Page 80 - SAMRC AnnualReport 2025-26

Building Capacity Through also hosted a five-day boot camp for early-career
Training, Mentorship, and Support women researchers, sponsored by the US National
Academy of Sciences, aimed at strengthening
AIRU remains committed to developing the next research leadership, professional development and
generation of scientists through mentorship, support networks for women in science.
training and career development opportunities.
Over the past year, several former trainees advanced Community engagement remains an important
into senior academic and research positions, component of AIRU’s work. Prof Penny Moore
reflecting the Unit’s strong culture of professional delivered an invited lecture to the University of
development. the Third Age, promoting public understanding of
Among these achievements, Dr Jinal Bhiman, current health research developments among older
who completed both her MSc and PhD through audiences. In addition, the Unit runs a six-weekly
AIRU, was appointed to the position of Associate online seminar series that provides emerging
Professor at the University of Cape Town. Dr researchers with a platform to present their work
Boitumelo Motsoeneng, who completed her PhD and facilitate knowledge exchange across the
and postdoctoral training within the Unit, was scientific community.
appointed Senior Medical Scientist at AIRU, while
Dr Alaine Marsden, an AIRU-trained graduate AI in Medical and Health Research
through honours, MSc and PhD levels, joined the AIRU routinely incorporates AI-enabled tools to
Unit as a Bioinformaticist. Danielle Martin, who support pipeline development, scientific analysis
completed her MSc at AIRU, is currently pursuing and research writing, guided by principles of ethical
a PhD at the University of Zurich, and Jayde Polley, and responsible use. In the coming year, the Unit
who recently submitted her MSc dissertation, was
appointed Junior Medical Scientist at AIRU. plans to further strengthen these capabilities by
implementing secure, locally hosted large language
The Unit maintains a strong commitment to diversity models (LLMs) to support advanced analysis and
and inclusion, with women representing 80% of the interpretation of the extensive datasets generated
team and 53% of staff identifying as Black. AIRU by its research programmes.

AIRU mentors and early-career women researchers during the Women in Science Boot Camp, hosted on
2-6 March 2026 at AIRU and supported by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.

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