Lagos — Artificial Intelligence (AI) and traditional medicine may seem like strange bedfellows but African researchers are harnessing both to advance drug discovery on the continent. Fidele Ntie-Kang, an associate professor of pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of Buea, Cameroon, is spearheading attempts to develop new medicines from Africa's abundant natural biodiversity, using AI to screen hundreds of natural compounds. In this interview with SciDev.
Net, he discusses the constraints of carrying out research in Africa and how his team of researchers are overcoming these in efforts to find home-grown solutions to globally neglected diseases. "By tapping into our own natural and human resources and applying new technologies like AI, we can develop homegrown solutions to our healthcare challenges." Dr.
Fidele Ntie-Kang, Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Buea, Cameroon. Can you tell us how you became involved in drug discovery? Growing up in Cameroon, I frequently suffered from malaria and I vividly remember my father rushing to get antimalarial drugs like Fansidar. As I pursued my studies in chemistry, my interest in natural medicines--sparked by a high school experience with a doctor who taught us about the medicinal plants around our campus--grew into a passion for identifying less toxic treatments derived from Africa's own natural resources.
How significant are natural medicinal plants in Africa? Traditional medicines play a cruci.