Partners
Explore COIN's global network of clinical, research, and institutional partners advancing genomic medicine and precision healthcare in Africa.
Clinical Collaborators
Neurology Research Group, Department of Medicine, Neuroscience Institute
ALS Africa Network
The ALS Africa Network was established in 2022, with a seed grant from the ALS Association, to improve the landscape for people living with motor neuron disease (MND)/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in Africa. The goal is to support clinical care and the research environment within the network so that future clinical trials can also be performed in Africa. An immediate priority is to generate genomic data that reveals the mutational profile of Africans with ALS, ensuring that emerging gene-based treatments and clinical trials are relevant and accessible to African populations.
indigenAfrica, Inc, Cape Town
indigenAfrica, Inc. was founded in 2022 as a private company with the aim to develop and implement precision medicine in Africa. The name derives from “individualised medicine”, “digital health” and “genomics”, with the explicit goal of combining these three approaches to care in a unified model. Genomics provides insights into risk and provides diagnostic certainty, digital health provides longitudinal phenotyping (using highly accurate wearable technology) and individualised medicine is the end goal. As a first deliverable, indigenAfrica is pioneering a service in private practice implementing the above.
Bioinformatics Collaborators
School of Graduate Studies, Meharry Medical College, Tennessee, USA
Rare Disease Genomics Research Group, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Stellenbosch University
Diagnostic Laboratory Collaborators
National Health Laboratory Service and Division of Human Genetics, University of Cape Town, South Africa
Institutional Collaborators
Prof Nicola Mulder,
Division of Computational Biology, University of Cape Town
Prof Jantina De Vries,
Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town
Prof Dan Stein,
Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town
Research Consortia
Sequencing Service Partners
Research Infrastructure Partners & Networks
Patient Advocates
Beyond Access Consulting is a South African strategic advisory practice founded by Thembelihle Ngcai, a journalist, award-winning public-sector practitioner, and nationally recognised disability-rights advocate. The organisation works at the intersection of disability inclusion, health equity, public policy and research-informed storytelling, helping institutions design systems, strategies and communication that advance fairness, access and social impact. Drawing on experience across government, academia, global advocacy platforms and civil society, Beyond Access Consulting supports partners to bridge policy with lived experience, strengthen inclusive programme design, and embed ethical, evidence-based approaches in organisational practice. The firm’s work spans disability justice, rare-disease advocacy, education and employment pathways, and public communication that shifts narratives and enables more equitable futures across Africa.
Patient Advocacy Associations
Funders
