We've Got Mail!
Think back to the last time you received a postcard in the mail.
Not long after Seeding Labs’ debut on NPR’s “All Things Considered” on October 26, we began to receive an outpour of encouraging postcards from individuals across the US. This unique and personal form of appreciation from well-wishers had us anxiously waiting the mail delivery each day.
Each postcard, endorsed with only a first name of the sender and stamped with “Postcard Underground”, adds to the intriguing concept of this supportive group of people. Hearing from this elusive and mysterious group of supporters energizes all of us at Seeding Labs to achieve our mission of helping talented scientists in the developing world to do life-changing research.
An endless amount of thanks and appreciation to our anonymous supporters and believers of Seeding Labs! It is your encouragement and support that makes our worldwide efforts worth all of the hard work.
To read about/listen to Seeding Labs’ story on NPR, click on the following link:http://www.npr.org/2011/10/26/141666558/used-lab-equipment-finds-a-second-home-overseas
the 10th Seeding Labs Fellow
Congratulations to Dr. Almoustapha Maiga for the addition to his family!
SEEDING LABS FELLOW RECEIVES LAPTOP FROM EQUIPNET
Donated Laptop Given to Rita Dickson, Seeding Labs Fellow,
After Being Stolen During Travel
BOSTON, MA (AUGUST 5, 2011) – Rita Dickson had just begun the long journey to spend nine weeks in the U.S. as part of the Seeding Labs Fellows Program when her laptop was stolen while en route from Ghana to Boston, Massachusetts. Having lost access to files containing research data, information, and software, she anxiously awaited arriving in a city known for its leading laboratories and research facilities.
The Seeding Labs Fellows program brings qualified scientists from the developing world to the United States to conduct life-changing research. Equipment and other materials are necessary to carry out effective research, to track data, and to communicate with colleagues. Without access to a laptop, Rita faced a series of challenges such as the inability to download software essential to her research and the difficulty of continuing her work once back in Ghana. She expressed unsettling concerns regarding her stolen laptop, explaining the difficulty to “begin the academic year without access to equipment necessary for teaching and research.”
Upon receiving news about Rita’s situation, EquipNet, a leading provider of asset management services and solutions, recognized the difficulty of performing research without having the proper materials. In direct response, EquipNet immediately donated a laptop to Rita, which enabled her to continue her research here in Boston. During the Seeding Labs “Science and Development in Africa” Symposium last Thursday, Matt Smith of EquipNet presented the laptop to Fellow researcher, Ibok Oduro, on Rita’s behalf. At the event, he and colleague Dennis Higgins reiterated that they were happy to donate the laptop and react to the request so promptly. Rita expressed immense appreciation, saying she is “extremely grateful to Matt Smith and EquipNet for this kind gesture.” Now Rita may return to Ghana and continue her extensive researching using the equipment provided by a local, philanthropic provider.
About EquipNet
EquipNet Inc. is the world’s leading provider of proactive asset management services and solutions for large and small corporations in the pharmaceutical, biotech, chemical, and consumer packaged goods industries. Our vision is to “revolutionize the way companies manage their surplus assets” through long-term partnerships. Our success derives from having passionate employees and a creative work environment dedicated to providing solutions and services satisfying to our customers.
About Seeding Labs
Seeding Labs is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting scientific research all over the globe. Our vision is to promote a truly global scientific community by helping scientists in the developing world conduct life-changing research by providing them with the resources they need but don’t have access to, including lab equipment and professional training. Through our programs, scientists and post-docs are able to cross borders and collaborate with key influencers in their fields and acquire new skills needed to be scientific leaders. Since 2003, Seeding Labs has rescued over 75,000 pounds and $1 million in equipment, has provided hands-on scientific education to over 4,000 students in 17 countries, and has witnessed 125 articles, 1 patent, and 1 medical diagnostic being developed by labs in partnership with Seeing Labs.
Contact Information
Nina Dudnik
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Seeding Labs
281 Summer St. 5th Fl
Boston MA, 02210
Bassirou Diarra's view of the Future of Biomedical Research in Africa
The end of an era which ushered in the first independence from its colonial masters also signaled the gradual beginning of biomedical and indeed other research in many resource-limited settings in Africa. Several reasons accounted for research institutions springing up in the Africa region. Of particular interest was the fact that the region is home to a number of tropical diseases, with often an overwhelmed health care system. Although there are varieties of infectious diseases as well as other health-related problems, these problems constitute an excellent source for research and offer competitive advantage for creative solutions. For instance, it was and still is easier to choose a topic to pursue, and with careful planning access to study participants is not difficult. Therefore the environment has been conducive to ‘fish’ for a coherent story about a chosen topic and in so doing broaden one’s knowledge of the causes and modes of transmission of many diseases. It is worthy of mention too that, the opportunity is created to attract collaborators as well as identify groups that share one’s interest or who perform activities that are useful for research in Africa. Judging first by improvement in quality of life and secondly by the numerous reports that are continually generated from the various investigations in the region, it is fair to say that early and current research in this region has been very successful. What does this mean to the future of research in the region? Though there are still difficulties, many laboratories, clinical trials sites and advanced equipment for performing cutting edge research, as well as funding from a variety of sources are pouring into the region. With strong commitment, local funding is also made available to help the youth build a career in science. To sustain rather than weaken the enthusiasm there is a need to collectively seek alternative creative approaches to solving some of the rudimentary problems (power cuts, slow internet service, minimal or lack of resources for maintaining equipment) that face research in Africa.
Dr. Christian Agyare - addressing onchocerciasis and leishmaniasis in Ghana
Dr. Christian Agyare
I have always liked science and research since my high school days because of the fascinating and interesting nature of science. And hence becoming a fellow will enhance my scientific skills, experience, knowledge and opportunity to achieve my aims in research and teaching and also assist me to contribute my quota in the search for bioactive compounds from natural products especially medicinal plants since about 70-80% of the people in Africa and other developing countries depend on medicinal plants and/or traditional herbal practitioners for their health needs.
I want to be a Fellow so that I can participate in laboratory training and non-laboratory based workshops with staff from Seeding Labs, Novartis and other research institutions in the Boston area. This fellowship will also give me the opportunity to take part in the intensive project development and grant-writing work, presentations, data analysis, lab safety and teaching programs in the fellowship. I will also have the opportunity to interact with other scientists from other sister universities and research institutions from both developed and developing countries and attend scientific seminars and science-related workshops. I believe the knowledge, skills and experience that would be gained in the course of this fellowship would be put at the disposal of or imparted to both graduate and undergraduate students of Pharmacy and Herbal Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana through practical demonstrations, laboratory works, supervision of research work and mentorship.
I will impart the skills and experience that will be acquired through the fellowship to both graduates and undergraduates through my supervision and mentorship so that these graduates will be more marketable, innovative and research-oriented persons and also contribute to the development of Ghana and Africa in general.
With the limited facilities/equipment and absence of the state of art laboratories in my university, I can link up and connect to other scientists/researchers for possible collaborations on research areas/topic through this fellowship. This sort of collaboration, partnership and networking of scientists in Africa and those from the developed countries will go a long way to facilitate research and subsequent human and physical development of Africa.
I do enjoy watching soccer and other sports and I also like visiting interesting places such as museums, historic places etc at my leisure times.
