.png)
BULLETIN 1
Dr Namukolo Covic leads CGIAR's Liaison Office for Africa
.png)
CGIAR January 8 2026
The CGIAR is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Namukolo Covic as Head of the CGIAR Liaison Office for Africa, effective 1 January 2026.
In this strategic role, Dr Covic will support the CGIAR Continental Champion for Africa — a rotational role currently held by Dr Simeon Ehui, Director General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) — in advancing CGIAR’s mission to deliver science and innovation that transform food, land, and water systems across Africa.
Strengthening CGIAR’s engagement in Africa
The CGIAR Liaison Office for Africa has been established to strengthen coordination and coherence across CGIAR Centers, regional partners, and continental institutions. Based in Addis Ababa, the Office will deepen CGIAR’s engagement with the African Union (AU), FARA, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Sub-Regional Research Organizations (SROs), and national governments, ensuring that CGIAR’s science responds directly to Africa’s priorities and policy agendas, including AU Agenda 2063, the CAADP framework, and the CAADP Kampala Declaration.
Role and responsibilities
As Head of the CGIAR Liaison Office for Africa, Dr Covic will:
• Support the CGIAR Continental Champion in representing and advancing CGIAR’s mission across Africa;
• Coordinate CGIAR’s engagement with continental and regional institutions to ensure coherent, timely, and strategic interaction;
• Facilitate the development of a demand-driven continental research and innovation portfolio aligned with African priorities;
• Strengthen partnerships with national governments, regional bodies, and development partners;
• Enhance the visibility and communication of CGIAR’s contributions to transforming Africa’s food, land, and water systems.
A seasoned leader for Africa’s food systems
Dr Covic brings a distinguished record of leadership in nutrition, food systems innovation, and policy engagement across Africa. She has previously served as CGIAR Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, held senior scientific and leadership positions at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and played leading roles in shaping African food and nutrition policy dialogues with the African Union and other continental institutions, linking science, policy, and implementation.
Transitional arrangements
In addition to her System-level responsibilities, Dr Covic will, during the transition period (January-June 2026), continue to serve as the ILRI Director General’s representative in Ethiopia, to ensure continuity while ILRI completes the recruitment of her successor.
Looking ahead
This appointment reflects CGIAR’s renewed commitment to strong partnerships, African leadership, and transformative impact, in line with its evolving System-wide integration and partnership model. Working closely with African institutions and partners, CGIAR will continue to strengthen its collaborative approach to advancing sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems across the continent.
See https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/dr-namukolo-covic-leads-cgiars-liaison-office-africa
In this strategic role, Dr Covic will support the CGIAR Continental Champion for Africa — a rotational role currently held by Dr Simeon Ehui, Director General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) — in advancing CGIAR’s mission to deliver science and innovation that transform food, land, and water systems across Africa.
Strengthening CGIAR’s engagement in Africa
The CGIAR Liaison Office for Africa has been established to strengthen coordination and coherence across CGIAR Centers, regional partners, and continental institutions. Based in Addis Ababa, the Office will deepen CGIAR’s engagement with the African Union (AU), FARA, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Sub-Regional Research Organizations (SROs), and national governments, ensuring that CGIAR’s science responds directly to Africa’s priorities and policy agendas, including AU Agenda 2063, the CAADP framework, and the CAADP Kampala Declaration.
Role and responsibilities
As Head of the CGIAR Liaison Office for Africa, Dr Covic will:
• Support the CGIAR Continental Champion in representing and advancing CGIAR’s mission across Africa;
• Coordinate CGIAR’s engagement with continental and regional institutions to ensure coherent, timely, and strategic interaction;
• Facilitate the development of a demand-driven continental research and innovation portfolio aligned with African priorities;
• Strengthen partnerships with national governments, regional bodies, and development partners;
• Enhance the visibility and communication of CGIAR’s contributions to transforming Africa’s food, land, and water systems.
A seasoned leader for Africa’s food systems
Dr Covic brings a distinguished record of leadership in nutrition, food systems innovation, and policy engagement across Africa. She has previously served as CGIAR Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, held senior scientific and leadership positions at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and played leading roles in shaping African food and nutrition policy dialogues with the African Union and other continental institutions, linking science, policy, and implementation.
