As the SANBio/BioFISA II programme is coming to a close at the end of June 2019, it is time to look back at what has been achieved and what the future might bring. Some of the projects funded through BioFISA II grants are turning into commercial enterprises and it is time to celebrate their achievements.

TB meningitis is a major cause of death in Southern Africa, but the current diagnostic tests are not as quick or as sensitive as they need to be. Finding a sensitive, rapid test for TB meningitis has been elusive until now, but that is changing thanks to BioFISA II funding and researchers at Antrum Biotech.

Cattle farmers can now test their animals on the spot for brucellosis, a highly infectious disease that threatens both bovine and human life. Much like a pregnancy test, the new diagnostic tool, developed by LifeAssay Diagnostics and supported by NEPAD SANBio, gives results within 10 minutes, and with even greater accuracy than slower, more expensive lab tests.

Insects For Feed, Food and Fertiliser (I4F), a flagship project funded by NEPAD SANBio through the BioFISA II programme, is turning highly nutritious yellow mealworms into animal feed, food and other products.

When you think of insects, your first thoughts are probably of creepy crawlies; they might make you feel scared, grossed out or just uncomfortable. But a new project wants you to feel differently about insects, and more specifically mealworms. Could you ever think of these squirming bugs as food?

Stella Gonye won the FemBioBiz Pitch Training event in Zimbabwe on 2 June 2017 and is one of the FemBioBiz finalists.

Stella Gonye has been in the dental practice for 9 years and she is also a Tutor at the School of Dental Therapy and Technology at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe. “I am a self-driven Dental Therapist passionate about health matters. My purpose in life is to serve communities and bring healthy smiles to people,” she states.

As part of the activities related to the FemBioBiz Acceleration Programme, SANBio is profiling female bioscientists and bioentrepreneurs working in the innovation space.

“I believe in trying out new things and confidently taking on calculated risks and challenges until a vision has turned into reality. As a result I have been able to make a giant step out of my comfort zone into bioscience-based business fields currently dominated by men.“ – Mrs Memory Revesai, Partner Feeds Pvt Ltd

As part of the activities related to the FemBioBiz Acceleration Programme, SANBio is profiling female bioscientists and bioentrepreneurs working in the innovation space.

“Science-based research and development work has the potential to make long lasting beneficial impact on communities.”