In the wake of #nationalimmunizationweek we focus on the work of Vaccines for Africa Initiative: an organisation at the University of Cape Town that prides itself on serving as the bridge between research and translation. www.news.uct.ac.za/news/researc...

From research to impact: How VACFA is transforming vaccine policy in Africa

World Immunization Week, commemorated on the last week of April, brings a spotlight to the work of UCT’s VACFA which works across the continent to rid Africa of vaccine-preventable diseases.

news.uct.ac.za

Would you have guessed that couple communication plays a critical role with managing type 2 diabetes? According to recent research, good communication between two partners improves self-diabetes management, which improves overall health outcomes. www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-202...

Effective couple communication alters diabetes care, health outcomes

Good communication between two partners improves self-diabetes management, which improves overall health outcomes.

news.uct.ac.za

It’s #WorldImmunizationWeek Vaccines have saved 154 million lives in the last 50 years. That’s 6 lives every minute. A reminder of what is #HumanlyPossible. Science saves lives. #VaccinesWork bit.ly/wiw2025

The World Health Organisation have just released the latest consolidated guidelines on tuberculosis treatment and care. @uct-fhs-research.bsky.social who.int/publications...

Congratulations to Emerita Professor @valmizrahi.bsky.social of the UCT Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine who was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, announced last night. See the full list of new members: www.amacad.org/new-members-...

Comorbidities - co-occurring infectious or chronic conditions in a person - is a major exacerbating factor for #TB in South Africa, with high rates of #HIV and #NCDs. Cutting edge research at University of Cape Town is tacking this: health.uct.ac.za/news-publica...

On #WorldTBDay, listen to a podcast episode from The Lancet Regional Health - Southeast Asia exploring historical efforts & current challenges with #tuberculosis in the WHO south east Asia region. Experts share their vision of how we can achieve the SDG goals on TB. 🔊Listen: tinyurl.com/yc2acury

Anurag Bhargava, Mohammed Yassin, and Swarup Sarkar on TB elimination - The Lancet Regional Health in conversation with

March 24 serves as a reminder to evaluate our progress in eliminating the centuries-old scourge of tuberculosis. Dr Swarup Sarkar, Dr Anurag Bhargava, and Dr Mohammed Yassin speak with  Shal...

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This #WorldTBDay we put a spotlight on some of the excellent work researchers at the University of Cape Town to #StopTB in sub-Saharan Africa: health.uct.ac.za/news-publica...

PEPFAR funding to South Africa constitutes around 18% of the country’s HIV response. The funding freeze will have a significant impact on the South African HIV programme. But we can turn this crisis into an opportunity, suggests Prof Linda-Gail Bekker: www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-202...

Turn PEPFAR funding freeze crisis into opportunity

The PEPFAR funding freeze has impacted millions of South Africans living with HIV.

news.uct.ac.za

The Neurogenomics Lab at the University of Cape Town's Neuroscience Institute is working to expand our understanding of neuromuscular disorders in African populations and transforming patient care by improving access to genomic testing. #BrainAwarenessWeek2025 neuroscience.uct.ac.za

Last day of #BrainAwarenessWeek and we continue to spotlight the research groups working on #neuroscience at the University of Cape Town. The Brain-Behaviour centre works address key brain-behaviour issues relevant to South Africa neuroscience.uct.ac.za/research-res...

Interesting piece in today’s Daily Maverick on vaccine manufacturing in Africa - which is sorely needed, if we are not to be left out AGAIN if a new pandemic hits. @isv-news.bsky.social www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025...

Sustainable African vaccine manufacturing will save lives

Now is the time to continue the momentum towards achieving African vaccine sovereignty. We must work to both increase the continent’s vaccine manufacturing capacity and then develop strategies to prom...

dailymaverick.co.za

It is still #brainawarenessweek2025 and we are proud to showcase our Neuroscience Institute. Working through an interdisciplinary network of scientists and clinicians they are improving lives and advancing our understanding of the human brain in the African context. neuroscience.uct.ac.za

This #BrainAwarenessWeek we showcase the incredible research teams at the University of Cape Town's Neuroscience Institute. The African Brain Child Initiative is working to ensure children in Africa with conditions that affect their brain can maximize their potential. africanbrainchild.com

The International Society for Vaccines (ISV) is organising the 2025 ISV Congress taking place in South Africa from October 28–30, 2025. They are excited to offer awards for Early Career Researchers and PhD students from both LMIC (Low- and Middle-Income Countries) and non-LMIC countries.

