Page 166 - SAMRC Annual Report 2024-2025

Director General Mr Marc Lamaitre of the European Commission for Research and Innovation, on his first visit to
South Africa in November 2024. The SAMRC Senior Programme Manager for Precision Medicine participated. The
discussions were focused on potential SAMRC collaboration under the AU-EU research and innovation agenda.

join the second EP PerMed joint transnational call Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and forms part
(JTC) 2025 in Pharmacogenomics. The call was of the global Grand Challenges partner network.
launched in December 2024 and awards will be During 2023/24, the SAMRC participated in a
made in late 2025. global Grand Challenges request for proposals
to source projects aimed at leveraging artificial
Access to the ICPerMed network has fostered intelligence (AI) to improve access to and the
stronger relationships with the EU to support South delivery of healthcare, and a portfolio of 10 projects
Africa in developing Personalised Medicine. In was selected for support with a combination of
November 2024, Director General Mr Marc Lemaitre, funds from the DSTI (through SHIP), the SAMRC
European Union’s DG for Research Innovation and (baseline and SAAVI), and the BMGF. During
Technology Development, Minister Councilor uiz 2024/25, an additional project focused on using
Laurent Boucherau and EU Mission ambassador AI to improve sexual and reproductive health
Dr Pencho Garrido Ruiz as well as Vincenzo Larusso outcomes for young women and adolescent girls
and Lekovi Seke of the African Union hosted a was incorporated into SHIP’s MNCH programme.
high-level discussion on the EU-AU Research and It is noteworthy that, having received a total of
Innovation Agenda to build closer collaborations 28 applications with a 50/50 split between male
with the SAMRC and South Africa in health research. and female applicants, 7 of the 11 awarded projects
In the next financial year, the SAMRC, through SHIP were led by females. After the resignation of one of
and other programmes, will focus on rendering the the PIs from the host institution, 8 of the 11 projects
National Genomics Programme operational and are now led by females.
establishing scaled next-generation sequencing During 2024/25, GCSA continued to manage a
technologies and big data capability to better portfolio of 4 climate and health projects co-funded
understand the link between genetics and health by Grand Challenges Canada. These projects address
in African populations. This will be used to develop a wide variety of topics including development and
more appropriate and relevant health solutions and testing of a next generation mosquito net for control
to enable translational medicine. of insecticide-resistant mosquitoes, educating youth
at schools about the health impacts of climate and
Grand Challenges health and co-creating interventions to enable
South Africa programme the youth to contribute towards the development
The SAMRC, through GIPD, has been running of new solutions, creation of advanced warning
the Grand Challenges South Africa (GCSA) systems for new malaria threats arising due to
programme since 2014/15. This programme has climate change, as well as the potential impact of
been predominantly co-funded by the Bill and climate change on exposure to air pollutants and

164 SAMRC ANNUAL REPOR T 2024-25