5th African Microbiome Day
African Microbiomes in Action: From Multi-omics Data to Impactful Solutions
(Virtual Event)
Date: 21st September 2026
14:00 – 18:00 CAT / 12:00 – 16:00 GMT (see your time here)
Virtual Event
Abstract submission is now closed
Organizing Team
- H3Africa Coordinating Centre
- H3Africa Microbiome Task Force/African Microbiome Special Interest Group
- Dr. Ovokeraye Oduaran
- Dr. Soumaya Kouidhi
- Prof. Lamech Mwapagha
- Prof. Modupe Coker
- Dr. Ibukun Abulude
- Dr. Luicer Ingasia Olubayo
- Mr. Bonface Gichuki
| Invited Speaker: Dr. Donald Nyangahu | ||
| Invited Speaker: Dr. Oussama Souiai | ||
| Dr. Nicki Adams: Delivering the Future of Microbial Genomics with Oxford Nanopore. | ||
| Mr. William Nyakundi: TBC (Inqaba Biotec) | ||
| Dr Sahil Tulsi: Microbes to Mechanisms - Illumina powered discovery to advance Microbiome Research. (Illumina) | ||
| TBC | ||
Moderators

Dr. Ovokeraye Oduaran
Honorary researcher at the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, and current chair of the H3Africa’s Microbiome Task Force.
Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of the Witwatersrand

Dr. Luicer Ingasia Olubayo
The Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), University of the Witwatersrand

Dr. Soumaya Kouidhi
Soumaya Kouidhi, PhD, HDR is an Associate Professor at the University of Manouba, Tunisia, specializing in microbiome, precision medicine and translational research. Her work focuses on microbiome–host interactions in cancer, transplantation and chronic diseases, integrating multi-omics and AI. She is co-chair of the African Microbiome Science Initiative (AMSIG), promoting collaborative and equitable microbiome research across Africa.
Higher Institute for Biotechnology of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba

Prof. Lamech Mwapagha
Head Molecular and Cancer Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Physics, School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Namibia University of Science and Technology. Member H3Africa’s Microbiome Task Force.
Namibia University of Science and Technology, Namibia

Prof. Modupe Coker

Dr. Ibukun Abulude
Postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Basic and Translational Science, Penn Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. His research applies multi-omics approaches to investigate how shifts in the oral and gut microbiomes during early-life infections influence immune function and disease susceptibility.
Penn Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Mr. Bonface Gichuki
Genomics PhD student in the Host–Microbiota Interactions Lab at Wellcome Sanger Institute. His research investigates the gut microbiomes of children from Africa and South Asia to identify beneficial bacteria with therapeutic potential.
Wellcome Sanger Institute






