Page 21 - SAMRC Annual Report 2023-24

GENERAL INFORMATION

Project Title Principal Investigator Institution
Impact of COVID-19 on clinical manifestations, Prof. Bavesh Kana University of the
diagnosis, treatment outcome and immune response Witwatersrand & National
for pulmonary tuberculosis (Nickname: ABRICOT Health Laboratory Services
– Associative BRICS Research in COVID-19 and
Tuberculosis)

Epidemiological impact and intersection of the Prof. Anneke C Hesseling Stellenbosch
COVID-19 and tuberculosis pandemics in Brazil, University
Russia, India and South Africa

Repurposing of drugs and validation of lead Prof. Anil Chuturgoon University of
compounds against main protease and RNA KwaZulu-Natal
dependent RNA polymerase of SARS-CoV2

BRICS Multilateral Joint Science DSI invited the SAMRC to manage the call in the

and Technology Research following two thematic areas:
Collaboration – 2021 Call for • Antimicrobial resistance: technologies for
Joint Project Proposals diagnosis and treatment
• Simulation and big data analytics for advanced
The BRICS STI Framework Programme (FP) aims to precision medicine and public healthcare
support excellent research in priority areas which
can best be addressed by a multinational approach. Of the four joint projects selected for funding
To this end, a call for joint project proposals in ten in the thematic area ‘Antimicrobial resistance:
(10) thematic areas was launched in 2021. technologies for diagnosis and treatment’, three
have an SA component and are ongoing. No
projects were selected for funding in the thematic
area ‘Simulation and big data analytics for advanced
precision medicine and public healthcare’.

The three (3) projects are:

Project Title Principal Investigator Institution
Novel siderophore fragments and hybrids for the Prof. Rui Krause Rhodes University
diagnosis and treatment of drug resistant-infectious
pathogens

Unlocking bacterial resistance to antibiotics with the Associate University of
development of novel metallo-β-lactamase inhibitors Prof. Tricia Naicker KwaZulu-Natal

Target identification and efficacy enhancement of proven Dr Awelani Mutshembele South African Medical
MDR overcoming Piper spp-derived compounds towards Research Council,
candidate drug development against WHO priority 1 TB Platform
(critical) MDR pathogens: P. aeruginosa, E. coli,
K. pneumoniae, and M. tuberculosis

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