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Antifungals used in traditional medicine 

Université de Dschang
Department of Biochemistry
Cameroon
Research faculty in the Department of Biochemistry
Research faculty in the Department of Biochemistry
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About the department

The Université de Dschang is one of eight public universities in Cameroon. The Department of Biochemistry offers undergraduate and graduate programs in Biochemistry and also offers foundational courses for students from other departments. With around 2,000 students enrolled in Biochemistry and 10,000 in the Faculty of Science, the Department has an expansive teaching burden.

Impact on development

The department is supporting a more efficient agricultural economy by combatting sleeping sickness in livestock. They are isolating and identifying subspecies of parasites to prevent infection.

Meet the Awardee

Jules-Roger Kuiate
“The students I teach are generally hardworking, committed, and very much interested in their studies. They are open-minded, full of curiosity, and friendly to new technologies. However, given the shortcomings within the context of their learning environment, they are unable to fully explore their intellectual and creative abilities.”
Dr. Jules-Roger Kuiate
Université de Dschang

About the institution

Location: 

Cameroon

Year established: 

2000

Number of faculty: 

22

Number of students impacted annually: 

2,000 undergraduate, 96 graduate

Why Seeding Labs?

With large and growing student numbers, the Department of Biochemistry needs equipment for practical teaching as well as faculty and graduate student research.

Did you know?

The department has consulted for quality and safety with Cameroonian cosmetic companies.

Setting new expectations in Cameroon
Dr. Jules-Roger Kuiate’s department at the Université de Dschang in Cameroon educates 2,000 students each year. He and his colleagues in the Department of Biochemistry are also tasked with a robust research agenda focused on African sleeping sickness and antimicrobial drug discovery.
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Paul is responsible for individual outreach to increase philanthropic support for Seeding Labs. He is an experienced fundraising professional with broad knowledge and understanding of resource development and advancement in major research universities and public trusts. 

In previous roles at The University of Massachusetts, MIT, Harvard University, and the Pew Charitable Trusts, Paul cultivated relationships within the philanthropic community, garnering support for programs and priorities spanning nuclear engineering, global health, climate science/energy, and demographic and survey research.

Paul’s educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is active in his alma mater, serving on the Department of Political Science Advisory Board, and was a former board member of the UMass Alumni Association. 

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Kaitlyn is a fifth-year student at Boston University pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a Masters degree in Biotechnology. She plans to graduate with both degrees in May 2025.

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Her prior work experience includes consulting for the World Bank, working on Water Security Assessments for Peru and Central America, and improving access to safe water in rural Ecuadorian communities with the nonprofit WaterStep.

Micalea holds a BA from Saint Michael’s College and completed her Master’s degree in Climate Change and Global Sustainability from SIT Graduate Institute, where she studied global science issues alongside scientists, stakeholders, and community members in Iceland, Tanzania, and Ecuador.

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Chiudo earned a BS in pure and industrial chemistry from the University of Nigeria and a Master’s of Science in environmental technology and management from the University of Port Harcourt in Nigeria.

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Melissa is the CEO and a co-founder of Seeding Labs. She began as a volunteer leader of the Harvard Medical School student group; later, as a founding board member, she supported its transition to a nonprofit organization. In 2014, she joined the staff of Seeding Labs, leading the USAID-sponsored $3M scale-up of the Instrumental Access program. In 2019, Melissa became CEO, committed to increasing capacity for developing countries to use science. 

Operating with a deep belief in the power of science to transform lives, Melissa has dedicated her career to creating scientific research opportunities for historically underrepresented and excluded communities. In addition to roles at Harvard and the BioBuilder Educational Foundation, Melissa has mentored many students in the sciences through programs at the Journal of Emerging Investigators, Harvard University, Boston Children’s Hospital, and MIT.

Melissa earned a PhD in Cellular and Developmental Biology from Harvard University and holds an SB in Biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.