KRISP Fellowship Update - the gem - Feb 2026

Dr Hastings Musopole begins his research exchange in Switzerland.

text: Paul Harris photo: Supplied

Following our November announcement celebrating Dr Hastings Musopole’s award of the prestigious Genomics for Health in Africa Scientific Exchange Fellowship, we are pleased to share an exciting update on his journey.

Dr Musopole arrived in Switzerland on 2 February 2026, and has officially begun his 90-day fellowship at the Institute of Cell Biology, part of the University of Bern. He was warmly welcomed by Professor Volker Heussler, Head of the Institute, and his research team.

Now based at the Institute of Cell Biology, Dr Musopole has been immersed in a research environment equipped with state-of-the-art laboratory facilities dedicated to plasmodium research. The team has been exceptionally supportive, taking time to explain their ongoing projects and actively involving him in their work.

Speaking about his experience so far, Dr Musopole shared: “The research group of Prof Heussler is subscribed to PlasmoDB which gives me access to large dataset for plasmodium. I now have access to it through the group. I have also been introduced to the laboratory work they are doing on the behaviour of plasmodium in liver cells and proteins involved, which has been incredibly interesting.”

Access to PlasmoDB — a comprehensive database containing large-scale datasets on plasmodium — is already proving invaluable for his analyses and manuscript preparation. He is currently conducting data analyses and contributing to the writing of scientific manuscripts, while simultaneously gaining exposure to advanced laboratory investigations examining how the malaria parasite behaves within liver cells and the proteins involved in infection and development.

Reflecting on life beyond the laboratory in Bern, Dr Musopole added with good humour: “This place is cold, but it appears temperatures are picking up.”

This fellowship continues to highlight the value of international scientific exchange and the strength of partnerships that advance genomics and infectious disease research. The skills, datasets, and collaborative networks Dr. Musopole is gaining during his time in Bern will further strengthen KRISP’s work in pathogen genomics and translational research across Africa. We are proud to see Hastings thriving in this worldclass research environment and look forward to welcoming him back with new expertise, insights, and collaborations that will benefit the entire KRISP community.