Dr Mubeen Goolam.
Image: Supplied
DR MUBEEN Goolam from The University of Cape Town (UCT), has been awarded a prestigious 2026–2027 Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship, placing the South African scientist among an elite group of global scholars recognised for excellence across academic, professional and artistic fields.
Goolam, the principal investigator of the Stem Cell Modelling of Development and Disease Group, is jointly based in UCT’s Department of Human Biology and the Neuroscience Institute.
The year-long fellowship will allow him to pursue an interdisciplinary research project focused on the governance of emerging stem-cell technologies in Africa.
The Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship is regarded as one of the world’s leading academic fellowships, bringing together researchers and innovators from across the globe to collaborate in an intellectually diverse environment.
“This fellowship is a really valuable professional milestone for me. It recognises not just my scientific work but also highlights the importance of ensuring that emerging technologies develop in ways that are globally inclusive and socially responsive,” Goolam said.
“Coming from South Africa, it is especially meaningful to contribute African perspectives to international discussions on science policy and innovation.”
Goolam’s fellowship project, titled ‘Anticipating futures: Developing equitable policy guidelines for stem-cell-based organoids in Africa’, will focus on creating practical governance frameworks for organoid research in South Africa and across the continent.
Organoids are stem-cell-derived models that replicate aspects of human organs and are increasingly being used in biomedical research and personalised medicine.
However, Goolam noted that most ethical and policy frameworks governing the technology have been developed outside Africa.
“Organoid research sits at the crossroads of science, policy, ethics and society. So, being able to engage with experts from different fields while on this fellowship will be invaluable.
“Another thing I’m looking forward to is to bring African perspectives into global conversations on emerging biotechnologies and to build collaborations that can strengthen equitable research and innovation across the continent.”
The project aims to place equity, inclusion and African leadership at the centre of organoid governance by combining scientific evidence, international policy frameworks and engagement with African stakeholders.
According to Goolam, the resulting guidance documents could help governments, universities and research institutions navigate the ethical and regulatory implications of rapidly advancing stem-cell technologies.
Ultimately, the research seeks to ensure African countries are not only consumers of future technologies, but active contributors to shaping how they are developed and governed.
“This work is future facing. Many countries are only beginning to consider the ethical and policy implications of organoid science now.
“Africa has the opportunity to engage proactively rather than reactively. I believe this project can contribute to more inclusive, global scientific systems while also supporting the growth of cutting-edge biomedical research capacity across Africa,” said Goolam.