Transitional arrangements
In addition to her System-level responsibilities, Dr Covic will, during the transition period (January-June 2026), continue to serve as the ILRI Director General’s representative in Ethiopia, to ensure continuity while ILRI completes the recruitment of her successor.
Looking ahead
This appointment reflects CGIAR’s renewed commitment to strong partnerships, African leadership, and transformative impact, in line with its evolving System-wide integration and partnership model. Working closely with African institutions and partners, CGIAR will continue to strengthen its collaborative approach to advancing sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems across the continent.
See https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/dr-namukolo-covic-leads-cgiars-liaison-office-africa
BULLETIN 2
Phone Cameras May Soon Detect DNA Sequences
Phone Cameras May Soon Detect DNA Sequences
.png)
January 14, 2026
Researchers from Aarhus University in Denmark have developed a new method that could enable the detection of specific DNA sequences using a smartphone camera. The technique uses engineered proteins that generate light when DNA is present, potentially making DNA testing faster, cheaper, and more accessible in food, healthcare, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals.
The new approach replaces costly and time-consuming laboratory DNA analysis with a method that detects DNA through light signals captured by a phone's camera. Their research, published in Nature Communications, builds on the team's work in engineering molecules and synthetic cells to better understand how natural cells function.
The study demonstrates that specific DNA interactions can lead to simple, portable DNA detection systems. While the technology is not yet ready for everyday use, the findings show the potential for DNA analysis to be done quickly outside the laboratory, with broad, promising applications in biotechnology, agriculture, medicine, and environmental science.
For more information, read the article from Aarhus University.
See: https://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=21657
The new approach replaces costly and time-consuming laboratory DNA analysis with a method that detects DNA through light signals captured by a phone's camera. Their research, published in Nature Communications, builds on the team's work in engineering molecules and synthetic cells to better understand how natural cells function.
The study demonstrates that specific DNA interactions can lead to simple, portable DNA detection systems. While the technology is not yet ready for everyday use, the findings show the potential for DNA analysis to be done quickly outside the laboratory, with broad, promising applications in biotechnology, agriculture, medicine, and environmental science.
For more information, read the article from Aarhus University.
See: https://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=21657
SCIENTIFIC NEWS
Mutation and trans-activation analyses suggest novel functional motifs for AC2 of the begomovirus Sri Lankan cassava mosaic virus
Nabanita Gogoi, Kanika Gupta, Rohit Kumar, Fauzia Zarreen, Indranil Dasgupta
Virology; 2026 Feb: 615:110772. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2025.110772.
Mutation and trans-activation analyses suggest novel functional motifs for AC2 of the begomovirus Sri Lankan cassava mosaic virus
Nabanita Gogoi, Kanika Gupta, Rohit Kumar, Fauzia Zarreen, Indranil Dasgupta
Virology; 2026 Feb: 615:110772. doi: 10.1016/j.virol.2025.110772.
.png)
Abstract
This study was aimed to have a better understanding of the functional domains of the product of AC2, a protein having a trans-activation function on the late promoters of begomoviruses. The bipartite begomovirus Sri Lankan cassava mosaic virus (SLCMV) was chosen for this study. Infectious SLCMV clones carrying mutations in AC2 were analysed for infectivity, accumulation of viral DNA and trans-activation of the CP promoter in the experimental host Nicotiana benthamiana. The mutations were designed to express truncated AC2 proteins (containing N-terminal 36, N-terminal 101 or C-terminal 22 out of the 135 amino acid residues of the complete protein) or single amino acid replacements targeting the conserved "cysteine-rich" and the "Zn-finger" domains, implicated in trans-activation by AC2 of other begomoviruses. In the inoculated leaves, the DNA of all the above mutants, except the one expressing the C-terminal 22 amino acid residues accumulated at wild type levels. In newly-emerged leaves, only the DNA of the mutant expressing N-terminal 101 residues showed a delayed accumulation compared to the wild type and produced mild symptoms in the inoculated plants. The capability of trans-activation of CP promoter was abolished in all AC2 mutants except in the one expressing the N-terminal 101 residues, lacking the C-terminal trans-activation domain. The results suggest novel functional domains of the AC2 product in SLCMV, not described before.
See https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41365244/
