African STARS, African Solutions

Inside a fellowhship shaping scientists, innovators, and leaders for the continent in Dakar, Senegal.

text: Demba Gueye

At the Center for Africa’s Resilience to Epidemics (CARE) at the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, the African STARS Fellowship is doing more than training scientists –it’s shaping a generation. In the labs where sequencers hum and ideas spark, the fellowship blends science, systems thinking, and leadership to build capacity that stays on the continent and produces solutions designed by –and for – Africans.

Here, weeks feel like accelerators. In a single module, fellows can move from genomic sequencing to discussions on continental surveillance strategy.

As fellow Richmond Gorman recalls, “Week 4 … focused on genomic surveillance, sequencing, pathogen discovery, and bioinformatics.” The sessions, led by experts from the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, turn theory into practice: how to detect, characterise, and track pathogens faster – and how to turn those findings into action. “It was also great to learn more about the strides that WHO, Africa CDC, and Institut Pasteur de Dakar have made in pathogen genomic surveillance,” he added, emphasising the link between science and systems.

That bridge between knowledge and implementation lies at the heart of African STARS. Its Advanced and Translational Training (ATT) pathway pushes fellows to move discoveries from bench to bedside – and beyond.

For Arona Sabène DiaPa, beginning the journey comes with both humility and determination: “I am humbled to be part of this programme designed to strengthen the continent’s resilience to epidemics and empower the next generation of scientists.”

This is next-generation leadership in action – a curriculum that sees scientists not only as researchers but as builders of public trust and resilience. The programme’s approach reflects a simple conviction: Africa already has the talent. What’s needed is sustained investment, infrastructure, and mentorship rooted in African realities.

At the same time, the fellowship advances the idea of African-led solutions. Its focus on genomics, diagnostics, and vaccines positions the continent not as a recipient of technology, but as an originator. Fellows learn how to navigate regulatory frameworks, manage data responsibly, and design tools that match local needs. Every dataset and pipeline movement serves a larger vision: scientific sovereignty and preparedness.

That vision is also inclusive. Women scientists and professionals are visible, vocal, and leading change. As fellow Edna Housna expresses, “Throughout this journey, my goal is to become a multifunctional, resilient, and adaptable researcher, ready to respond to the complex health needs of our continent, because in every crisis, we must recognise that there is danger and opportunity.” Her words capture the fellowship’s ethos –one that transforms uncertainty into innovation and diversity into collective strength.

Beyond the lab, the programme’s ripple effects are visible: stronger public-health networks, new job opportunities in biomanufacturing, and a growing culture of collaboration among African institutions. The fellowship teaches its participants to build phylogenetic trees – but also to build coalitions. It pairs technical mastery with communication, policy, and entrepreneurship, ensuring that scientific discoveries reach the people who need them most.

Capacity building, leadership, inclusion, and impact converge here in one narrative: a continent investing in its own future. As these fellows learn to decode genomes, they’re also decoding a new paradigm for African science – one rooted in excellence, equity, and ownership. From Richmond’s hands-on lab work to Arona’s sense of duty and Edna’s resilience, the message is clear: Africa’s health security will be written, sequenced, and led by Africans.