Scientific Conference in UCAD : Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Prof Martin Chalfie encourage young scientists

The 2008 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, Prof Martin Chalfie, gave a lecture at the amphitheater of the Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odontology of the University Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) of Dakar, Friday, July 19, 2019.

A significant number of students of the science Departments of the UCAD came to assist at the conference which theme was '' GFP: Lighting Up Life '', given by the American biologist and co-recipient of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2008, Prof Chalfie at UCAD.

Despite a very busy agenda, the Rector of the University Cheikh Anta Diop, Prof Ibrahima Thioub  came to preside over the‘’ historical ’’ conference alongside of the MARCAD Director, Prof Oumar Gaye and other university authorities.

The conference was organized by MARCAD in partnership with the Departments of Chemistry and Biology of the Faculty of Sciences and the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of UCAD.

In his welcome speech, MARCAD  Director, Prof Oumar gaye, thanked the Nobel Prize for accepting the invitation, the UCAD Rector, university authorities  and all the participants.

Prof Ibrahima Thioub hailed the initiative of MARCAD and all that the programme brings to the students and the Dakar University.

‘’This event is very important for our university and our science students. For me and for many of the assistance it’s our first time to be too close to a Nobel Prize to learn and benefit from his knowledges and experiences ’’ said Prof Thioub.

In his inaugural speech, the Nobel Prize urged the young scientists to believe in self and to never give up. Prof Martin Chalfie gave strong encouragement messages to students about how to come to science discovery and  research in general through his own experience.

‘’ Many time people do experiments that they really feel, they are looking for an answer. It doesn’t come all the time, it doesn’t come when you expect it, but they do come up surprisingly’’ argue Prof Martin Chalfie.

Prof Chalfie demonstrated the value of GFP as a luminous genetic tag for various biological phenomena. In one of his first experiments, he coloured six individual cells in the transparent roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans with the aid of GFP.   (https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2008/summary/).

The participants of the conference  listened with interest the historytelling made by Prof Chalfie talking about the various stages that led to his discovery which earned him his distinction of Nobel Prize.

The question-answer session which followed Prof Martin Chalfie’s presentation, allowed the students to ask all questions related to the scientific career and scientific collaboration.

‘’ Is it better to conduct scientific research alone or in collaboration with others to achieve better results faster?’’ that question from a student was one of the most that have attracted the attention of the Nobel Prize.