Two researchers from Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) have been appointed as Malawi’s Ambassador and Deputy Ambassador for PhageAfrica. 

Associate Professor Gama Bandawe will serve as Country Ambassador, while Ms Evelyn Mwangomba has been named Deputy Ambassador.

PhageAfrica is the new name of the Africa Phage Forum (APF), a continental network of researchers working in bacteriophage research. 

The network brings together undergraduate students, postgraduate trainees, and established scientists to promote collaboration, mentorship, and the growth of phage research across Africa.

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that infect and kill bacteria.

They are the most abundant life forms on Earth and play a critical role in controlling bacterial populations.

Importantly, lytic phages are being explored as alternatives to antibiotics in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

AMR is a major public health threat with the World Health Organization warning that it could become the next global pandemic. 

In Malawi alone, thousands of deaths each year are directly or indirectly linked to drug-resistant infections.

The problem is worsened by misuse of antibiotics in human health, animal production, and environmental contamination, making AMR a serious One Health challenge.

In response, the university established the MUST Bacteriophage Research Unit (MBRU) aimed at advancing phage research in Malawi, develop the country’s first phage bank, and ultimately conduct clinical trials in phage therapy for antibiotic-resistant infections. 

Phages also offer solutions for controlling resistant bacteria in poultry farms and the environment.

Associate Professor Bandawe, Coordinator of the Centre for Clinical and Biological Sciences Research under MUST's Academy of Medical Sciences, leads the initiative. 

Ms Mwangomba, a laboratory technician at Mzuzu Central Hospital and a recent MSc graduate in Medical Microbiology from MUST, is an active member of the team. 

Her master’s research focused on isolating phages targeting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from surgical wound infections, and her findings are currently being prepared for publication.

Their appointment as PhageAfrica ambassadors is expected to raise the profile of phage research in Malawi.

It will also support training, workshops, seminars, and stronger regional and global collaborations, helping to mobilize resources, build capacity, and grow a sustainable phage research ecosystem in the country.