Epilepsy – a disorder that causes abnormal electrical brain activity leading to recurring seizures – can affect anyone. Although daily medication can treat the condition, doctors are increasingly recommending surgery as a cure for patients who don’t respond to medical treatment. A multidisciplinary team of specialists from the University of Cape Town (UCT) is making sure that more and more patients with drug-resistant epilepsy are cured.
Two researchers from the University of Cape Town (UCT) are among 20 women scientists recognised by the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme for their excellent contributions to science in sub-Saharan Africa.
For students and staff members at the University of Cape Town (UCT), 2019 will no doubt stand out as a year where the ravages of gender-based violence (GBV) cut painfully to the core of campus life. With her tragic death still a gaping wound in the collective consciousness, Uyinene Mrwetyana’s memory is being honoured in a striking campaign against intimate partner violence (IPV) by the Faculty of Health Sciences.
“I see molecules everywhere – in hair, in clothes, in everything. It fascinates me that you can look at a molecule’s chemical structure and modify the bonds and structures to modify the properties of molecules. Then those new structures can be used for something terrible, like bombs, or for something wonderful, like foods and medicines.”
A new report charting global trends in HIV/AIDS research has identified South Africa as one of the global leaders in the field. The University of Cape Town (UCT) was also revealed to be the most influential institution, based on its global field-weighted citation impact.
The Oliver Tambo Fellowship Programme (commonly known as the OTF), celebrates 25 years of contributing to capacity development of health management and leadership in the health sector. This milestone was celebrated at a gathering of alumni, partners, colleagues and friends and current and past OTF staff at a celebration to mark this special event in November 2019.
South Africa faces “enormous challenges”, but attaining widespread access to quality healthcare is not unrealistic – provided solid short-to-medium and long-term plans are enforced effectively. But not before deliberating a set of serious questions and coming up with solutions to them first.
Dr Ursula Rohlwink joined the University of Cape Town (UCT) Division of Neurosurgery in 2009. Since then, her work has focused on children with traumatic brain injury and the neuro-infection tuberculous (TB) meningitis, which comes about when the TB bacterium infects the central nervous system’s membranes.
South Africa has one of the highest incidences of HIV in the world. More than 7 million people in the country are living with HIV. This high prevalence rate has led scientists in the country to explore solutions for a wide range of clinical problems that HIV-positive patients face, including end stage kidney failure.
The global information analytics business, Elsevier, has released a report “based on global field-weighted citation impact” that has the University of Cape Town (UCT) coming out tops.
Recent growth in availability of safe and non-invasive techniques for visualising the brain has had a huge impact on how we study children’s brains. UCT researchers Professor Kirsty Donald and Professor Ernesta Meintjes explain what they have learnt about how young brains develop in high-risk contexts.