later he took a joint professorship position TWAS Prize in Agricultural to work between SJTU and the University of Science for research Adelaide in Australia to run the laboratory on on molecular mechanisms of reproduction in higher plant science and breeding. plants

24 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 FOOD PRODUCTION

Ismail Cakmak, a 2016 Strategies to improve agricultural practices TWAS Prize winner in and restore the nutritious potential of agriculture from Sabanci University in Turkey, exhausted soil took the stage also in other has a deep interest in TWAS Prize presentations, demonstrating biofortification. scientific commitment to solving problems affecting local communities. Ismail Cakmak, a 2016 TWAS Prize winner in agriculture from Sabanci University in Turkey, has a deep interest in biofortification, the enrichment of cereals as a potential solution to malnutrition. “We all know that hunger ... affects about 800 million people in the world,” he said in his presentation. “What we tend to ignore is that hidden hunger – a lack of food vitamins and micronutrients such as vitamin A, iron and zinc – impacts on as many as 2 billion people.” Cakmak is a professor of molecular biology, genetics and bioengineering at Sabanci University. An expert in soil and plant physiology, he serves in the editorial board of the journal Consuming biofortified Plant and Soil, and has edited the section entitled “Impacts of Agriculture on Human foods should be pursued Health and Nutrition”, published by UNESCO in the years ahead, as it could in 2009. significantly minimize hidden NUTRITION BEGINS IN THE SOIL hunger and boost nutrition At the General Meeting, he noted that the deaths of many infants would be preventable security. Ismail Cakmak with better nutrition. Malnutrition, he added, can be caused by insufficient intake of the right amounts and qualities of food, but also by the loss of micronutrients in the soil due But health comes from farm, not from to intensive agricultural practices. pharmacy.” Among the most important micronutrients Cakmak is currently the coordinator of an is zinc, the lack of which affects both soil international project called the “Harvest Zinc and humans. As Cakmak’s research Project”, which began in 2008 and is now in its demonstrates, zinc in the soil, along with final three-year phase. Results of the research potassium and magnesium, helps plants to carried out at Harvest Zinc Project, especially on increase tolerance to environmental stress wheat and rice, emphasize the importance of like heat, drought and light intensity. But zinc biofortification of food crops. has a pivotal role for humans, too: with iodine This strategy may ultimately help to support and iron, it mitigates health complications and human cognitive functions such as learning, chronic diseases. reasoning, attention and memory, as well as “To be a good source of zinc for humans, functioning of the immune system against cereal grains should contain 40-60 mg of different types of diseases. Consuming zinc per kilogram (mg/kg). Currently we are biofortified foods is a strategy that should be barely reaching 20-30 mg/kg,” Cakmak said. pursued in the years ahead, Cakmak advised, “Nutritionists tend to emphasize medical as it could significantly minimize hidden hunger Learn more: www.twas.org/node/14610/ approaches to solve malnutrition problems... and boost nutrition security.

TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 25 SOLVING THE PUZZLE OF SANDY SOILS

