Two Rwandan scientists have been elected as Fellows of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), joining an international network of researchers recognised for their contributions to scientific advancement and development.

Prof. Eugénie Kayitesi, an expert in food science and nutrition, and Prof. Léon Mutesa, a specialist in human genetics were among 87 scientists elected as regular fellows during the academy's latest membership selection, announced on November 5.

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Their election takes effect on January 1, 2027. Four Rwandan scientists are now TWAS fellows. Prof. Romain Murenzi, a physicist and education minister, became a TWAS Fellow in 2005. Prof Agnès Binagwaho, a pediatrician and former health minister, became a TWAS Fellow in 2021.

The recognition highlights Rwanda&039;s growing contribution to international scientific research, particularly in areas relevant to the country's development, including food security, nutrition and medical research.

Who are the newly elected fellows?

Kayitesi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Consumer and Food Sciences at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. Her research focuses on food science and technology, particularly food chemistry, biochemistry and food processing.

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She specialises in improving the use of underutilised indigenous African crops to address food insecurity and malnutrition by transforming them into nutritious food products that can offer alternatives to expensive imported staples.

She has published more than 30 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters and received several recognitions, including the 2023 OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Award and the 2022 Rwanda Women in Science Award. She is also a member of the African Academy of Sciences and the Pan-African Scientific Research Council.

Speaking to The New Times on Sunday, Kayitesi described her election in the Agriculture, Nutrition and Food Systems Sciences category as an important personal milestone, particularly given that her academic journey began in Rwanda.

She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Food Science and Technology from the University of Rwanda, formerly the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). She is also an Honorary Visiting Professor at the UR College of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (UR-CAVM).

"My election validates a core mission anchored in my Rwandan heritage, proving that indigenous knowledge combined with rigorous science can solve Africa&039;s most pressing food security and nutritional challenges," she said.

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Her research has focused on transforming underutilised African crops, including cereals, legumes and indigenous leafy vegetables, into climate-resilient, nutrient-rich food products.

Through techniques such as fermentation, malting and infrared heating, her work seeks to improve nutrient absorption, reduce harmful substances in food and develop biofortified products that address protein-energy malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies.

Kayitesi said the Fellowship would also create opportunities to support emerging researchers through international research partnerships, mentorship and access to scientific networks.

"Membership in TWAS opens up international exchange programmes, postdoctoral opportunities, joint research grants and direct access to global networks such as the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD)," she said.

She added that she intends to mentor early-career Rwandan scientists and help them access international funding and research opportunities.

She added that Rwanda needs to invest further in modern laboratory infrastructure, targeted grants for young researchers, particularly women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and partnerships linking universities, government and businesses.

Kayitesi also sees opportunities for her research to contribute directly to Rwanda&039;s food security and economic development.

She said processing locally available, drought-tolerant crops could extend their shelf life, reduce post-harvest losses and improve access to nutritious food throughout the year.

By improving the availability of essential micronutrients such as iron and zinc, her research could also support efforts to address child malnutrition while creating markets for smallholder farmers and local food entrepreneurs.

She is involved in the FEAT4AFRICA project, which seeks to promote sustainable development in African urban communities through innovations linking food, energy, water and health.

Meanwhile, Mutesa is a Professor of Human Genetics and Director of the Centre for Human Genetics and Genomics at the University of Rwanda's College of Medicine and Health Sciences.

He is recognised for his contribution to Rwanda's human genetics research capacity, including setting up the country's reference centre for human genetics in 2006, the only facility of its kind in East Africa.

His research has examined how genetic and epigenetic changes, including those associated with trauma, may affect subsequent generations. He has particularly investigated the intergenerational effects of genocide-related trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder among women survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and their offspring.

Mutesa obtained his medical degree from the University of Rwanda in 2003 and a PhD from the University of Liège in Belgium in 2009. He later undertook postdoctoral research at the University of Erlangen in Germany.

He previously served as Director General of the Medical Research Centre at the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC). He is also a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences and received the Human Genome Organisation (HUGO) African Prize in 2024.

Where do other TWAS Fellows come from?

According to The World Academy of Sciences, out of 87 regular Fellows, 58 are men and 29 are women, representing 33.3 per cent female membership. 77 come from countries in the Global South.

Fifteen are from the 66 science- and technology-lagging countries (STLCs) identified by TWAS, including seven from Bangladesh and one each from Bolivia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nepal, Rwanda, Senegal and Zimbabwe.

China leads in the number of newly elected Fellows with 13, followed by India with eight, Brazil with seven and South Africa with six. Nigeria, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia each have four.

The Academy noted that Rwanda is among countries historically underrepresented in its membership.

The latest elections bring TWAS's total membership to 1,510 Fellows across 10 scientific divisions, covering disciplines ranging from agriculture, nutrition and health sciences to engineering, physics, environmental sciences and social sciences.