Supporting structural biologists in Africa requires resources and capacity building

Abstract

Structural biology beats at the heart of modern science. It reveals the molecular mechanisms underlying disease processes, facilitating drug and vaccine development, and improving existing therapies. Beyond healthcare, it has an important role in agriculture, biotechnology, food safety and environmental sustainability. Therefore, structural biology is integral to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including good health and well-being (SDG 3), zero hunger (SDG 2) and clean water and sanitation (SDG 6). The recent awarding of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry jointly to Demis Hassabis and John Jumper of Google DeepMind, for their pioneering work on protein structure prediction and the development of AlphaFold, and to David Baker, for his groundbreaking contributions to protein design, reveal how central structural biology is to scientific progress.

Structural biology is particularly important in Africa, since the continent faces significant health challenges, including neglected diseases, a high burden of infectious diseases, droughts and lack of clean water. By understanding the mechanisms of action of drug targets such as the malaria parasite sugar transporter protein, researchers can create more effective therapies^1,2. Similarly, structural studies of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis enzyme have paved the way for new treatments against drug-resistant strains. Structures of the chloroquine resistance transporter protein in the malaria parasite have helped researchers understand how the parasite develops resistance to chloroquine. This breakthrough will enable the development of methods to restore the effectiveness of chloroquine in treating malaria³. Structural biology aids in vaccine design, as seen in the COVID-19 response⁴. Outside healthcare, structural biology techniques have helped address agricultural issues, such as disease-resistant crops⁵, environmental sustainability⁶ and plastics degradation for environmental remediation⁶.