Seeding Labs Welcomes Summer Fellows from Kenya for Advanced Scientific Lab Training

July 23, 2012 - PRLog -- Seeding Labs, a non-profit organization that empowers scientists in developing countries to conduct life-changing research, today announced the beginning of its summer 2012 training session in the United States. Seeding Labs selected six applicants for its Fellowship program to gain scientific lab training, collaborate with other experts in their fields, and receive advanced lab equipment to support their important research initiatives.

The six new Seeding Labs Fellows are all post-doc researchers and lecturers at universities in Kenya. Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR) is providing the Fellows with hands-on lab training, and Seeding Labs is providing them with support such as workshops on grant writing and related topics. The training program is designed to build the Fellows’ skills and enable them to optimize the lab equipment that Seeding Labs has provided to the Fellows’ university-based research facilities during the past two years.

“I am excited to work with our summer 2012 Seeding Labs Fellows and am energized by their enthusiasm and dedication toward their research, and their focus on enhancing their skills during the training program,” said Dr. Nina Dudnik, founder and chief executive officer, Seeding Labs. “I would also like to thank Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research for continuing to play an important role in helping scientists in developing countries advance important research and foster innovation.”

In addition to its relationship with NIBR, Seeding Labs has partnered with Thermo Fisher Scientific, Northeastern University, Boston University, Harvard University and Waters Corp. provide training and enrichment to the Fellows.  

The six 2012 Seeding Labs Fellows are assistant professors from Kenyatta University and the University of Nairobi in Kenya. They are conducting research that includes:
•   Identifying and developing new drugs against malaria
•   Investigating the use of native Kenyan plants in disease prevention
•   Developing new insecticides to reduce the impact of livestock diseases
•   Developing food formulations for vulnerable groups and researching the use of nutrition in the management of illnesses including HIV, AIDS and cancer
•   Overcoming constraints of food production includes genetic engineering to enhance drought tolerance in tropical crops

About Seeding Labs
Seeding Labs is a 501c3 non-profit organization that empowers talented scientists in developing countries to conduct life-changing research. We are the only organization focused solely on providing scientific researchers with lab equipment, training and the opportunity to collaborate with other experts in their field. We have worked with corporate and academic partners including Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR), Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Harvard University to provide more than $1.3 million in equipment to university and research institutions in 16 countries. Through our “training the trainers” approach we have enhanced the education of more than 4,000 individuals in lab and other scientific settings globally. Recognition of Seeding Labs founder and CEO Nina Dudnik, PhD, includes being named a TED Fellow and Echoing Green Fellow, and receiving awards for innovation from publications spanning the Boston Business Journal and ELLE Magazine. Seeding Labs is headquartered in Boston’s Innovation District and online at www.seedinglabs.org.

Key links:
NPR profile of Seeding Labs 2011 Fellows program: http://www.npr.org/2011/10/26/141666558/used-lab-equipmen...