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Health Sciences
Clinical Laboratory Sciences
Division Of Human Genetics
Including the MRC/UCT Human Genetics Research Unit and
CANSA’s National Colorectal Cancer Research Consortium
Head of Division: Professor Raj S. Ramesar
Divisional Profile
The Division is unusual in that it conducts its business
through three interacting ‘institutions’:
1. An extensive clinical service through the Provincial
Government of the Western Cape;
2. its laboratory diagnostic services through the National
Health Laboratory Services, and
3. Its academic (research and teaching) activities through
the University.
The UCT/MRC Human Genetics Research Unit was created
while the Human Genome Project was underway. The
mandate for this Unit was (i) primarily one of capacity
development in the field of Genetics and Genomics, (ii)
understanding the relevance of developments in genetics
and genomics, as they may be applicable to South
Africans, and (iii) the translation of research to the clinical
environment.
An emphasis of this Unit is the investment in understanding
the rich Human Diversity on our continent and relating
this to disease and health. In this regard there has been a
head-on engagement with state of the art high-throughput
genetic studies of indigenous southern African population
populations, which has resulted in the empowerment
and capacity development of South African researchers
in large scale data handling and analysis. This and other
projects involve fruitful collaborations with other Unit
directors, such as Professor Himla Soodyall, and colleagues
in bioinformatics in the National Bioinformatics node at
UCT. The Division is also in involved in several Human,
Hereditary and Health Africa projects in networks spanning
the continent (www.h3africa.org), and which are funded by
the National Institutes of Health (USA) and the Wellcome
Trust (UK).
A further investment has been in taking genetics to
the ‘clinical’ high street. A measure of relevance and
success of the Unit in this regard, is its attraction to
other mainstream clinical practitioners e.g. from the
disciplines of Gastroenterology, Nephrology, Internal
Medicine, Psychiatry, Surgery, and Dentistry (UWC) who
are completing PhDs in Genetics, in this Unit. A substantial
effort has been made into introducing genetics/genomics
into the undergraduate MBChB curriculum and to specialist
groups.
Divisional Statistics
UCT Staff
Professors
2
Emeritus Professors
1
Associate Professor
1
Research Staff
7
Chief Scientific Officer
1
Administrative and Secretarial Staff
2
Departmental Assistants
1
Part Time Staff
Genetic Counselor Intern
1
Clinical Educator
1
Sessional Medical Officers
2
PGWC Personnel
Senior Specialist (F/T)
1
Associate Professor
1
Registered Nurses
2
PGWC/UCT Personnel
Registrar 2
NHLS Personnel
Discipline Specific Lab manager
1
Medical Technologists
8
Medical Scientist
1
Laboratory Clerk
1
Honorary Staff
Honorary Professor 2
Students
Postdoctoral
3
PhD
16
Master’s
8
Honours
8
Total
35