by Sean Treacy

Congolese scientist Lydie- climate mitigation by storing carbon in both soil and plants,” she said, “but Stella Koutika won the also providing charcoal and wood TWAS-Al-Kharafi Prize for the rural and urban population – 94% of homes use forest products for work investigating as fuel energy – as well as providing how to enrich nutrient- us with more wood and food for the population.” poor soil at a time Soil scientist Lydie-Stella Koutika, The annual Al-Kharafi Prize Republic of the Congo of growing poverty and recognizes exceptional women scientists from scientifically and climate change. technologically lagging countries. The industrial plantations in the Republic prize is named for 2004 TWAS Fellow of the Congo, though there is also a ydie-Stella Koutika can recall, during Fayzah M. Al-Kharafi from Kuwait, the research project taking place in DRC Lher childhood in the Republic of first woman to head a major university and dedicated in agroforestry that has the Congo, that farmers used to plant in the Middle East. She is also a former seen some success. But in the Republic peanuts twice a year, once in March TWAS vice president for the Arab of the Congo the issue is urgent, not and once in October. But these days, Region. just for farmlands but for the richness getting a peanut yield in the area’s “This prize is definitely going to help of the earth in forest lands. About 94% harsh soils is sometimes difficult me,” said Koutika. “I’m very happy of the homes in the RoC use natural because, with the changing climate, and glad because, once I’m able to wood and charcoal for energy, which is farmers have less water than they used finish this job, it will help me have the harming the local forestlands. So the to. Instead, they have to get the most opportunities as well.” demand for food and energy sources is they can out of the growing seasons growing. available to them. BENEFITS ACROSS BORDERS The hope is that, after years of Koutika, a soil scientist from the This work is relevant not just in the studying the effects of the soil-building Republic of the Congo, has been Republic of the Congo (RoC) but two practices, they will be able to “give awarded the TWAS-Fayzah M. Al- neighboring countries, Gabon to its the research back to the farmer” and Kharafi Prize for her work exploring west and the Democratic Republic benefit those who produce the food new plant species to make the sandy of the Congo (DRC) to its east. This and wood that the big cities depend on. soil of her home country more rich, nutrient-poor, highly sandy savanna “In agriculture, we want to be thus allowing more productive growing soil extends to around 6 million inspired by what is happening in DRC,” seasons for farms and forests. This hectares across all three countries. she said. “It works very well there, work is important to Congolese people It contains less than 1% of organic where it’s more populated. But now in both the farms and the cities they matter, which is low, but typical of things are getting very bad in my feed as they develop their nation after sandy soil. Koutika studies how the country and I think more people will a devastating civil war that ended two practice of planting fields of legumes – need to be devoted to agriculture.” decades ago. such as acacia trees, peanuts or beans In her research, Koutika has a – can help enrich this soil. clear sense of purpose. “It’s not only They have already begun widely improving soil fertility and helping in using this practice in forests in the Learn more: www.twas.org/node/14550/

26 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 PRIZES FOR WOMEN SURPRISING INSIGHT ON INFECTIOUS DISEASE

by Cristina Serra

For her discoveries the AIDS Programme of Research in of the informatics department, she South Africa, in Durban. The award was decided to focus on coinfections in on malaria, Beninese announced at the 28th TWAS General children, a frequent event in Benin. immunologist Sedaminou Meeting on 27 November 2018 in Simultaneous infections from Trieste, Italy. malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium Gbenoudon won the Gbenoudon is the director of falciparum and other infectious agents 2018 TWAS-Abdool the Laboratory of Immunology for such as nematodes were among her Infectious and Allergic Diseases at first targets. Her observations proved Karim Prize. the Institute for Applied Biomedical that this coinfection actually had the Sciences in Cotonou, Benin. effect of alleviating the severity of frican children often experience She earned a master’s degree in both conditions. On the other hand, Atwo infections at the same time, biochemistry from the University of co-infection with the fungus Candida and each child may respond in a Compiègne in France and in 2001 a albicans and P. falciparum often different way, with stronger or milder PhD in immunology from Hamburg aggravates both conditions, leading to disease, according to the efficiency of University in Germany. rapid death. his or her immune system. Studying Her experience in immunology and “We proved that in the case of cases with coinfection is therefore parasitology was an asset when she candida and malaria coinfection, an important focus for research into moved back to Benin for family reasons the immune system of the patient effective treatment. in 2007. At that time, while serving produces high amounts of antibodies Sedaminou Judith Gbenoudon, a the Ministry of Higher Education and that promote inflammation,” Beninese immunologist, has been Research as the founding director Gbenoudon explained. “This activates investigating these conditions a cascade of reactions involving a for years. Her findings that some blood defence system called ‘the coinfections cause milder diseases, Beninese immunologist Sedaminou complement’, which unfortunately J. Gbenoudon while others result in a more severe leads to anaemia, a well-known malaria condition, are changing the perception complication.” But these results were of malaria and other infectious a turning point in the current approach diseases – and offering new curative to malaria: targeting a mild infection perspectives. For the impact of her as candidiasis, it turned out, can have research, she was awarded the 2018 beneficial effects on malaria as well. TWAS-Abdool Karim Prize. Gbenoudon hopes to leverage the “This prize is not only my prize, but TWAS honour into more research. “In a prize for all my team that I’m happy Benin,” she said, “scientists are not to share with them,” Gbenoudon working in fully-equipped laboratories. said. “In addition, it comes as a great I will use this prize not only to build up achievement, an important feed- projects in the same field, but also to back to all my years of scientific buy equipment.” engagement.” The prize is named after TWAS Fellow Quarraisha Abdool Karim, co-founder and scientific director of the Centre for Learn more: www.twas.org/node/14554/

TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 27 SUDAN: A VISION OF SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

by Cristina Serra

Sudanese engineer Association and a member of the E10 Nile-Ultra. But in the long run the Organization for Women in Science for idea proved too costly. Hazir F.A. Elhaj won Developing Countries (OWSD), a TWAS- This prompted Elhaj to be an active the TWAS-Samira Omar affiliated organisation based in Trieste. collaborator in the Sudan Biofuels She studies low-impact bioenergy Roadmap, a national initiative for Prize for her work technologies wishing to support the development of Sudan’s biofuel to produce biofuel from Sudan’s advancement on an important production for the transportation economic issue. Sudan’s energy sector, including aviation. The initiative locally grown plants. demand has almost doubled in the last aims at exploring strategies to two decades, and transport is the major optimize production and scale-up of any countries are facing the source of consumption of oil derivatives, biofuels, and in particular biodiesel. Mpressure of population growth, with diesel being the major fuel form. Biofuels can be obtained from which requires an increase in arable Bioethanol could be, in principle, a many sources, Elhaj explained. But lands and the production of more better option to fossil fuels, with less she tested a small semi-evergreen wood, charcoal and others fuels for harmful impact on the environment. tree called Jathropa, the seeds of heating, cooking and transportation. Sudan produces almost 65 million which contain up to 40% oil that can Sudan is no exception. Hazir F.A. Elhaj litres of bioethanol per year, but 90% be used to make biodiesel. Once the is working there to improve biofuel and of it is exported to Europe. In 2014 oil is extracted, residual seedcake biogas production, exploring cost- the government realized that Sudan can be used to produce biogas or effective bioenergy technologies with had to diversify the sources used to compressed into pellets for heating low environmental impact. For her work produce fuels, and made a blend of and cooking, thus reducing the demand on the implementation of bioenergy 10% ethanol and 90% benzene called for wood and charcoal. “I processed a technologies in Sudan, she was awarded Jathropa variety grown in Sudan for oil the TWAS-Samira Omar Innovation for production, and then tested the fuel in Hazir F. A. Elhaj, Sudan Sustainability Prize at the 28th TWAS commercial engines.” General Meeting in Trieste, Italy. The Early tests confirmed that Jathropa prize honours scientists from the 47 could be a good candidate for Sudan’s Least Developed Countries who work in economy. In addition, standardizing an area relevant to sustainability. the process could help small farms to “I didn’t expect this prize,” she said. achieve self-sufficiency and to create a “But I’m excited! It is a great pleasure and sustainable biofuel market, with more honour that my efforts are appreciated jobs for local communities. “The work and brought to the international level. currently done lays the foundation for This recognition ... will encourage other an investment plan for large-scale researchers in the field, which will bring Jathropa plantings,” Elhaj said. “And real progress for the country.” this prize from TWAS is going to be Elhaj is an assistant professor in the part of my future efforts ... It will be department of mechanical engineering beneficial both for Sudan and the at Sudan University of Science and researchers who work in this field.” Technology (SUST). She is also a board member of the World Bioenergy Learn more: https://twas.org/node/14541/

