ACGT – African Centre for Gene Technologies

The African Centre for Gene Technologies (ACGT) is an initiative that involves the CSIR, the University of Pretoria, the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Johannesburg. The aim is to create a collaborative network of excellence in advanced biotechnology, with specific focus on the “-omics”.

Facilities

CSIR
University of Johannesburg
University of Pretoria
University of the Witwatersrand

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Research Programmes

Animal Biotechnology
Health Biotechnology
Plant Biotechnology

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Events

Past events
Future events

Events Calendar

LATEST NEWS:

InnovateUK programme unearths beneficial mechanisms of novel agricultural biostimulants in the African agricultural staple maize

16th Sep 2021

An internationally funded consortium working towards increasing yield and nutritional value of staple crops in Africa recently concluded an InnovateUK-funded programme. Despite the restrictions on travel due to COVID-19, the programme delivered promising results after being initiated in November 2019. The consortium was led by the University of Edinburgh, in collaboration with Omnia Nutriology®, the

AgriMicrobiomics workshop highlights African and international critical mass in food systems research

13th Sep 2021

Microbiomics research can be leveraged to develop innovative solutions towards food systems research and development. International domain experts recently convened to deliberate the opportunities and blind spots in the soil-plant-food-human gut microbiomics nexus. The event was inclusive of domain experts in each of the areas in the food system, from production to consumption. Countries and

UP researchers seek to apply Biotechnology in the Agricultural Production Sector and Food Safety

25th Jun 2021

The ACGT hosted a webinar on the 28th of May 2021 presented by Dr Godfrey Kgatle and Ms Thabang Msimango from the University of Pretoria (UP). The webinar focused on how biotechnology can be used to curb the detrimental effects of micro-organisms in the Agricultural production sector. Dr Kgatle, a plant pathologist based at

Africa has highest global death rate among critically ill COVID-19 patients – UP experts part of landmark study

31st May 2021

Mortality in critically ill patients with COVID-19 is higher in African countries than reported from studies done in Asia, Europe, North America and South America. This is according to the findings of a study that was conducted by a team of African researchers, including experts from the University of Pretoria (UP), and recently published in

Stress-Response Compound Widespread in Animals Is Found in Plants

31st May 2021

molecule made famous by its association with human heart disease and marine animals’ ability to survive high-pressure conditions turns out to be made by plants too, researchers report this week (May 19) in Science Advances. As it does in animals, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) helps plants cope with stressful conditions, according to the study. The authors

Exploring CAR T-cell therapy to treat breast cancer

31st May 2021

Peter Mac researchers are developing a potential new way to make CAR T-cell therapy more effective against breast cancer and other solid cancers. CAR T-cell therapy is a type of immunotherapy where a patient’s own immune cells are collected and reengineered, before being infused back into the patient to fight their cancer. But CAR T-cells also

“Rogue” Protein Could Contribute to Humans’ High Cancer Rates

23rd Apr 2021

Among a group of cell surface proteins known as sialic-acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectins (Siglecs), CD33-related Siglecs are found mainly on innate immune cells and are involved in cell signaling. One Siglec, however, appears to have “gone rogue” in humans, according to Ajit and Nissi Varki, a husband-and-wife team at the UC San Diego School of Medicine.

Science and need—not wealth or nationality—should guide vaccine allocation and prioritization

20th Apr 2021

Ensuring COVID-19 vaccine access for refugee and displaced populations, and addressing health inequities, is vital for an effective pandemic response. Yet, vaccine allocation and distribution has been neither equitable nor inclusive, despite that global leaders have stressed this as a critical aspect to globally overcoming the pandemic, according to a paper published by Columbia University

Building Local Capacity for the Next Agricultural Revolution

8th Apr 2021

The ACGT hosted a webinar for the plant phenomics community on the 4th of March 2021. The webinar was designed as a feedback session for the Wageningen University and Research (WUR) “Drones for Agriculture” online course, as well as to discuss the progress made on formation of the SA Phenomics Society and exploring collaborative funding

More precise diagnoses made possible with whole genome sequencing

17th Mar 2021

More than 1,200 people with rare diseases have received a diagnosis thanks to the integration of large-scale genomics into the Stockholm region’s healthcare system. This is according to a study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden that analyzed the result of the first five years of collaboration on whole genome sequencing between Karolinska University Hospital and

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