Page 24 - SAMRC AnnualReport 2025-26

Professor Liesl Zühlke, SAMRC Vice President of cooperation between scientists in South Africa
Extramural Research and Internal Portfolio and Dr and Japan related to medical research and
Gugu Moche, NRF Executive Director, serve on the development. Some of the activities proposed
HFSPO Board of Trustees. In addition, Professor under this MoC include joint research projects
Kelly Chibale from the University of Cape Town conducted by researchers from both countries, joint
(UCT) and Unit Director of the SAMRC/UCT Drug seminars, workshops, and other scientific meetings,
Discovery and Development Research Unit, serves as well as personnel exchanges.
on the HFSPO Council of Scientists.
AMED was established in 2015 as a funding
SAMRC and Japan Agency agency tasked with promoting medical research
for Medical Research and and development and improving the environment
Development Collaboration for research in Japan under their government’s
Healthcare Policy.
In 2024, the SAMRC signed a Memorandum of
Cooperation (MoC) with the Japan Agency for Following a call for joint projects that was published
Medical Research and Development (AMED). The in October 2024, the following three (3) joint projects
purpose of the MoC is to promote and support were awarded in April 2025.

SAMRC-AMED RI PROJECTS
Genomic Insights into the Pathogenesis of Cancer and Infectious Diseases
NO. JOINT PROPOSAL TITLE PI'S NAME PI'S AFFILIATION
1 Elucidating the cervical cancer malignancy SA Deepak Balaji CSIR
mechanisms for precise treatment based on Thimiri Govindaraj
genome comparison and drug sensitivity test
of Japanese and South African patient JP Yusuke Yamamoto NCC
samples

2 Deciphering synergistic interactions between SA Shaheen Mowla UCT
HIV and EBV in lymphomagenesis through
genomic and transcriptomic analyses JP Yoshitaka Sato Nagoya

3 Discovery and validation of new host-directed SA Suraj Parihar UCT
drug targets for tuberculosis in human
macrophages JP Harukazu Suzuki RIKEN

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