Nearly 17% of South African learners currently #vape, a figure that rises to nearly 30% by the end of high school years. University of Cape Town pulmonologist Richard van Zyl Smit unpacks why this is a problem and what we can do about it: theconversation.com/vaping-hits-...

Vaping hits alarming levels among South African teens – new study of fee-paying schools

Nicotine use during adolescence harms the developing brain. South Africa needs to act to stop this harmful habit.

theconversation.com

"When a car travelling at 60km/h crashes to a stop, a 10kg child in your arms becomes a 600kg projectile. This #brainawarenessweek2025 we put the spotlight on UCT's Neuroscience Institute's African Brain Child's #BeQuickToClick campaign Buckle them up: www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024...

Seatbelt non-use drives South Africa's child brain trauma crisis

Every year thousands of children suffer brain damage from not belting up. It’s a national crisis, so why aren’t alarm bells ringing?

dailymaverick.co.za

Dr Katleho Limakatso's recent finding of a strong correlation between lower leg amputations and low literacy levels underscores the need for better education and health literacy programmes to empower patients to take control of their own health: www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-202...

Low literacy levels exacerbate rapidly rising lower limb amputations

New research by Dr Katleho Limakatso demonstrates some interesting findings on patients predisposed to lower limb amputations.

news.uct.ac.za

Approximately 12.5% of in-hospital patients in Africa are gravely ill, and they are not getting the care they need. Bruce Biccard of UCT's Global Surgery Division found 21% of these patients die within 7 days of admission: www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-202...

Meet the team: Contributing Investigator A/Prof. Esmita Charani's research interests include understanding the role of social constructs in relation to health-seeking and health-providing behaviours in infection, antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship. #CIDRITeam

We hosted our final Wellcome Photography workshop with IkamvaYouthSA & Profs. Esmita Charani & Sipho Dlamini! We explored ethical global health imagery, followed by a showcase of learner-captured photos & stories. The images will be exhibited in London and Khayelitsha.

We are pleased to announce that the IMAGINE clinical trial has successfully kicked off and is vaccinating volunteers at our facility at Site B CHC in Khayelitsha! 🌍💉 IMAGINE is a large-scale Phase 2b efficacy trial of the #tuberculosis vaccine candidate MTBVAC. Learn more here: bit.ly/4khAkw1

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a life threatening heart disease which afflicts pregnant or postpartum women. Prof Karen Sliwa and her team at the Cape Heart Institute have made major strides in the treatment and understanding of PPCM. health.uct.ac.za/news-publica...

Women who experienced pre-eclampsia during pregnancy are at high risk for hypertension, heart disease and kidney failure. Associate Prof Erika Jones and Dr Bianca Davidson are advocating for better follow-up screening for this high-risk group: health.uct.ac.za/news-publica...

Meet the team: A/Prof. Wendy Burgers, CIDRI-Africa Contributing Investigator. Research interests: HIV, cellular immunology, HIV/TB co-infection, vaccines, mucosal immunology https://buff.ly/4aDcQgA #CIDRITeam

Professor Wendy Burgers | University of Cape Town

Division of Medical Virology Selected publications |  Contact details | Group members | Collaborations Professor, Division of M

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Erika Jones and Bianca Davidson from University of Cape Town's Department of Medicine are working to challenge thinking around pre-eclampsia, advocating for appropriate follow-up and screening that can save the lives of countless women. health.uct.ac.za/news-publica...

Congratulations to Professor Sandrine Lecour of UCT's Cape Heart Institute on being awarded on being honoured with a Gold Award at the SA Medical Research Council's Research Capacity Development and Transformation Awards: youtu.be/c5QNZibcxb8?...

Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport research centre (HPALS) climbs in the international rankings from #31 to #25 in the ShanghaiRanking #2024rankings. Centre director Assoc. Prof Yumna Albertus congratulates her team: health.uct.ac.za/articles/202...

Today is International Day of Women & Girls in Science. Marie Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. Her contributions have left an indelible mark on the world of science & health & continue to inspire generations of scientists & innovators. 🔬 #WomenInScience #WomenInSTEM