Page 145 - SAMRC Annual Report 2024-2025

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Community outreach activities.

highly impactful articles in The Lancet during 2024. Building Capacity Through
These articles reported on pooled global data Training, Mentorship, and Support
collected from several population groups on the
global risks of diabetes and obesity. In another During 2024, the unit supported 8 MSc and 2 PhD
impactful publication, the effects of smoking students as well as 4 post-doctoral fellows. Senior
tobacco on the balance of microorganisms within the researchers provided mentorship to the post-
oral cavity were reported. This publication attracted doctoral fellows by including them as co supervisors
much attention and resulted in the Co-Director and providing opportunities for teaching. One
(A/Prof Davison) and first author (Dr Prince) being example was supported by the D43 NIH Fogarty
invited for interviews on both radio and television. It grant which was facilitated by the co-director. Post
was also republished by several media houses. doctoral fellows from UCT and the unit facilitated
and developed a two-week course on cell culture
Capacity Building: In 2024, Dr Shanel Raghubeer, a and MiRNA analysis which was successfully offered
young NRF-rated scientist obtained funding from during September.
the NRF to support Y-rated scientists. In addition, Postgraduate students and post-doctoral fellows
Dr Prince, another emerging researcher was were encouraged to attend several courses during
awarded the Self-Initiated Research (SIR) grant from the year that were offered by the university and
the SAMRC to continue her research on the oral outside organisation's including Diplomics. They
microbiome. One of our PhD students graduated were further supported to attend both local and
and has been employed as a post-doctoral fellow at international congresses such as the IFCC in
the SAMRC. Dubai and the AFCC congress in Cairo Egypt.
One PhD student graduated during 2024, while 2
Under the guidance of Dr Davids, the unit organised
and hosted an international Point of Care colloquium MSc students will graduate in April 2025. The co-
director also contributes to institutional mentorship
which attracted prominent international and local programmes and actively participated in the Black
delegates. In another community engagement, academic mentorship programme, which aims to
Dr Raghubeer led a team of students and post- uplift previously disadvantaged female academics.
doctoral fellows in the organisation of an event at
the Shiloh Centre of Learning in Bellville. Here young Navigating the Impact of US
primary school children were exposed to good
nutrition, exercise and healthy lifestyles through Executive Orders on Funding
interactive games and exercise. This has had no impact on the unit.

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