Rizwana Mia, Senior Program Manager at the South African Medical Research Council, champions the African Personalized Medicine agenda. This approach tailors treatments based on an individual's phenotype and genotype, leveraging genetic markers to identify the most effective and safe treatments.

The limited understanding of the African genome poses risks of adverse effects or ineffective treatments. To address this, clinical studies must encompass diverse population groups to develop more relevant guidelines. The initiation of large-scale whole genome sequencing in Southern Africa marks a significant milestone toward this goal.

Collaboration with MGI, which provides advanced sequencing platforms and technology, has been pivotal in advancing genomics across South Africa and the continent. This partnership has reduced the cost of genomic sequencing and established critical infrastructure, empowering researchers to explore Africa's genomic diversity. These efforts are paving the way for transformative healthcare through personalized medicine.