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Connell SH, Dollman K, Kamel G, Khan SA, Mitchell E, Mtingwa SK, Newton MC, Ngabonziza P, Nji E, Norris L, Zema M. The African Light Source: history, context and future. JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 2024; 31:1-9. [PMID: 38142406 PMCID: PMC10833437 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577523009682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
The African Light Source (AfLS) project is now almost eight years old. This article assesses the history, current context and future of the project. There is by now considerable momentum in building the user community, including deep training, facilitating access to current facilities, growing the scientific output, scientific networks and growing the local laboratory-scale research infrastructure. The Conceptual Design Report for the AfLS is in its final editing stages. This document specifies the socio-economic and scientific rationales and the technical aspects amongst others. The AfLS is supported by many national and Pan-African scientific professional bodies and voluntary associates across many scientific disciplines, and there are stakeholders throughout the continent and beyond. The current roadmap phases have expanded to include national and Pan-African level conversations with policy makers through new Strategic Task Force groups. The document summarizes this progress and discusses the future of the project.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon H. Connell
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Science, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - Gihan Kamel
- SESAME – Synchrotron light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East, Allan, Jordan
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | | | | | - Marcus C. Newton
- Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Prosper Ngabonziza
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Emmanuel Nji
- Centre for Research in Therapeutic Sciences (CREATES), Strathmore University, Madaraka Estate, Ole Sangale Road, 59857-00200 Nairobi, Kenya
- BioStruct-Africa, Vårby, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Michele Zema
- International Union of Crystallography, Chester, United Kingdom
- University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy
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Newton MC, Connell SH, Mitchell EP, Mtingwa SK, Ngabonziza P, Norris L, Ntsoane T, Traore DAK. Building a brighter future for Africa with the African Light Source. NATURE REVIEWS. PHYSICS 2022; 5:74-75. [PMID: 36275781 PMCID: PMC9580420 DOI: 10.1038/s42254-022-00534-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Africa is the only habitable continent that is not yet host to a light source - an important tool across disciplines. Scientists from the Executive Committee of the African Light Source Foundation discuss work towards building an advanced light source in Africa, and what remains to be done.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Simon H. Connell
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Science, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | | | - Prosper Ngabonziza
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA USA
| | | | - Tshepo Ntsoane
- The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation SOC Ltd (Necsa), Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Daouda A. K. Traore
- School of Life Sciences, Keele University, Keele, UK
- Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France
- Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako (USTTB), Bamako, Mali
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Ouologuem DT, Maiga FO, Dara A, Djimdé A, Traore DAK, Nji E. Hands-on training in structural biology, a tool for sustainable development in Africa series 4. Biol Open 2022; 11:276295. [PMID: 35972051 PMCID: PMC9411641 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural biology is an essential tool for understanding the molecular basis of diseases, which can guide the rational design of new drugs, vaccines, and the optimisation of existing medicines. However, most African countries do not conduct structural biology research due to limited resources, lack of trained persons, and an exodus of skilled scientists. The most urgent requirement is to build on the emerging centres in Africa – some well-established, others growing. This can be achieved through workshops that improve networking, grow skills, and develop mechanisms for access to light source beamlines for defining X-ray structures across the continent. These would encourage the growth of structural biology, which is central to understanding biological functions and developing new antimicrobials and other drugs. In this light, a hands-on training workshop in structural biology series 4 was organised by BioStruct-Africa and the Malaria Research and Training Center (MRTC) in Bamako, Mali, to help bridge this gap. The workshop was hosted by MRTC from the 25th to 28th of April 2022. Through a series of lectures and practicals, the workshop enlightened the participants on how structural biology can be utilised to find solutions to the prevalent diseases in Africa. The short training gave them an overview of target selection, protein production and purification, structural determination techniques, and analysis in combination with high-throughput, structure-guided, fragment-based drug design. Summary: BioStruct-Africa has been building capacity in structural biology for Africa-based biologists and researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinkorma T Ouologuem
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Department of Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Science, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako BP 1805, Mali
| | - Fatoumata O Maiga
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Department of Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Science, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako BP 1805, Mali
| | - Antoine Dara
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Department of Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Science, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako BP 1805, Mali