28 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 SCIENCE FOR SUSTAINABILITY “GREEN” CEMENT FOR A BETTER FUTURE

by Sean Treacy

Tchakouté Kouamo Kouamo. “It is very important for a researcher to know that people are Hervé of Cameroon appreciating his work. This award will won the TWAS-Atta- enable me to be more productive, and it will also be a source of motivation for Tchakouté Kouamo Hervé, Cameroon. ur-Rahman Award for me in my future career.” work that could reduce He is not just a lecturer and researcher at University of Yaoundé cement reduces emissions as much as greenhouse gas emissions. I, but a product of the university. He 70 to 80%. received his bachelor’s, master’s and It’s also a better, stronger material in chakouté Kouamo Hervé, an PhD in inorganic chemistry there, general. “It bears more weight because Tinorganic chemist at the University and he has spent his entire career it has a more compact and denser of Yaoundé I in the capital city of developing a local version of geopolymer matrix,” Tchakouté Kouamo said. “And Cameroon, is the 2018 winner of the cement, using local materials. yes, geopolymer cement has a long- Atta-ur-Rahman Award in chemistry. Typical commercial cement, known term durability.” He was honoured for advances in as Portland cement, requires a lot of He fuses the recycled materials with creating an environmentally friendly energy to make, and thus results in volcanic ash to make the geopolymer cement that could be used for future heavy release of greenhouse gasses cement. It’s not yet available on the construction projects and sustainable into the atmosphere. Geopolymer market, but introducing it is part of the development. cement has already existed for some plan. He’s looking for investors who will It’s called geopolymer cement. time, but Tchakouté Kouamo’s work help fund its production. Production is more energy-efficient is looking to make it even more green His work was made possible in part than for conventional cement, and by by using waste materials such as by a TWAS Research Grant received in adding materials such as discarded discarded glass, rice husk ash and 2016. He used the grant to purchase a glass and agricultural waste, it could be sugarcane bagasse (the fibrous matter compressive strength machine, which even more environmentally friendly. that remains after juice is extracted) applies force to the hardened cement The award is granted annually by as parts of the cement mixture. to gauge how much pressure it can 1985 TWAS Fellow Atta-ur-Rahman, “The synthesis of geopolymer is take before it breaks, as well as an a distinguished Pakistani chemist very simple and we have in Cameroon oven to dry ingredient samples. Now and a past president of the Pakistan some waste materials which are not he and his team, including six master’s Academy of Sciences. It acknowledges used,” said Tchakouté Kouamo. “My students and three PhD students, the work of researchers from main objective is to valorize these are able to produce as many bricks of scientifically lagging countries who waste materials in the production of geopolymer cement as they need to have obtained high-impact results in geopolymer cements.” conduct their research. various fields of chemistry. Portland cement hardens at 1500 °C, “I am really grateful and honoured while geopolymer cement only needs to receive this prestigious TWAS-Atta- about 700 °C. This means switching ur-Rahman Award,” said Tchakouté from Portland cement to geopolymer Learn more: www.twas.org/node/14549/

TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 29 genetics techniques, Touré has identified mosquito populations of ZOOMING IN Anopheles gambiae – the malaria vector – with different genetics settings. The findings were surprising. ON MALARIA His team found three chromosomal forms of A. gambiae populations named Bamako, Savanna and Mopti, MOSQUITOES which seemed to be genetically different. In the end they turned by Cristina Serra out to be only two molecular forms designated as S (for Bamako/Savanna) TWAS Fellow Yeya Touré and M (for Mopti). They live in slightly different received the TWAS-C.N.R. areas, have differences in spatial Rao Award for genetic and seasonal distribution and have different malaria transmission research that supports patterns. “The S form prefers humid new ways to combat areas in the south of Mali, breeds in rain-dependent spots and along rivers, malaria mosquitoes. and has its transmission peak during full rainy season,” explained Touré. alaria mosquitoes are not all the “Mopti form lives in a wide range of Msame: they belong to genetically ecological areas from South humid different populations with different to North dry zones, breeds in flooded habitats and lifestyles. Knowing their areas and in rice fields, and transmits geographical distribution allows better the disease’s parasite at the very management of malaria and effective beginning, during and mostly at the control of the disease transmission end of the rainy season.” patterns. TWAS Fellow Yeya Tiemoko Touré, Mali This has had immediate and This is particularly true in Mali, where important positive consequences malaria is the primary cause of death facilities in Mali, Touré received the on control measures, applied in especially among children under 5. 2018 TWAS-C.N.R. Rao Award for collaboration with the national malaria In 2015, the Malian national health scientific research. The announcement control programme, through selective system recorded about 2.4 million total was made on 27 November during the strategies such as targeting the time malaria cases in health facilities. 28th TWAS General Meeting, held in when transmission is higher, or specific But malaria has been under close the Academy’s headquarters city of mosquito breeding sites. observation for almost 30 years in Mali, Trieste, Italy. “I’m not actively involved in research, with important results. “We realized Touré’s career in Mali started in now,” he said. “But I’m still active as that there was a weird heterogeneity 1981, as a researcher at the faculty of an adviser to the new generations in spatial and seasonal distribution of medicine and pharmacy. From 1987 of researchers, and the TWAS Prize vectors and in transmission of malaria, to 1991 he was the director general of strongly motivates me to be even more likely related to different types of the Centre National de la Recherche present in leading young scholars.” mosquitoes,” said Yeya Tiemoko Touré, Scientifique et Technologique (CNRST), a medical entomologist and a former in Bamako and from 2001-2014 professor of cell biology and genetics in he managed the vector biology and Bamako, Mali. control unit of the Special Programme For his efforts in analysing genetic for Research and Training in Tropical information on these insects and his Diseases. involvement in creating new scientific Using cytogenetics and molecular Learn more: www.twas.org/node/14540/

