Merck Foundation Africa Research Summit – MARS 2022 will be held in Dubai with the aim to empower Women and Youth in Research.
Merck Foundation Africa Research Summit – MARS 2022 will have scientific support from African Union Scientific, Technical and Research Commission (AU-STRC), Infectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) Graduate School, Advanced Center for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), India and Merck Foundation.
The annual summit aims to contribute to building research capacity in the African research community, with special focus on “The Role of Scientific Research in responding to Cancer and Vaccines Development – Two emerging challenges in Africa”.
On other note the organizing committee will present the “Best Young African Researcher Award” and the “Best African Woman Researcher Award” to recognize the outstanding contribution of African Female Scientists with the aim to promote women in research and advance their contribution to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
The annual Summit –MARS will open a discussion with Ministries of Health, Education, Information, Science and Technology and Gender from across Africa to define policies with the aim to empower women and youth in STEM and to address the vital role of research in the improvement and sustainable development of population’s health with specific emphasis on how to translate knowledge into action – the ‘know-do gap’ – to improve health and make an impact on society.
The summit will be a unique opportunity for the winners of MARS research awards to share their research output and findings. It is also an opportunity for networking and career development. The Summit will provide a platform where they will be able to discuss and enable a conducive environment for better research during the ministerial panel that will be conducted on the 15th of November, 2022.