H3Africa projects have been funded between 2011 – 2021 by the National Institutes of Health, Wellcome Trust, African Academy of Sciences, and the Science for Africa Foundation. Members from all project groups participate in the Working Group and Steering Committee activities.

H3Africa projects investigate the genomics of non-communicable and communicable diseases in African contexts and the Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) of this research. Additionally, there are projects that help develop capacity: biorepositories, the bioinformatics network, a coordinating center, and the bioinformatics training programs.

Download H3Africa Project Map

Biorepositories

Project Description Project Description PI Name(s) Location
H3Africa Regional Biorepositories  Establishment of an H3Africa Biorepository at Clinical Laboratory Services Dr. Elizabeth Mayne, Prof. Ute Jentsch South Africa
H3Africa Regional Biorepositories  Integrated Biorepository of H3Africa Uganda – IBRH3AU Prof. Moses Joloba Uganda
H3Africa Regional Biorepositories  IHVN H3 African Biorespository (I-HAB) Initiative Dr. Alash’le G Abimiku Nigeria
Pilot Biorepository Development of H3 Africa Biorepositories to Facilitate Studies on Biodiversity, Disease & Pharmacogenomics of African Populations Dr. Akin Abayomi South Africa
H3Africa Regional Biorepositories

Bioinformatics Network

Project Description PI Name(s) Location
H3ABioNet: A Sustainable African Bioinformatics Network for H3Africa Prof. Nicola Mulder South Africa

Bioinformatics Training Programs

Project Description PI Name(s) Location
Eastern Africa Network for Bioinformatics Training (EANBIT) Daniel Masiga Kenya
Nurturing Genomics and Bioinformatics Research Capacity in Africa (BRECA) Dr. David Kateete, Dr. Daudi JJingo, Dr. Irving Jordan, Dr. Graeme Mardon Uganda
West African Center of Excellence for Global Health Bioinformatics Research Training Dr. Seydou Doumbia, Dr. Jian Li, Dr. Jeffrey Shaffer Mali
West African Sustainable Leadership and Innovation Training in Bioinformatics Research (WASLITBRe) Dr. Ezekiel Adebiyi, Dr. Peter Amoako-Yirenky, Dr. Seydou Doumbia Nigeria

Collaborative Research Centers

Project Description PI Name(s) Location
AWI-Gen: Genomic and Environmental Risk Factors for Cardiometabolic Disease in Africans Michele Ramsay South Africa, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Kenya
Eyes of Africa: The Genetics of Blindness Adeyinka Ashaye Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Malawi
Genomic Characterization and Surveillance of Microbial Threats in West Africa Christian Happi Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone
Sickle Cell Disease Genomics Network of Africa (SickleGenAfrica) Solomon Ofori-Acquah, Gordon Awandare, Julie Makani Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania
Center for Research on the Respiratory Microbiota of African Children (ReMAC) Mark Nicol South Africa, The Gambia, Malawi
Systematic Investigation of Blacks with Stroke – Genomics (SIBS-Genomics) Mayowa Owolabi, Bruce Ovbiagele Nigeria, Ghana
Collaborative African Genomics Network (CAfGEN) Mogomotsi Matshaba, Gabriel Anabwani, Moses Joloba, Adeodata Kekitiinwa, Graeme Mardon, Sununguko Wata Mpoloka, Oathokwa Nkomazana Botswana, Eswatini, Uganda
H3Africa Kidney Disease Research Network Dwomoa Adu, Akinlolu Ojo, Salako Babatunde Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon
African Collaborative Center for Microbiome and Genomics Research (ACCME) Clement Adebamowo Nigeria, Zambia
Burden, spectrum and etiology of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa Prof. Ayesha Motala South Africa
TrypanoGEN: An integrated approach to the identification of genetic determinants of susceptibility to trypanosomiasis

and

TrypanoGEN +: The Genetic Determinants of Two Neglected Tropical Diseases

 Enock Matovu Uganda, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Malawi, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Guinea
The RHDGen Network: Genetics of rheumatic heart disease and molecular epidemiology of Streptococcus pyogenes pharyngitis Mark Engel and Bongani Mayosi South Africa
TBGENAfrica: TB Genetics Network in Africa Dr. Abraham Aseffa Ethiopia
Genetic interactions between human populations and malaria parasites in different environmental settings across Africa Dr. Alfred Amambua Ngwa The Gambia
HI-GENES Africa: Hearing Impairment Genetics Studies in Africa Prof. Ambroise Wonkam South Africa, Mali, Cameroon

Research Projects

Project Description PI Name(s) Location
The Genomics of Schizophrenia in the South African Xhosa People Dr. Dan Stein, Prof. Raj S. Ramesar South Africa
Transgenerational Effects of Maternal Stressors: Investigating the Role of Infant Gene Expression Dr. Dan Stein, Dr. Nastassja Koen, Dr. Kerry Ressler, Dr. Aliza Wingo South Africa
Reprogramming of the Trypanosoma brucei Epigenome during Human Infection: Opportunities for New Therapies Hugh-George Patterton South Africa
The Nasopharyngeal Microbiome and Respiratory Disease in African Children Prof. Mark Nicol South Africa
Intergenerational Epigenomics of Trauma and PTSD in Rwanda Dr. Leon Mutesa, Dr. Monica Uddin, Dr. Derek Wildman, Dr. Stefan Jansen Rwanda, Uganda
Immunoglobulin Gene Diversity in an African Population and Impact Antibody Function in HIV Infection Prof. Lynn Morris South Africa
DDD-Africa: Deciphering Developmental Disorders in Africa (DDD-Africa) – Evaluating Clinical Exome Sequencing in an African Setting Dr. Zane Lombard South Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Clinical and Genetic Studies of Hereditary Neurological Disorders in Mali Prof. Guida Landoure Mali
Host and Microbial Genetic Determinants of febrile illness in West Africa Prof. Christian Happi Nigeria
Systems Biology for Molecular Analysis of Tuberculosis in Ethiopia Prof. Gobena Ameni Ethiopia
RAFAgene: Contribution of genetic variation to pharmacokinetic variability and toxicity in patients undergoing multi-drug tuberculosis treatment in Sub-Saharan Africa Prof. Dissou Affolabi Benin, South Africa, Guinea, Senegal
AFBRECANE: African Female Breast Cancer Epidermiology Study Prof. Clement Adebamowo Nigeria
BEAMING: Breast Milk Microbiota Influence on Infant Immunity and Growth Dr. Alash’le Abimiku Nigeria, South Africa

Ethical, Legal, and Society Issues (ELSI) Collaborative Centers

Project Description PI Name(s) Location
Developing Best Practices of Community Engagement for Genomics and Biobanking in Africa (CEBioGen) Ghansah Anita, Tindana Paulina Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa
Individual Findings in Genetic Research in Africa (IFGeneRA) Prof. Ambroise Wonkam, Prof. Jantina de Vries South Africa, Botswana, Cameroon