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Civic and Public Engagement
  1. Queen Mary University of London
  2. Civic and Public Engagement
  3. Reward and Recognition
  4. Engagement Champions
  5. Engagement Champions Wall of Fame
  6. Engagement Champion: Sainabou Laye Ndure

A headshot of Sainabou Laye Ndure

Sainabou Laye Ndure

PhD Student

Sainabou is a PhD Student at the Blizard’s Institute’s Precision Healthcare University Research Institute (PHURI).  

Sainabou's interests lie in the implementation of genetic testing, genomic medicine and precision medicine and her engagement work focuses on making human genetics understandable, inclusive, and relevant to non-specialist audiences.

Through the Human Genetics Awareness Association (HuGAA), she has delivered public workshops and talks on human genetics, led accessible education initiatives such as the “HuGAA’s Make it Easy! – Genetics Simplified” series, and participated in television and media interviews in The Gambia aimed at demystifying genetic conditions and reducing stigma. Sainabou also founded the first World Human Genetics Day (WHGD) through HuGAA. The inaugural event was held in The Gambia in March 2026, bringing together over 170+ in person attendees and over 300 people online, and is a key step toward ensuring communities are ready for the time human genetic advances are more accessible.

Her engagement work bridges academic research, community dialogue, and advocacy, with the aim of ensuring that genetics research is informed by and responsive to the communities it affects. 

What makes Sainabou’s engagement work distinctive is its combination of academic research with sustained, community-led public engagement across different cultural and geographical contexts. She has worked consistently to translate complex genomic concepts into accessible language, while also advocating for inclusion, equity, and representation in genetics research. This work was recently recognised through the STEM Award at the SheAwards Gambia, which celebrates women making meaningful impact through service and leadership. She is committed to responsible, reflective engagement that values listening as much as sharing knowledge, and this is reflected in her selection as an Engagement Champion. 

A photo of Sainabou Laye Ndure speaking at the inaugural World Human Genetics Day (WHGD) in March 2026

Her engagement work has involved collaboration with a range of external partners. These include community groups and members of the public in The Gambia, the Regional Directorate of Health in The Gambia on community-support initiatives, and the Tanzanian Human Genetics Organisation, where she supported students to access training opportunities in genetics and genomics. These partnerships have focused on co-creating engagement activities, supporting capacity building, and ensuring that engagement is context-appropriate and mutually beneficial. 

Attendees at the inaugural World Human Genetics Day (WHGD) in March 2026

Sainabou sees public engagement as an essential part of responsible research practice rather than an add-on. She is always keen to learn, share experiences, and support others who want to engage but may feel uncertain about where to start. She has been nominated and selected as an Engagement Champion as her work clearly contributes to the culture of meaningful, inclusive engagement at Queen Mary. 

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