University of Cape Town's (UCT's) Professor Kelly Chibale has been elected an international member of the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS). This is one of the greatest honours that can be bestowed on a scientist. He was one of 30 international (and 120 US) scientists elected to the NAS this year. There are now 556 international (who are non-voting) members of the Academy. The NAS highlighted his “distinguished and continuing achievements in original research” as the reason for his election.

“This recognition is a great honour and a responsibility,” he affirmed. “I intend to contribute meaningfully to the academy’s mission, advising on science matters and helping shape science policy. I also want to bring prominence to scientific entrepreneurship. Science should not only satisfy curiosity but also drive development and create jobs.”

Zambian-born Chibale is one of the leading scientists in Africa working on the discovery and development of drugs. He holds the Neville Isdell Chair in African-Centric Drug Discovery and Development, at UCT. He founded and is director of the Drug Discovery and Development Centre (H3D), based at UCT, in both the Department of Chemistry and the Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine.

H3D is the first integrated drug discovery centre in Africa, and under Chibale’s leadership has been responsible for several breakthroughs. One of these is the first small-molecule clinical candidate (that is, a low molecular weight drug compound that has progressed to clinical trials), for any disease, that was researched in Africa by an African-led team.

The professor was previously, in 2024, elected as a member of the US National Academy of Medicine. He is one of very few African researchers to become a member of both these prestigious US Academies.   

“Young scientists need to be incentivised to think entrepreneurially,” he asserted. “Supporting young basic scientists better, ensuring their career progression and supporting scientific entrepreneurship can help move the African continent forward. In a world that is increasingly polarised, science is a unifier. It knows no boundaries and belongs to all of humanity.”