From December 02 to 03, 2024, Grand-Bassam, Côte d'Ivoire, hosted the 3rd annual meeting of the African BioImaging Consortium (ABIC). Organized with the support of CSRS, this annual meeting established a crucial platform for scientific collaboration and the definition of a Strategic Vision for Bio-Imaging research on the African continent.

A Continent united by scientific purpose

The conference brought together 43 delegates from nine African countries, highlighting the continent's diverse scientific talent. Financial support for participants enabled 17 researchers from Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, Cameroon, Algeria, Nigeria, France, Uganda and Ghana to attend.

Networking and collaborative initiatives

The meeting brought together partner programs and networks :

1. West African Microscopy and BioImage Analysis Network (WAMBIAN)
2. African Spectral Imaging Network (AFSIN)
3. South African BioImaging (SABI)
4. France BioImaging

The opening session saw the active participation of Prof. Inza KONÉ (Director General of CSRS), Prof. William YAVO (Director General of INSP) and Vice-Presidents Profs. ZOUEU and KARAMOKO of the Universities of Man Polytechnique and Nangui Abrogoua. Global BioImaging and Latin America BioImaging, as well as sponsors and partners, also participated in a hybrid format. The event thus benefited from the presence of institutional figures and key international players in Microscopy and Bio-Imaging.

Day 1: Education and training, an essential priority

The first day of the conference focused on Training and Education in Bio-Imaging. Through its Training and Education working group, ABIC presented its innovative programs, complemented by initiatives from Nigeria's BioRTC center. Interactive discussions focused on the sustainability of training programs to build research capacity in Microscopy and Bio-Imaging in Africa. The day concluded with a poster session illustrating the vitality of research in these fields in African scientific institutions.

Day 2: Infrastructure and vision

The second day of the meeting addressed the challenges and opportunities of Bio-Imaging in Africa. The morning was devoted to research infrastructures, with a presentation of the PEER program by the Africa Microscopy Initiative (AMI) and the results of an ABIC survey on infrastructures. A panel of international experts discussed strategies for infrastructure and human capacity development. In the afternoon, group discussions and a panel focused on a coherent Vision for Microscopy and Bio-Imaging in Africa, with the participation of experts from various organizations (WAMBIAN, ABIC, BioRTC, Côte d'Ivoire, France BioImaging, Latin America BioImaging). Discussions focused on community, communication, trust and a vision of the future.

Scientific community celebration

A convivial dinner on the beach brought the 3rd ABIC Annual Community Meeting to a close, symbolizing the fraternity of the African Microscopy and Bio-Imaging scientific community. The event underlined the key role of the African BioImaging Consortium (ABIC): ABIC not only builds scientific capacity, it creates a unified community and a collaborative Vision for the future of Microscopy and Bio-Imaging on the continent.

On the road to scientific discovery and excellence!

Aimé Sanhoun/Microbiologist