This account is focused on sharing research milestones, breakthroughs and awards of the University of Cape Town's Faculty of Health Scienceshttps://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3lofrjdkgis2iIn 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. https://www.news.uct.ac.za/news/research-office/-article/2025-05-02-from-research-to-impact-how-vacfa-is-transforming-vaccine-policy-in-africa05 May 2025 06:47 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lofrjdkgis2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3lnkutjr6yk2rWould 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. https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2025-04-24-effective-couple-communication-alters-diabetes-care-health-outcomes24 Apr 2025 14:04 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lnkutjr6yk2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3lnkajzqe7s2jCongratulations 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: https://www.amacad.org/new-members-202524 Apr 2025 08:01 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lnkajzqe7s2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3ll4j6mu5tc2iComorbidities - 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: https://health.uct.ac.za/news-publications-daily-news/current?article=-article/2025-03-24-addressing-the-comorbidity-challenge-around-tb-in-sa24 Mar 2025 10:08 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3ll4j6mu5tc2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3ll4iwwfrl22iThis #WorldTBDay we put a spotlight on some of the excellent work researchers at the University of Cape Town to #StopTB in sub-Saharan Africa: https://health.uct.ac.za/news-publications-daily-news/current?article=-article/2025-03-24-tackling-the-challenges-of-tuberculosis-in-south-africa24 Mar 2025 10:04 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3ll4iwwfrl22ihttps://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3lkn4kwufwc2gPEPFAR 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: https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2025-03-14-turn-pepfar-funding-freeze-crisis-into-opportunity18 Mar 2025 07:12 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lkn4kwufwc2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3lkdg2gq5r223The 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.za14 Mar 2025 10:35 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lkdg2gq5r223https://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3lkdebmfbc223Last 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 https://neuroscience.uct.ac.za/research-research-groupings/brain-behaviour-centre14 Mar 2025 10:04 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lkdebmfbc223https://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3lkazarhwls2aIt 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.za13 Mar 2025 11:41 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lkazarhwls2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3lk6cvm6mas2qThis #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.com12 Mar 2025 09:56 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lk6cvm6mas2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3lk5xejcghc2oNearly 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: https://theconversation.com/vaping-hits-alarming-levels-among-south-african-teens-new-study-of-fee-paying-schools-24484312 Mar 2025 06:29 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lk5xejcghc2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3lk3lxf2s2225"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: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-12-11-seatbelt-child-brain-trauma-car-accidents/?dm_source=dm_block_grid&dm_medium=card_link&dm_campaign=main11 Mar 2025 08:00 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lk3lxf2s2225https://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3ljrr4vxvuc2xDr 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: https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2025-03-06-low-literacy-levels-exacerbate-rapidly-rising-lower-limb-amputations07 Mar 2025 10:06 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3ljrr4vxvuc2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3lji22u25gc25Approximately 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: https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2025-03-03-high-prevalence-of-critically-ill-patients-dying-in-african-hospitals03 Mar 2025 13:19 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lji22u25gc25https://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3lj32flhu4c2oPeripartum 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. https://health.uct.ac.za/news-publications-daily-news/current?article=-article/2025-02-25-hope-for-women-with-heart-disease-in-the-peripartum-period26 Feb 2025 09:20 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lj32flhu4c2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3liwikyxuhs2kWomen 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: https://health.uct.ac.za/news-publications-daily-news/current?article=-article/2025-02-21-the-long-shadow-of-pre-eclampsia-why-follow-up-screenings-matter24 Feb 2025 13:51 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3liwikyxuhs2khttps://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3livvpd2jls2xErika 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. https://health.uct.ac.za/news-publications-daily-news/current?article=-article/2025-02-21-the-long-shadow-of-pre-eclampsia-why-follow-up-screenings-matter24 Feb 2025 08:13 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3livvpd2jls2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3liotjflhb22kCongratulations 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: https://youtu.be/c5QNZibcxb8?si=EWBXm_6byHumCThV21 Feb 2025 12:45 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3liotjflhb22khttps://bsky.app/profile/uct-fhs-research.bsky.social/post/3lhxsqedfc22lHealth 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: https://health.uct.ac.za/articles/2025-02-12-health-through-physical-activity-lifestyle-and-sport-research-centre-climbs-international-rankings12 Feb 2025 09:00 +0000at://did:plc:4sbcevip7bfdbrnyulfirqx2/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhxsqedfc22l