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Thumbi Ndung’u

Director for basic and translational science, Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI)
Professor Thumbi Ndung'u is an eminent HIV scientist who has made important contributions in the field of HIV vaccine and pathogenesis research. His research programme at AHRI is focussed on understanding how HIV and TB persist and replicate in the face of a hostile host immune system – with the goal of aiding the design of a safe, affordable and effective HIV-1 vaccine or effective immune-based therapies. Thumbi has a special interest in capacity building for biomedical research in Africa, primarily through the Sub-Saharan African Network for TB/HIV Research Excellence (SANTHE) programme, based at AHRI. He is a Max Planck Society Group Leader and holds a professorship at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

He is interested in understanding antiviral immune mechanisms and viral adaptation in HIV-1 subtype C infection as a pathway to vaccine development. His work has focussed on understudied populations and viral strains in resource-limited, high burden settings where knowledge of the role of antiviral immune responses, viral strains and associated genetic factors is likely to yield the greatest impact in terms of biomedical interventions like vaccines. Thumbi’s early work addressed the lack of biological tools for HIV vaccine and pathogenesis research on HIV-1 subtype C, the predominant subtype globally and in southern Africa. He generated and characterised the first infectious molecular of HIV-1 subtype C from primary isolates, and constructed the first infectious subtype C envelope-derived simian-human immunodeficiency virus able to replicate in rhesus macaque peripheral blood mononuclear cells. These tools were deposited in the NIH AIDS reagent program and remain available to researchers. The tools have facilitated in vitro and animal model studies of HIV-1 subtype C biology and vaccine development research.

Economy

Global EV Sales Slump in February as China Records Steepest Decline Since COVID-19

Global electric vehicle registrations dropped 11% in February, marking the second consecutive month of decline, according to data from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence (BMI). Worldwide sales barely cleared one million units ...

U.S.-China Trade Talks Head to Paris as Officials Push for Balanced Economic Relations

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is set to meet Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Paris, France, from March 15 to 16, marking a significant step in ongoing efforts to stabilize the worlds most consequential bilateral...

China's Banks Shift Lending Focus to Tech and AI Amid Policy Push

Chinas major banks are redirecting lending priorities toward technology and innovation-driven companies, responding to Beijings aggressive push to dominate artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and advanced...

Fed Rate Cut Hopes Fade as Oil Prices Stoke Inflation Fears

Bond markets are rapidly dialing back expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts in 2025, as surging oil prices reignite inflation concerns and political pressure from President Donald Trump intensifies....

USMCA Reaffirmed as Canada and Mexico Push Back Against U.S. Bilateral Trade Signals

Canada and Mexico are standing firm on the trilateral trade framework that has long defined North American economic relations. At a recent conference in Mexico City, Canadian Ambassador to Mexico Cameron MacKay and Mexican...

Politics

Brazil's Top Court Blocks Trump Official's Visit to Imprisoned Bolsonaro

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has denied a request allowing Darren Beattie, a senior Trump administration official, to visit former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in prison. The decision reversed...

TSA Funding Crisis Threatens Spring Break Travel as Senate Remains Deadlocked

The U.S. Senate failed Thursday to break a political standoff over Transportation Security Administration funding, raising serious concerns about airport security disruptions during one of the busiest travel periods of the...

Toronto Police Boost Security Ahead of Al-Quds Day Rally Amid Iran War Tensions

Toronto police announced Thursday they will significantly increase their presence across the city this weekend in response to expected protests tied to the ongoing Iran war. The announcement comes ahead of a scheduled...

Senator Hawley Accuses Fertilizer Giants of Price Gouging Amid Iran Supply Disruptions

Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) has formally accused CF Industries Holdings and other major fertilizer companies of price gouging American farmers, sending a nine-question letter to CF Industries CEO Christopher Bohn demanding...

Khamenei Vows to Keep Hormuz Shut as Netanyahu Issues Veiled Death Threat

A new chapter in the Iran-Israel conflict has opened with serious global economic consequences, as Irans newly appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to maintain the closure of the Strait of Hormuz as a strategic...

Science

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Technology

X Agrees to Overhaul Blue Checkmark System in EU After €120 Million DSA Fine

Elon Musks social media platform X is set to revamp its verification system across the European Union after agreeing to submit remedies in response to a 120 million fine, Bloomberg News reported. The move comes after EU...

Meta Delays 'Avocado' AI Model Release After Falling Short of Rivals

Meta Platforms is pushing back the launch of a highly anticipated artificial intelligence model after internal testing revealed it couldnt keep pace with competing systems from Google and other leading tech companies. The...

Stryker Cyberattack Disrupts Operations Amid Iran-Linked Hacking Claims

Medical device giant Stryker confirmed Thursday that a cyberattack is causing significant disruption across its global operations, affecting its ability to process orders, manufacture products, and fulfill customer...

Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen Steps Down After 18 Years as Company Beats Q1 Earnings

Adobe Systems announced Thursday that longtime CEO Shantanu Narayen will be stepping down after leading the company for nearly two decades, triggering a 7.2% drop in after-hours trading despite the software giant posting...

Telus Corp. Confirms Cybersecurity Breach Amid Extortion Threat

Canadian telecommunications giant Telus Corp. (NYSE: TU) is investigating a cybersecurity incident after unauthorized access was detected across a limited number of its internal systems. The company publicly disclosed the...