Africa-UK physics partnership builds skills, strengthens research and inspires the next generation

From developing spectroscopy expertise among female scientists in Tanzania to inspiring schoolgirls to explore STEM in Ghana, an Africa-UK physics partnership led by Professor Senthil Murugan Ganapathy from the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC), is creating opportunities across research, health and education.

From 13–16 October, researchers from across the UKRI/STFC Africa-UK Physics Partnership (AUPP) came together at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for a four-day spectroscopy workshop for female scientists. This workshop was organised by Professor Margaret Samiji of the University of Dar es Salaam.

The partnership has also recently supported the 2026 WiSTEMGh Girls’ Camp at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), in Ghana. Organised by Dr Christiana Subaar from KNUST, the camps focus was engaging female school students and encouraging them to explore opportunities in physics and STEM.

Both activities form part of the Round 2 project, ‘Capacity Building in Sub-Saharan Africa via Core Physics (Spectroscopy) for Women’s Health Equity’, led by Professor Ganapathy.

Running from April 2026 to March 2028, the collaboration brings together university partners from the UK, Ghana and Tanzania to advance spectroscopy research, strengthen physics capacity and explore how scientific expertise can contribute to improved women’s health outcomes.

Building expertise through physics

At the heart of the project is hands-on training in applied physics, optical spectroscopy and data-driven techniques.

More than 15 early-career researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa will develop skills in spectroscopy, instrumentation, data analysis and AI-assisted diagnostics through workshops, joint experiments and mentoring.

UK and African partners will also work together to develop spectroscopy protocols, standardise measurements and create open-access data-analysis workflows, with portable spectroscopy platforms supporting research and teaching at partner institutions.

Applying physics to women’s health

The project will also explore how spectroscopy could contribute to low-cost, rapid and non-invasive diagnostic approaches for ovarian cancer and endometriosis.

Researchers will develop vibrational spectroscopy methods to detect relevant biomarkers in liquid-biopsy samples, initially using cell-line models as proof of concept. The project also aims to develop a compact, signal-enhanced spectroscopy platform to detect disease biomarkers efficiently and cost-effectively.

By connecting fundamental physics with medical diagnostics, the partnership aims to show how building scientific expertise can contribute to addressing wider health challenges.

Inspiring the next generation

The partnership’s ambitions extend beyond the laboratory. Through school workshops, public demonstrations and other outreach activities, the project aims to encourage greater participation in STEM and inspire young people to consider futures in science.

Its support for the WiSTEMGh Girls’ Camp brings this ambition to life, giving female school students the opportunity to engage with science and explore where physics and other STEM subjects could take them.

From supporting early-career researchers to inspiring the next generation, the project shows how international collaboration can build scientific capability while creating opportunities for women and girls.

Professor Senthil Murugan Ganapathy said:

“Our aim is to take spectroscopy beyond its traditional role in materials analysis and unlock its potential for detecting and quantifying disease biomarkers. This is particularly important for women’s health, where cultural barriers and the cost or invasiveness of conventional diagnostic procedures can limit access to testing. By combining spectroscopy with AI, we hope to develop more accessible approaches to biomarker analysis while building expertise across all career stages, from school students to early-career and senior researchers. These two workshops mark the beginning of a wider programme of training, research and collaboration.”