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Nature Publishes Research Paper on COVID-19 Pooled Testing Method

October 21, 2020

Nature Magazine has published an article titled “A pooled testing strategy for identifying SARS-CoV-2 at low prevalence”, following a study carried out in Rwanda. Conducted by researchers from the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), the Rwanda joint COVID-19 taskforce and the University of Rwanda, the study lays out an efficient and cost-effective method to optimise testing.

Prof Wilfred Ndifon, a mathematical epidemiologist and Chief Scientific Officer at AIMS

This approach to pooled testing is the result of a mathematical investigation led by Prof Wilfred Ndifon, a mathematical epidemiologist and Chief Scientific Officer at AIMS: “To approach the level of testing necessary to control COVID-19, you need to sample people intelligently and test; regularly, quickly. We have developed a method that can improve the capacity of countries to test massively and regularly at lower cost”, he said. 

Read also:Why Africa beat the COVID-19 predictions By Aylin Elci

“We used to have an average of 1500 samples a day, providing feedback within 48 hours. Now with pool testing, within a day, we give the feedback to the patients”, said Prof Leon Mutesa, member of the Rwanda joint COVID-19 taskforce, lead experimentalist of the study, and Director of the Center for Human Genetics, University of Rwanda. 

“Research is one of the most critical pillars of the AIMS ecosystem of transformation, and this study is yet another demonstration of the application of mathematics to real-world problems” said Lydie Hakizimana, AIMS Interim CEO. “We are delighted that the findings of this article, co-senior authored by our Chief Scientific Officer, Wilfred Ndifon and Founder and Board Chair, Neil Turok, will be instrumental in detecting and curtailing the spread of COVID-19 in Rwanda and beyond”. 

Read also:African Development Bank wins global award for COVID-19 bond issue

The study introduces a new mathematical algorithm to optimise the pooling of samples, with the group of people to be tested represented by a set of points arranged in a hypercube, with three points on each side. The idea is to test every slice of the hypercube, and if there is a single infected individual in the group, then the positive slices indicate the position of that person in the hypercube. With field trials of the approach underway in Rwanda and South Africa, the use of group testing on a massive scale to closely and continually monitor infection in a population provides a promising pathway for the long-term control of COVID-19.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences and the African Development Bank and the ink partnership to accelerate mathematics for industry expertise across Africa

July 18, 2019
African Development Bank

The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Monday to strengthen education, training, and research in mathematical sciences in Africa.

Speaking at the signing, African Development Bank Vice President for Agriculture and Human Development, Jennifer Blanke stressed the strong partnership between the Bank and AIMS-NEI. “The MOU gives us a framework for the operationalization of the partnership,” she said.

The partnership sets the framework for collaboration between the two institutions on enhanced mathematical research and innovation in key areas of the continent’s development challenges. It will also facilitate the design and implementation of new projects and programs and further cooperation in events related to science and technology.

African Development Bank
 

Thierry Zomahoun, President and CEO of AIMS said: “Africa must not sit on the sidelines as others create technology and we consume it.

If we want to leverage AI and other cutting edge technologies and compete globally, we must train researchers and engineers who create the equations and algorithms that create transformative technologies. That’s what we are doing at AIMS and we look forward to operationalizing this partnership with transformative projects to serve African countries and industries,” said Mr. Zomahoun.

Since its inception in 2003, AIMS has graduated close to 2000 students from 43 countries (32% women) from its six centres with a master’s in mathematical sciences. AIMS is unique in that 70% of alumni remain on the continent. Thirty-five percent of graduates are pursuing further studies with 253 having completed a doctorate (307 in progress).

Fifty percent of alumni are working in the ten critical fields of education, ICT, data science, engineering, finance and statistics, trade, commerce, energy, and entrepreneurship. In 2018, AIMS launched a one-of-its-kind masters in machine intelligence that gives students the foundational tools to create technology for today and tomorrow.

Founded in 2003, the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) is a Pan-African network of centres of excellence for post-graduate training, research and public engagement in mathematical sciences. The AIMS network has five centres of excellence teaching a Masters in Mathematical Sciences, including a co-operative option with a direct link to the industry in three centres.

Currently, the network has close to 2000 alumni from 43 African countries.
The network also includes research centres and programs with 108 researchers including six prestigious Chairs currently across the network.

In Cameroon and Rwanda, AIMS is running a gender-responsive teacher training program. As well, AIMS created two critical initiatives: Quantum Leap Africa to prepare Africa for the coming quantum revolution, and the Next Einstein Forum to propel Africa on to the global scientific stage.

 

 

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry.

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