| | - Abdoulaye Djimdé
- Malaria Research and Training Center, Department of Epidemiology of Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Science, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako BP 1805, Mali
| | - Daouda A K Traore
- BioStruct-Africa, 14343 Vårby, Stockholm, Sweden.,Faculty of Natural Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK.,Life Sciences Group, Institute Laue Langevin, Grenoble 38000, France.,Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, University of Science, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako, Bamako BP E423, Mali.,Infection Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Victoria, Australia
| | - Emmanuel Nji
- BioStruct-Africa, 14343 Vårby, Stockholm, Sweden.,Centre for Research in Therapeutic Sciences (CREATES), Strathmore University, Madaraka Estate, Ole Sangale Road, 59857-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
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Hall D. Biophysical Reviews: focusing on an issue. Biophys Rev 2022; 14:413-416. [PMID: 35528037 PMCID: PMC9043064 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-022-00953-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This Issue of Biophysical Reviews (Volume 14, Issue 2) presents a new feature known as an 'Issue Focus' - a contiguous thematic block of five articles placed within a regular Issue format. The current 'Issue Focus' is concerned with the recent developments in Costa Rican biophysical science. The regular aspect of this Issue consists of a 'Meet the Editor' piece by Sabrina Leslie, the first instalment of an ongoing Commentary feature known as the 'Editors' Roundup', and five disparate review articles covering a variety of topics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Hall
- WPI Nano Life Science Institute. Kanazawa University, Kakumamachi, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1164 Japan
- Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, 00076 Aalto, Finland
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Ngabonziza P, Carleschi E, Zabolotnyy V, Taleb-Ibrahimi A, Bertran F, Fittipaldi R, Granata V, Cuoco M, Vecchione A, Doyle BP. Fermi surface and kink structures in [Formula: see text] revealed by synchrotron-based ARPES. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21062. [PMID: 33273484 PMCID: PMC7712785 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77845-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The low-energy electronic structure, including the Fermi surface topology, of the itinerant metamagnet [Formula: see text] is investigated for the first time by synchrotron-based angle-resolved photoemission. Well-defined quasiparticle band dispersions with matrix element dependencies on photon energy or photon polarization are presented. Four bands crossing the Fermi-level, giving rise to four Fermi surface sheets are resolved; and their complete topography, effective mass as well as their electron and hole character are determined. These data reveal the presence of kink structures in the near-Fermi-level band dispersion, with energies ranging from 30 to 69 meV. Together with previously reported Raman spectroscopy and lattice dynamic calculation studies, the data suggest that these kinks originate from strong electron-phonon coupling present in [Formula: see text]. Considering that the kink structures of [Formula: see text] are similar to those of the other three members of the Ruddlesden Popper structured ruthenates, the possible universality of strong coupling of electrons to oxygen-related phonons in [Formula: see text] compounds is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prosper Ngabonziza
- Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Heisenbergstraße 1, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Physics, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park
, 2006 South Africa
| | - Emanuela Carleschi
- Department of Physics, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park
, 2006 South Africa
| | - Volodymyr Zabolotnyy
- Physikalisches Institut, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Amina Taleb-Ibrahimi
- Synchrotron SOLEIL, L’Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin-BP48, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - François Bertran
- Synchrotron SOLEIL, L’Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin-BP48, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Rosalba Fittipaldi
- CNR-SPIN Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
- Department of Physics, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
| | - Veronica Granata
- CNR-SPIN Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
- Department of Physics, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
| | - Mario Cuoco
- CNR-SPIN Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
- Department of Physics, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
| | - Antonio Vecchione
- CNR-SPIN Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
- Department of Physics, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
| | - Bryan Patrick Doyle
- Department of Physics, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park
, 2006 South Africa
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2019-A year in Biophysical Reviews. Biophys Rev 2019; 11:833-839. [PMID: 31741173 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-019-00607-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
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Biophysical Reviews: promoting the African synchrotron facility, partnering with national biophysical societies, highlighting advances in structural biology. Biophys Rev 2019; 11:495-497. [PMID: 31338694 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-019-00577-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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The workshop on "Biophysics and Structural Biology at Synchrotrons" presented at the University of Cape Town from 16-24 January 2019. Biophys Rev 2019; 11:491-493. [PMID: 31309489 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-019-00575-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
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