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Collaboration and continuous learning are at the heart of advancing genomics in Africa – and the return of Dr Armando Djiyou to KRISP reflects just that.

text and photo: Paul Harris

As part of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Early Career Research Fellowship, Dr Djiyou has rejoined the KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP) for a six-month placement, where he will further develop his expertise in infectious disease genomics.

His research focuses on a critical and often overlooked challenge in HIV care: detecting drug resistance in patients with low-level viraemia. By optimising in-house methods to better characterise HIV drug resistance mutations, his work aims to support earlier intervention and improve patient outcomes – particularly in settings where treatment options may be limited.

For Dr Djiyou, the fellowship is both a professional and personal milestone.

“It’s a privilege to be back at KRISP, building on previous collaborations and learning from a team with such deep expertise. This opportunity allows me to strengthen my genomics skills while contributing to research that has real implications for HIV care across Africa.”

Working closely with mentors including Dr Jennifer Giandhari and Dr Richard Lessells, and supported by a broader network of collaborators, his placement highlights the importance of investing in early-career scientists.

Programmes like this not only build individual capacity – they strengthen the collective ability to respond to some of the continent’s most pressing health challenges.

News date: 2026-05-13

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