UM6P Launches CoreLabs, a New African Scientific Platform
(UM6P) Mohammed VI Polytechnic University inaugurated the UM6P CoreLabs on Thursday in Benguerir, a cutting-edge multidisciplinary scientific platform aimed at enhancing research, innovation, and education capabilities in Africa.
This initiative is part of a strategic vision to strengthen the technological and scientific sovereignty of the continent, at a time when global competitiveness relies as much on the mastery of infrastructure and data as it does on funding or academic training.
Until now, many African researchers were forced to rely on international laboratories, facing long delays, access constraints, and loss of data control. UM6P CoreLabs aims to bridge this gap by offering an integrated environment where observation, experimentation, analysis, and validation can be carried out locally according to the highest international standards.
The infrastructure is organized around three major platforms:
The Imaging and Characterization CoreLab provides access to world-class equipment, including the Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and the Focused Ion Beam (FIB). These tools enable essential nanometric analyses for advanced materials, energy transition, precision agriculture, and medical applications.
According to Issam Rabtti, director of UM6P CoreLabs, this achievement marks a crucial advancement in asserting African scientific sovereignty and creating local value.
The BioSciences CoreLab, as highlighted by Zineb Rchiad, serves as a fundamental pillar for research in biotechnology and genomics. It facilitates the study of complex biological systems and supports applications ranging from precision medicine to food security, thereby reinforcing African expertise in biological data management.
Meanwhile, the Analytical Chemistry CoreLab provides advanced technologies for detecting pollutants, trace metals, and emerging substances in natural environments, offering researchers and decision-makers strategic analytical tools for sustainable development.
Beyond the equipment, the UM6P CoreLabs embodies an integrated scientific ecosystem that promotes collaboration among universities, industry, and research centers. Designed as an open continental hub, it aims to accelerate African innovation and transform research into concrete solutions for regional development.
