Eight African scholars have been selected to take part in a 3-month internship at the MRTC in Mali

Following the success of the first cohort of the Ogobara K. Doumbo scholarship fund, MMV and the Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC) are pleased to announce eight scholarship recipients (4 men and 4 women), whose internships are set to take place at the MRTC, Bamako, Mali from January to March 2025.  

Bokaako Mabahlakoana Mariam, B.Sc. in General Nursing, National University of Lesotho, Lesotho 
Abou Sogodogo, Master of Epidemiology, University of Technical Sciences and Technology of Bamako, Mali
Nina Ghislaine Yensii, PhD in Biochemistry Ongoing, Covenant University, Nigeria
Samuel Salu, Bachelor of Public Health (Disease Control), University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ghana 
Biaou Babatounde Sergio, Master of Biochemistry and Genetics in Health, Ecole polytechnique d'Abomey-Calavi (EPAC), Benin
Genevieve Mahounon Tchigossou, PhD in Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin
Christina Hara, Master of Applied Epidemiology, Copperbelt University, Malawi
Pius Atwau, Junior Research Fellow, Indian Institute of Technology, India
The internship programme focuses on malaria research in the areas of molecular biology, genetics/genomics, clinical trials, bioinformatics, biostatistics, data management, entomology and drug resistance. As part of their internship, Ogobara Doumbo scholars will have the opportunity to work alongside globally renowned experts in the field of malaria research while receiving hands-on training and gaining practical insights into a variety of clinical procedures. 

About the Ogobara K. Doumbo scholarship fund 

In 2023, MMV and the MRTC at the University of Sciences, Technics and Technologies of Bamako, Mali launched the Ogobara K. Doumbo scholarship, inviting seven young African researchers to take part in a 3-month internship at the MRTC. The scholarship, which invests in training the next generation of African malaria researchers, was created following the 2018 death of renowned Malian scientist and MMV advisor, Prof. Ogobara K. Doumbo, who dedicated his career to fighting malaria and supporting the development of research capacity in Africa. 

“As a beneficiary of the 2023 Ogobara K. Doumbo fellowship, I want to express my profound gratitude for the training and hospitality received during my stay at MRTC,” said Mohammed Aliyu Usman, a beneficiary of the 2023 scholarship programme. “I am currently conducting some of my PhD research activities at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Tsukuba, Japan and the training I received at the MRTC has facilitated my research endeavours at AIST.”  

This year’s call for applications received more than 500 high-quality submissions from African university students, recent graduates and disease control personnel, reflecting the accelerating momentum to develop scientific capability in sub-Saharan Africa.  

Congratulations to the latest Doumbo scholars; MMV and the MRTC wish them all the best in this exciting career