What is the role of the African Society of Human Genetics?
The African Society of Human Genetics (AfSHG) has played an essential organizing role that led to the development of H3Africa. AfSHG is a professional society of genetic researchers and health care providers across the continent and it serves as a convener for meetings to organize the genetic research community. In 2007 and 2009, AfSHG organized two meetings, in Egypt and Cameroon, to advance the idea of a project that evolved into H3Africa. Charles N. Rotimi, Ph.D., M.P.H., director of the Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health at the National Human Genome Research Institute, will provide scientific leadership for the NIH’s portion of the partnership. Dr. Rotimi, born in Nigeria, is also president of the African Society for Human Genetics, which helped organize two working groups that will help guide the initiative. The two working groups include: the Communicable Disease Working Group, led by Prof. Sekou F. Traore, Ph.D., from the University of Mali’s Malaria Research and
