New Wits Chair in Precision Medicine & African Genomics to advance disease research in Africa
- Beth Amato, Wits Faculty of Health Sciences
Five-year appointment of Professor Zané Lombard will advance African-led genomics research, build clinical capacity, and train the next generation of scientists
The Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB) at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) is proud to announce that Professor Zané Lombard has been appointed as the inaugural Roche Research Chair for Precision Medicine and Genomics in Africa. The five-year grant is designed to accelerate African-led genomics research, strengthen clinical translation, and build the scientific capacity needed to make precision medicine a practical reality on the continent.
Despite the exceptionally high levels of genetic diversity on the continent, populations and families in Africa remain significantly understudied. Precision medicine, which uses an individual’s genomic, environmental, and lifestyle information to guide healthcare decisions, is well established in developed countries but is often assumed too complex and expensive for African settings.
In her new role, Lombard will introduce a critical translational layer to SBIMB’s existing genomics research environment, which already spans population-level research, including longitudinal African population cohorts, as well as cancer genomics and pharmacogenomics. The strengths of the SBIMB lie in data-driven research and the development of bioinformatics approaches to study complex diseases in African populations. She will also develop paediatric cohorts for long-term follow-up, thereby creating a valuable resource for studying disease across the life course.
"I am absolutely thrilled and deeply honoured to take on this role, as the possibilities for advancing African genomic research have never been greater," said Professor Lombard. "Instead of playing catch-up or relying on imported precision healthcare models, we can innovate with our own resources. Sometimes, a simple intervention is all it takes to make a profound impact. Rather than striving for perfection, our focus must be on taking these practical tools and embedding them into our existing healthcare systems."
Understanding the genetic underpinnings of diseases is critical to improving diagnosis, guiding treatment decisions, and enabling more precise and equitable care, particularly for rare and complex conditions. Many rare developmental disorders have a genetic origin, and in some clinical cohorts where researchers investigate the entire genome, a genetic cause is identified in up to 80% of cases.
Developmental disorders comprise a wide range of conditions. Although most individual developmental disorders are rare, collectively, it is estimated that there are over 300 million individuals affected with a developmental disorder worldwide.
However, the majority of children in Africa remain undiagnosed due to limited access to genomic testing and representative data, causing widespread delays in treatment.
By identifying the genetic cause of disease early in life – a critical window for intervention that can lead to more positive outcomes – clinicians can guide treatment more precisely, reduce unnecessary interventions, and support families who are often left feeling confused and overwhelmed.
Lombard’s new role builds on years of leadership in the Deciphering Developmental Disorders (DDD) Africa project. This project has demonstrated that sequencing the full coding regions of genomes of affected individuals reveals the underlying cause of developmental delay in about 40% of children, in line with the detection rates in countries where precision medicine is widely practiced – highlighting how genomic sequencing is both feasible and effective in public healthcare settings.
Lombard is also passionate about supporting African genomics, as evidenced by her role as chair of the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) Consortium steering group, leveraging the Consortium’s resources and networks across the continent. She is also a group leader in the newly formed African Bioinformatics Institute. The Roche Research Chair will provide critical support to expand this work and train the next generation of genomic scientists.
“Over the past decade, African genomics initiatives have established large datasets, research networks, and analytical tools. Now, the challenge is to embed these advances into healthcare systems, which Professor Lombard is starting to build. We need to make precision medicine a reality and accessible to communities here in Africa,” explains Professor Michele Ramsay, Director of the SBIMB.
“We commend Wits for selecting Professor Lombard, an accomplished leader in African genomics,” said Lisa Rooney Slater, Head of the Roche African Genomics Program. “Her work will be instrumental in advancing our understanding of genetic diversity and strengthening the role of genomics in improving diagnosis and care across the continent.”
“Africa’s genomic diversity is essential to advancing precision medicine worldwide. Building research capacity here strengthens healthcare locally while improving the quality of science globally,” added Ramsay.