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UCT RESEARCH REPORT 2012
Research Groupings
associated with this theme
unit of the MRC, hosted jointly by the National Health
Laboratory Service and the University of the Witwatersrand.
In 2011 the MMRU was transferred to the University of
Cape Town, where it is now based in the Institute of
Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine. The mission
of the MMRU is to carry out fundamental research on
aspects of the physiology and metabolism of relevance
to tuberculosis drug resistance and drug discovery. By
adopting a research strategy that is based on investigating
specific aspects of the metabolism and physiology of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the MMRU has positioned
itself at the front-end of TB drug discovery research.
Director: Professor V Mizrahi
E-mail: valerie.mizrahi@uct.ac.za
Web: http://www.health.uct.ac.za/research/
groupings/mmru/; http://www.mrc.ac.za/
mycobacteriology/mycobacteriology.htm
Desmond Tutu HIV Centre
The activities of the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre (DTHC)
are underpinned by research and evaluation. It aims
to impact on policy and practice, both nationally
and internationally, through relevant research, peer-
reviewed publications, and feedback to government,
civil society, and the community at large. DTHC is
driven by a passion for humanity and a vision of South
Africa without AIDS. Over the years, it has become a
source of advice for medical practitioners, support for
people seeking testing or treatment, and leadership
in preventative education. With an experienced and
dedicated team of more than 165 doctors, nurses,
researchers, and community-trained field workers, the
Desmond Tutu HIV Centre offers a holistic approach to
the HIV epidemic.
Director: Professor R Wood
E-mail: robin.wood@hiv-research.org.za
Web: http://www.desmondtutuhivcentre.org.za/
Institute of Infectious
Disease and Molecular Medicine
Concentrating our research efforts on infectious
diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, and
on non-communicable diseases prevalent in Africa, the
Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine
aims to be a centre of research excellence in Africa,
and a major training hub for biomedical, clinical, and
public health researchers. The institute provides its
members, affiliates, and visiting scholars from around
the world with an environment that is highly interactive,
allowing complex scientific problems framed in a public
health context to be tackled in a multidisciplinary way.
Collaborations, partnerships and networks contribute
to our world-class scientific endeavours. Our strong
scientific base spans many areas of modern, molecular-
based enquiry, including molecular and cell biology,
immunology, virology, microbiology, genetics and
genomics, biochemistry, pharmacology, vaccinology,
molecular epidemiology, and structural, high-throughput
and computational biology. Our aim is to apply scientific
discovery from the bench to the bedside and to the
community through a dynamic interplay between basic,
clinical, and public health research.
Director: Professor V Mizrahi
E-mail: valerie.mizrahi@uct.ac.za
Web: http://www.iidmm.uct.ac.za
Drug Discovery and
Development (H3-D) Centre
The Drug Discovery and Development Centre (also
known as H3-D) was founded in 2010. The centre aims
to bridge the gap between basic and clinical studies,
and to train a new generation of African scientists
with the key skills required for drug discovery