ROF ETRO TER LANCHE

Managing director of Afrigen Biologics & Vaccines

frica could start producing its own cutting-edge Covid- vaccines within a year via an mr A technology transfer hub that is being set up in South Africa. The hub consists of South African companies Afrigen Biologics accines and Biovac, a network of universities, and the Africa Centre for isease Control.

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WKH OHDGHUVKLS RI 3URIHVVRU 3HWUR 7HUEODQFKH DV LWV PDQDJLQJ director, Afrigen Biologics is poised to share knowledge and transfer technology across the continent, ensuring that Africa reaches vaccine security. The organisation’s ground-breaking journey began with the construction of its state-ofthe art laboratory facilities in Cape Town, during the hard lockdown. 7KLV PDUNHG D VHULHV RI ˋUVWV IRU WKH Afrigen Biologics team, whose notable DFKLHYHPHQWV LQFOXGH EHLQJ WKH ˋUVW WR transfer technology for the production of the TB vaccine to South Africa and breakthroughs around trials done on therapies for immune responses, as well as also vaccines for veterinary and human use here in South Africa. “Scientists from the company found themselves with no access to laboratories during the hard lockdown. At the time, we had been preparing to ODXQFK RXU ˋUVW SURGXFW DQG KDG WR VHHN an alternative site in order to continue with our important research. ur shareholders realised that unless they supplied us with the resources to build our own facility we would run the risk of not meeting the goals and objectives of the company,” she e plains.

With her focus set on guiding her team to achieve its goals, Terblanche maintains that Covid- was a golden opportunity for the South African science and innovation community and catapulted local scientists to the global stage.

She says that despite incredible JDLQV E\ WKH 6RXWK $IULFDQ VFLHQWLˋF community from Covid- research — which include the discovery of the ˋUVW YDULDQW Ƞ WKHVH DFKLHYHPHQWV DUH not celebrated at home nor given the accolades they deserve and, instead, work takes place in silos.

“In the last months there were many remarkable discoveries by South African scientists. There were also eight to nine papers authored by South African scientists in the last si months. With all these published papers, we have made huge strides WR JHW JOREDO UHFRJQLWLRQ

espite having an illustrious career as a scientist — which includes occupying leadership positions at the South African Medical Research Council and the South African uclear Energy Corporation — Terblanche relishes the role of nurturing her team of diverse scientists and bringing out the best in them.

“I’m not a scientist anymore, but I understand the heart and the mind of the scientist, how they think, how they make decisions and what they need to be motivated to contribute and change the world.”