Genomics in Africa

Professor Segun Fatumo

Professor Segun Fatumo is a globally recognized genomic epidemiologist and statistical geneticist. He is the Professor and Chair of Genomic Diversity at Queen Mary University of London and the Head of Non-Communicable Disease Genomics at the MRC/UVRI and LSHTM Uganda Research Unit. Professor Fatumo leads ambitious cross-continental research programs focused on making precision medicine accessible to all, with a particular emphasis on African populations.

His research aims to address the historical underrepresentation of African populations in genetic studies. For over two decades, he has worked to dismantle this imbalance through genome-wide association studies, multi-omics integration, polygenic risk score development, Mendelian randomization, and advanced computational genomics. His work focuses on uncovering the genetic determinants of non-communicable diseases in African and other underrepresented populations, with deep expertise in chronic kidney disease and cardiometabolic traits.

Professor Fatumo holds a PhD in bioinformatics and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Georgia, the University of Cambridge, and the Wellcome Sanger Institute. This training provided him with expertise in computational biology and large-scale population genomic epidemiology.

He is the Principal Investigator and director of KidneyGenAfrica, a pan-African partnership focused on genomics research and training for kidney disease. He also leads BCX-Africa, investigating blood cell trait genomics in African populations, and co-leads the Nigerian 100K Genome Project, aiming to map the genetic roots of non-communicable diseases in Nigeria. Professor Fatumo has secured substantial research grants from leading agencies, including the MRC, NIH, and Wellcome Trust. His research programs have established durable infrastructure, training pipelines, and scientific communities across Africa.

Capacity building is central to Professor Fatumo’s agenda. He has been instrumental in establishing genomic research infrastructure in Africa, creating career pathways for early-career scientists, and fostering a culture of African scientific ownership. He is actively shaping the next generation of African genomic scientists through direct investment in their training.

As a respected global science ambassador, Professor Fatumo has brought African genomics to international audiences through features in prominent media outlets and keynote lectures at leading scientific conferences. He serves as an editor for leading journals and sits on the Scientific Advisory Boards of Genomics England, the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, the GWAS Catalog, and GEN-Impact, providing strategic guidance on population diversity, data ethics, and the global implementation of genomic medicine.

Professor Fatumo is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and teaches across postgraduate programs in the UK and Africa. He supervises PhD researchers on both continents and leads genomic analysis workshops.

His contributions have earned him significant recognition, including a Fellowship of the African Academy of Sciences and the MRC Impact Prize. Professor Fatumo co-edits this volume and co-authors two chapters.

Dr. Tinashe Chikowore

Dr. Tinashe Chikowore is an investigator in the Channing Division of Network Medicine and the Division of Genetics at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and an Instructor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. His work focuses on bridging the gap in health equity for African populations within genomic research.

Dr. Chikowore holds a PhD in nutrition with a specialization in nutrigenetics. His initial interest in scientific inquiry was sparked during his undergraduate studies at the University of Zimbabwe, inspired by lecturers in nutritional epidemiology. Driven by a desire to address health vulnerabilities observed in humanitarian relief work, he pursued advanced training, including a Wellcome Trust International Training Fellowship. His doctoral and postdoctoral studies involved extensive training in laboratory techniques, statistics, and complex genetic concepts, largely within the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) consortium.

Dr. Chikowore’s research is at the forefront of precision medicine for underrepresented African populations. He investigates the complex interplay of genetics, multi-omic profiles, diet, and environmental exposures in understanding the risk of cardiometabolic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension.

His work integrates genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, employing advanced machine learning and data-driven approaches. He studies the effects of lifestyle factors, including socioeconomic status, sleep, exercise, and diet, on disease risk. A key component of his research is evaluating the transferability of polygenic risk scores (PRS) across diverse African regions, highlighting the limitations of disease prediction due to the lack of diversity in global genomic data.

Dr. Chikowore’s research utilizes expansive datasets from the H3Africa consortium, identifying population-enriched, clinically significant genetic variants. His work consistently demonstrates that increasing African representation in genomic research is crucial for global scientific advancement, leading to improved diagnostic tools and more effective drug design for all populations.

He is a recipient of the Charles Epstein Excellence in Human Genetics Award from the American Society of Human Genetics. His pioneering work on the transferability of genetic risk scores and the development of PRS for type 2 diabetes in African populations has been published in high-impact journals, including Nature Medicine and Diabetes Care.

Dr. Chikowore is supported by competitive funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA), including an ADA Accelerator Award.

Beyond his research, Dr. Chikowore is dedicated to strengthening genomic research infrastructure in Africa. He chairs the H3Africa Cardiovascular Working Group and serves on the executive steering committees of H3Africa and the Data Science for Health Discovery and Innovation in Africa (DSI-Africa) initiative, fostering international collaborations and enhancing data science capacity on the continent.

Dr. Chikowore is committed to mentorship, guiding underrepresented postdoctoral fellows and PhD students. He also contributes to global scientific education through international courses and serves as an ad hoc reviewer for major funding agencies and a topical review editor for Frontiers in Genetics. Through his multifaceted roles, Dr. Chikowore advocates for a more inclusive scientific landscape, ensuring Africa’s genetic diversity is fully harnessed for global health.

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