30 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 PEOPLE, PLACES & EVENTS

DAUBECHIES NAMED growth through education, science, Buenos Aires (1973). Since then he has L’ORÉAL-UNESCO LAUREATE technology, research, innovation and visited many important international For her outstanding achievements in commercialization. Rahman has laboratories to establish collaborations mathematics, 2015 TWAS Fellow Ingrid been a deeply influential advocate and carry out joint projects, including Daubechies has been named the for science and education worldwide, the Max-Planck Institute for Biophysical 2019 North American laureate for the and he formerly served as Pakistan’s Chemistry in Göttingen, Germany; L’Oréal-UNESCO International Award minister of science and technology Rockefeller University in New York, For Women in Science. Daubechies, and chairman of its Higher Education USA; and the Weizmann a professor of mathematics at Commission. He also is a former vice Institute of Science Duke University (USA), has achieved president of TWAS. Rahman earned his in Rehovot, Israel. ground-breaking results in the field of PhD from Cambridge University in 1968, He is currently wavelet theory, which find and since then he has more than 1,100 the director of applications in the publications, 43 patents, 245 books, 70 the laboratory of reconstruction of chapters in books, and more than 750 molecular neurobiology telescope images, publications in leading international at the Pontifical Catholic University of detection of forged journals. He has served twice as Argentina-CONICET (National Scientific documents, medical president of the Pakistan Academy of and Technical Research Council of imaging and other Sciences and as the president of the Argentina). His present interests cover areas. Wavelets are mathematical Network of Academies of Science in the investigation of nicotinic receptors, functions useful in digital signal Countries of the Organization of Islamic which he studies using fluorescence processing as well as in many branches conference (NASIC). He has promoted and superresolution microscopy, and of applied and pure mathematics. important reforms to the effects of cholesterol on the human Daubechies entered Vrije Universiteit promote education in organism. Brussel at 17. Later she moved to the Pakistan, including United States, where she became a the establishment KLAUS KRICKEBERG ELECTED member of the technical staff at AT&T of a modern digital FRIEND OF VIETNAM Bell Laboratories. She was elected library. He is the The German and French mathematician the first female president of the 1999 winner of the Klaus Krickeberg, a 1994 TWAS Fellow, International Mathematical Union and UNESCO Science Prize and was elected has been awarded the medal “Friend served from 2011 to 2014. She also a Fellow of the Royal Society (UK) in of Vietnam”. Krickeberg received this was the first female full professor of 2006. He is honorary life fellow of Kings award on 16 July 2018 in recognition mathematics at Princeton University. College, Cambridge. of his important contributions to the L’Oréal and UNESCO established development of the public healthcare the prize in 1998 to underline the BARRANTES ELECTED TO ARGENTINE system in this Southeast Asian country. importance of women scientists in ACADEMY OF MEDICINE Now a professor emeritus at the Paris chemistry, physics, materials science, Francisco J. Barrantes, a 1991 René Descartes University, Krickeberg mathematics and computer science. TWAS Fellow, has been elected a has visited Vietnam 32 times. plenary member of the Buenos Aires He started his career in the 1960s as ATTA-UR-RAHMAN TO LEAD PRIME National Academy of Medicine, the a professor of mathematics at the MINISTER’S NATIONAL S&T TASK FORCE oldest academy in Argentina, during a University of Heidelberg in Germany. Chemist and science leader Atta-ur- ceremony on 1 November 2018. But he befriended a student from Rahman, a 1985 TWAS Fellow, will chair Barrantes, an esteemed scholar in Saigon, and that sparked an enduring a newly established Pakistan Prime neuroscience, neurodegenerative interest in Vietnam. He helped to Minister’s National Task Force that diseases and brain functioning, instill the power of mathematics in aims to promote Pakistan’s economic earned his PhD from the University of the Vietnamese health system: He

TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 31 PEOPLE, PLACES & EVENTS first organized training for high-level coordinating the Working Party 8.02.08 He received the Presidential Faculty Vietnamese health personnel. In 2005, (African wildlife conservation and Fellow Award from President Bill Thaí Bình Medical University asked his management) for the International Clinton and the Presidential Award for help to implement the Union of Forest Research Organization Excellence in Science, Mathematics and teaching of public (IUFRO) and also acts as the scientific Engineering Mentoring from President health on modern director of the African Otter Network Barack Obama. He is an elected rigorous grounds. (2018-2020). member of the U.S. National Academy Krickeberg also has of Engineering and elected Fellow of worked extensively TWAS FELLOW LAURENCIN the African Academy of Sciences. in Latin America. He is a HONOURED BY AAAS fellow of the Institute of Mathematical Cato Thomas Laurencin, a biomedical IN MEMORIAM Statistics, USA, and a member of engineer, surgeon and 2006 TWAS Professor Ennackal C.G. Sudarshan, the German Academy of Sciences Fellow, has been honoured with the an Indian theoretical physicist and a Leopoldina. 2019 Philip Hauge Abelson Prize 1986 TWAS Fellow, passed away May in recognition of his innovative 2018 at the age of 86. A professor of ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY HONOURS contributions to biomedical technology. physics at the University of Texas at CHABI DJAGOUN The Abelson Prize is Austin from 1969-2016, he earned Beninese scientist Chabi Djagoun, a awarded annually an international reputation for his 2014 TWAS Young Affiliate, has received by the American contributions to the understanding the Marsh Award for Ecologists in Africa Association for the of weak interactions, and from the British Ecological Society. Advancement of for his discoveries in The award acknowledges “exceptional Science (AAAS) to quantum optics. ecologists across career scientists who have At UT Austin, he stages, recognising provided exceptional contributions to directed the Center their contributions the advancement of science in general, for Particle Theory to advancing and or who have proven deep commitment from 1970-1991. communicating through their services to the scientific A native of Kerala, India, Sudarshan ecological community. Laurencin is the Van Dusen received his PhD from the University knowledge.” A native Distinguished Endowed Professor of of Rochester (USA) in 1958. He also of Cotonou, Republic of Benin, Djagoun Orthopaedic Surgery at the University won the 1985 TWAS Award in Physics is a wildlife conservation ecologist with of Connecticut. He serves as the and in 2010 was named a winner of more than 10 years of professional founder and C.E.O. of the Connecticut the Dirac Medal, issued annually by the experience in ecological research and Convergence Institute for Translation Abdus Salam International Centre for conservation planning. He earned a PhD in Regenerative Engineering. His Theoretical Physics (ICTP). degree in wildlife conservation ecology research has paved the way for the use from the University of Abomey-Calavi of nanotechnology in musculoskeletal in 2013. He is currently a senior lecturer regeneration, opening the door to a new BE A CONTRIBUTOR at the faculty of agronomic sciences, era in orthopaedic therapies. His work Do you have news for People, University of Abomey-Calavi. His current in bone and soft tissue surgery has Places & Events? research interest supports sustainable led to innovative solutions in anterior Please send an email to monitoring and management of cruciate ligament reconstruction Cristina Serra ([email protected]) ungulate species in Benin National surgeries, which are now performed with a brief explanation, Park but also the impact of bush in technologies he originated in at links to more details, meat overexploitation on ecosystem least 25% of the more than 500,000 and contact information. functioning. In addition, Djagoun is interventions worldwide each year.

32 TWAS Newsletter, Vol. 30 No. 3/4, 2018 Support TWAS A donation to TWAS directly contributes to the advancement of science, engineering and technology in developing nations.

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The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries – TWAS – works to support sustainable prosperity through research, education, policy and diplomacy.

WAS was founded in 1983 by a distinguished group visiting scientists and provides funding for regional and Tof scientists from the developing world, under the international science meetings. leadership of Abdus Salam, the Pakistani physicist and TWAS hosts and works in association with two allied Nobel Prize winner. Today, TWAS has about 1,250 elected organizations on the ICTP campus: Fellows from about 100 countries; 14 of them are Nobel The Organization for Women in Science for the laureates. It is based in Trieste, Italy, on the campus of Developing World (OWSD). At its founding in 1989, the Abdus Salam International Centre OWSD was the first international forum uniting women for Theoretical Physics (ICTP). scientists from the developing and developed worlds. Through more than three decades, the Academy’s Today, OWSD has more than 8,200 members. Their mission has remained consistent: objective is to strengthen the role of women in the ∫ Recognize, support and promote excellence in development process and promote their representation scientific research in the developing world; in scientific and technological leadership. ∫ Respond to the needs of young scientists in countries The InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) represents more that are lagging in science and technology; than 130 academies worldwide. IAP provides high-quality ∫ Promote South-South and South-North cooperation analysis and advice on science, health and development in science, technology and innovation; to national and international policymakers and the ∫ Encourage scientific and engineering research and public; supports programmes on scientific capacity- sharing of experiences in solving major problems building, education and communication; leads efforts to facing developing countries. expand international science cooperation; and promotes TWAS and its partners offer over 490 fellowships per the involvement of women and young scientists in all year to scientists in the developing world for PhD studies its activities. and post-doctoral research. TWAS prizes and awards TWAS receives core funding from the Italian Ministry are among the most prestigious given for scientific of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and key work in the developing world. The Academy distributes programmatic funding from the Swedish International more than USD1 million in research grants every year Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). It is a to individual scientists and research groups. It supports programme unit of UNESCO.

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