Page 157 - SAMRC Annual Report 2024-2025

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Building Capacity Through Research Translation
Training, Mentorship, and Support Through Arts and Science
In this reporting period 2024/2025, we have three Our work requires active engagement with the
PhD and two MSc students who have completed community since much of the recruitment for
their dissertations, and which are currently under research, as well as patient management, is done on
examination. This work in the genomics of CRCs an outreach basis. This requires us to be fully aware
has attracted bright young specialists from other and engaging with the health ecosystem, starting at
disciplines to gain knowledge from genetics/ the community level, and accessing/using resources
genomics. An example of this is Dr Alessandro that exist at every level of healthcare. As part of a
produced several manuscripts some of which have successful programme, we engage with community
been published and others under review, in addition nurses and health care workers, since they have a
to his thesis. Importantly, is the recognition of the detailed knowledge of families and family members
translatability of our work in terms of being clinically of all ages. This ensures that all relevant individuals,
relevant and truly reducing morbidity/mortality especially pre-symptomatic but at high risk, are
due to colorectal cancers. This has garnered the ascertained and linked into our network of genetic
interest of our colleagues at UKZN and its affiliated counselling, genetic testing and subsequent clinical
hospitals, to the extent that we have an Anatomical surveillance.
Pathologist and a Colorectal surgeon, registered at
their institution for PhDs, under the co-supervision of We are increasingly aware of the district and
the Unit Director. This will be expanded to a number regional health systems and the different levels of
of MMed projects for registrars in e.g. Surgery, general and specialised care that may be provided
Pathology, Oncology, Gastroenterology, and so on, through these, as close to our patients/communities
and promises to be a sustainable academic/clinical as possible. all of this is also possible because we
capacity development enterprise. This 'template' are working closely with the Provincial Department
of capacity development is also being engaged of Health, and the National Cancer Registry in
within the other provinces e.g. the Northern Cape, terms of planning a sustainable programme for the
Gauteng and Free State, for the moment. prophylactic management of colorectal cancers
for the moment, but also the broader range of
Navigating the Impact of US familial cancers (including hereditary breast/ovarian,
Executive Orders on Funding amongst others).
Our work has also been published in the popular
It is affecting one of our larger projects i.e. "Genomics
of Schizophrenia in the Xhosa Population" since this press, as well as on television (e.g. MNet's Carte
is wholly NIH-funded. Blanche, in the last few years). It is perhaps worth
noting that the effort to optimally ascertain and
manage all familial cancers will serve as a template
for all other conditions with a genetic basis.

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