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Mentorship Stories

Oct 25, 2023By Future African Scientist

Spark-Mox Mosquito Repellent Cream: A Beacon of Innovation from Uganda's Young Scientists

As the African continent continues to grapple with the persistent threat of mosquito-borne diseases like malaria, a team of young scientists has developed a natural mosquito-repellent cream.

Bridging Continents: Young African Scientists Meet with St. Louis Experts

mentorship

Mar 09, 2024By Future African Scientist

Bridging Continents: Young African Scientists Meet with St. Louis Experts

In an inspiring virtual event, over 30 budding scientists from eight African countries came together with a team of more than 20 scientists from St. Louis, Missouri.

From the Lab to the Real System: Emmanuel Okello at the FAS Biocamp

entrepreneurship

Jun 09, 2026By Future African Scientist

From the Lab to the Real System: Emmanuel Okello at the FAS Biocamp

At the 2026 FAS Biocamp, veterinary scientist Emmanuel Okello taught the cohort to see antimicrobial resistance as a systems failure, and to design diagnostics and ventures that fit the real world, not the ideal lab.

From Scientist to Founder: Ten Lectures with Harvey Lodish

entrepreneurship

Jun 26, 2026By Future African Scientist

From Scientist to Founder: Ten Lectures with Harvey Lodish

Across ten lectures at the 2026 FAS Biocamp, Harvey Lodish, lead author of Molecular Cell Biology, showed the cohort the whole arc of modern biotechnology, and how a discovery becomes a medicine.

Rebuilding Nature’s Chemistry: Jing-Ke Weng at the FAS Biocamp

entrepreneurship

Jun 25, 2026By Future African Scientist

Rebuilding Nature’s Chemistry: Jing-Ke Weng at the FAS Biocamp

Jing-Ke Weng rebuilds the chemistry that plants invent. At the 2026 FAS Biocamp he showed the cohort how to turn Africa’s plant biodiversity into therapeutics: you do not have to find the plant, you can build the pathway.

Eight Lessons from Forty+ Years of Making Mistakes

entrepreneurship

Jun 25, 2026By Future African Scientist

Eight Lessons from Forty+ Years of Making Mistakes

Joshua Boger founded Vertex Pharmaceuticals and led it for over twenty years. At the 2026 FAS Biocamp he taught the cohort a harder lesson than success: failure is data, and the mission comes first.

From Discovery to Defensible Venture: Jurgen Figys at the FAS Biocamp

entrepreneurship

Jun 23, 2026By Future African Scientist

From Discovery to Defensible Venture: Jurgen Figys at the FAS Biocamp

At the 2026 FAS Biocamp, IP and life sciences lawyer Jurgen Figys taught the cohort to treat intellectual property as commercial strategy, protecting a discovery early so it can grow into a venture that stays home.

From Scientist to Founder: Luis Barros at the FAS Biocamp

entrepreneurship

Jun 22, 2026By Future African Scientist

From Scientist to Founder: Luis Barros at the FAS Biocamp

At the 2026 FAS Biocamp, Luis Barros, who has spent 25 years getting science to market across 45 countries, showed the cohort why scarcity is not the enemy of a venture. It is the design.

From Scientist to Founder: Sebie Salim at the FAS Biocamp

biotechnology

Jun 05, 2026By Future African Scientist

From Scientist to Founder: Sebie Salim at the FAS Biocamp

At the 2026 FAS Biocamp, Eclectics International's Sebie Salim walked Africa's scientist-founders from an idea to a profitable venture, with one rule: earn revenue, don't just raise it.

From Scientist to Founder: Suman Lal at the FAS Biocamp

biotechnology

Jun 22, 2026By Future African Scientist

From Scientist to Founder: Suman Lal at the FAS Biocamp

At the 2026 FAS Biocamp, Suman Lal, who builds companies out of deep science for a living, showed the cohort how research becomes a venture, and why the customer conversation cannot wait.