Kelly Chibale is the founder and director of the University of Cape Town’s Holistic Drug Discovery and Development (H3D) Centre, Africa’s first and only integrated drug discovery center. H3D has made significant strides in fostering drug discovery and development in Africa, addressing African populations’ unique genetic and clinical needs. This journey is captured beautifully on the H3D Foundation website, highlighting the center’s mission and achievements.
Incorporating African data in drug discovery and development must be considered. A 2023 publication in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery emphasizes the need for African-centric preclinical and clinical models to ensure the efficacy and safety of medicines for African populations. The H3D Centre’s efforts in this direction are pivotal in changing the landscape of global drug discovery.
Moreover, the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in tailoring drugs for people of African descent is a groundbreaking advancement. A recent article in Nature discusses how AI models can identify pharmacogenetic variants specific to African populations, enabling the development of more effective treatments. This innovative approach is set to revolutionize precision medicine in Africa. According to Chibale
‘The transformative power of world-class African-led science should not be underestimated. We are in a new era for African-led international efforts in drug discovery. At H3D, for more than 13 years now, we have not just been tackling infectious diseases; we have also been fostering entrepreneurship while pushing boundaries, challenging norms, and striving for excellence. We have powerfully demonstrated that we can use science for development to create jobs and retain talent on the African continent through the creation of an absorptive capacity to attract, develop, and nurture scientific talent. Tapping into the unique genetic diversity of the African populations can make Africa a potential leader if the collected genomic data stays and is exploited in Africa for the benefit of the global community ’.
Through his website, kellychibale.co.za, and his leadership at H3D, Kelly Chibale inspires and leads the charge in transforming health outcomes for African populations, ensuring that Africa’s potential in scientific innovation is fully realized.
