Researchers at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa (Wits University) in collaboration with Huzhou University in China have discovered a way to protect quantum information from environmental disruptions, offering hope for more reliable future technologies.

Researchers from the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) have developed a reverse genetics system for African swine fever virus (ASFV). This new system will aid researchers in developing vaccines and in studying the pathogenesis and biology of ASFV, a highly contagious, deadly viral disease affecting domesticated and wild pigs, especially prevalent in Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. A recent study estimates if ASFV reached the United States it could result in economic losses exceeding $50 billion over a ten-year period.

Scientists from South Africa and China have successfully established the world’s longest intercontinental ultra-secure quantum satellite link, spanning 12,900 km. Using the Chinese quantum microsatellite Jinan-1, launched into low Earth orbit, this milestone marks the first-ever quantum satellite communication link established in the Southern Hemisphere.

A critically endangered new species of killifish sampled from an ancient forest in Kenya in 2017 and 2018 has been described in the journal Zootaxa. Nothobranchius sylvaticus, from the Latin meaning “pertaining to the forest”, is also the first known endemic killifish to persist in a forest.

A unique analysis of district-level data reveals why inequality is so destructive to the household consumption welfare of people living below the poverty line. During negative economic growth, the welfare of the poor should be the main focus area.

A team of international researchers affiliated to the Evolutionary Studies Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits University), in South Africa indicates in new research that a group of fossils belong to a single, young adult Paranthropus robustus. The fossil not only demonstrates that the species was, like modern humans, a habitual upright walker, but also confirms it was also extremely small. 

Masimirembwa, a Distinguished Professor at Wits University's Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB), received the award at a ceremony in California, USA, on 7 February.

The PMWC Pioneer Award recognises Masimirembwa’s groundbreaking work in pharmacogenomics, shedding light on how genetic differences influence drug responses across diverse populations. 

His contributions have advanced personalised medicine, paving the way for safer, more effective treatments tailored to individual genetic profiles.

Meanwhile, Masimirembwa was named one of the 100 Most Influential Africans by New African Magazine for his foundational work in genomic medicine on the continent. 

African livestock producers have a unique opportunity to improve the production of meat, milk and eggs through modern breeding technologies and innovations being tested in Africa, according to a recent study published in Nature Genetics. With the right support, these advancements can enhance not only productivity but also climate resilience and sustainability.

The paper, titled, Expanding the human gut microbiome atlas of Africa, was published today in Nature, the world’s leading scientific journal.

The gut microbiome has a significant impact on human health, and the lack of knowledge of the diversity of microbiomes in Africa has been a barrier to future health interventions and research. 

The study is a critical development in gut health research globally as much more can now be learned, particularly about diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and obesity, and their relationship to gut microbiota.