The Crick African Network symposium titled the 'Basic Science of Infectious Diseases in Africa' took place at Spier Hotel and Conference Centre outside Stellenbosch (26-28 January 2018) and brought together scientists and experts in infectious diseases from the Francis Crick Institute London, University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University.
The 3-day event kicked off with a one-day symposium which involved presentations by scientific leaders in the field, as well as representatives from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth office, and Science and Technology Platform (STP) leaders at the Crick Institute. Breakaway groups additionally discussed major challenges in science in Africa, and discussions were continued during a 'TB under the Microscope' exhibition.
The afternoon sessions focused on advanced imaging technologies that are being used to understand infectious diseases.The CAF microscopy units at Stellenbosch University were invited to present, with talks titled 'Electron Microscopy under the oaks: High resolution analytical imaging at Stellenbosch University'(Prof. Lydia-Marie Joubert, Electron Microscopy Unit) and Confocal Microscopy techniques at Stellenbosch: Illuminating the microscopic world of infectious diseases' (Ms Lize Engelbrecht, Fluorescence Microscopy Unit).
Joubert highlighted the history of Electron Microscopy at Stellenbosch University since the seventies, and emphasized the exciting resurgence and recent revolution in electron microscopy which involves technological, molecular and computational advances. Cutting edge equipment enabling ultra-high resolution and Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy (CLEM), is now also available at the CAF EM Unit at SU, and published data as well as work in progress were presented. A major focus of the EM Unit at SU is currently to develop Biological Electron Microscopy and also expand into the Medical School at Tygerberg, where the research questions of infectious diseases will be better supported. Plans for future development, also moving into 3D Electron Microscopy by applying techniques of Array Tomography and Serial Block-Face SEM, were illustrated with recent exploratory results.
Engelbrecht presented a broad overview of all the techniques that can be implemented on the LSM780 ELYRA PS1 confocal microscope housed in the Fluorescence Microscopy unit. These techniques range from general routine applications including wide-field fluorescence microscopy, live-cell imaging and multicolour confocal microscopy, both in 2D and 3D, but also more advanced techniques such as super-resolution microscopy, FRET and TIRF. The unit has been involved in several high-end publications in tuberculosis and malaria and many more are envisaged for the future. Especially new developments into correlative light and electron microscopy should have a big impact on the advancement of research in these fields.
Collaboration with the microscopy group at Crick Institute was established, and feedback from presenters and attendees was inspiring and supportive.
Lize Engelbrecht and prof Lydia-Marie Joubert.
Good collaborations were established at the symposium.
