Page 70 - SAMRC Annual Report 2023-24

HIV, AIDS, TB AND OTHER

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES RESEARCH PROGRAMME 3

PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAMME

To conduct research on preventing HIV and related co-morbidities including TB and other
infectious diseases, such as malaria. It seeks to contribute to the national and international
science system by testing TB drugs and malaria insecticides and carry out the AIDS Vaccine
project by coordinating the development and test of HIV vaccines in South Africa, in
partnership with our funders and our regional counterparts.

UNITS THAT CONSTITUTE THIS PROGRAMME

1 Antibody Immunity Research Unit (ERU) 6 Intersection of Non-Communicable Disease and
Infectious Disease Research Unit (ERU)
2 Centre for the Study of Antimicrobial Resistance 7 Malaria Research Group (IRU)
Research Unit (ERU)
3 Centre for Tuberculosis Research Unit (IRU) 8 Office of AIDS and TB Research (IRU)

4 HIV and other Infectious Diseases Research 9 TB Platform (IRU)
Unit (IRU)
5 HIV-TB Pathogenesis and Treatment Research 10 Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Analytics Research
Unit (ERU) Unit (ERU)

PROGRAMME STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

• To increase the body of knowledge informing the • To ensure appropriate training of clinical, laboratory
development of the response to prevention and and other research staff, and communities in and
curative interventions for HIV, AIDS, TB and other around the research sites.
communicable diseases. • To increase the body of scientific knowledge through
• To increase the contribution to the national health research translation into products, patents, papers,
system by maintaining national health research policy practice and health promotion (including to
facilities that provide services for the prevention of the general public) by organising meetings, seminars,
HIV and related co-morbidities, including TB. workshops and conferences.
• To provide research grants to principal investigators • To design and construct the most appropriate and
responsible for HIV research in line with European promising HIV candidate vaccines for southern
and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership Africa and to increase the number of interventions
(EDCTP) TESA mandate, provide financial support to developed for TB and HIV.
researchers within neighbouring countries for training • To increase the body of scientific evidence that relates
in laboratory and research techniques, utilising funds to testing and evaluating medical equipment and
from sponsors and Unit savings. devices that are developed for the prevention of HIV
• To provide leadership and coordinate activities for and related co-morbidities.
training and development of young scientists and
employees at different levels and to work towards
retention of critical skills and talent management
thereof.

68 SAMRC ANNUAL REPOR T 2023-24