Page 85 - SAMRC Annual Report 2024-2025

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Centre for Tuberculosis

Research Unit

Unit Director:
Prof. Robin Mark Warren
rw1@sun.ac.za

Advancing Research Priorities: Key Milestones and Achievements
Strategic Objectives and Impact Key Highlights Achieved in 2024-2025, include

The Centre for Tuberculosis Research (CTR) in New Collaborations and Partnerships: One notable
partnership with Stellenbosch University (SU) collaboration involved organising bioinformatics
continues to drive impactful research to bridge the training and engaging in a project with the renowned
gap between fundamental and clinical sciences, HIV Vaccine Trial Network. The CTR has strengthened
improve treatment and prevention approaches, their collaboration efforts with institutions in the
and develop effective diagnostic tools. The CTR United States and Brazil. These collaborations
has made substantial strides in evaluating targeted have resulted in significant progress in molecular
next-generation sequencing to rapidly diagnose identification and sequencing of Mycobacterium
drug resistance. This has been expanded to bovis isolates. CTR has entered into a strategic
combine whole genome sequencing with AI-driven collaboration with UCT to develop a magnetic drug-
algorithms to recommend optimised treatment of targeting device resulting in advancements in TB
drug-resistant TB and guide preventative treatment research and cross-disciplinary innovation.
options. This research is complemented by clinical
trials to evaluate novel TB treatment options and the Grants and Funding Obtained: A new grant, NIH
development of a new triage test for active TB which D43 training grant was secured to develop TB
showed outstanding performance characteristics in bioinformatics capacity and Prof. Sampson became
different countries.
Director of the VALIDATE Network. Prof N Du Plessis
The CTR's biomarker research is strongly focused received the SAMRC Bronze award.
on validating new tools for monitoring TB treatment
response as well as investigating host immune
responses to mycobacterial infections at the site
of human infection. A post-TB lung disease study
revealed persistent inflammatory dysregulation
following cure, while collaboration with the
Genomics Centre has identified host genetic factors
influencing TB risk in South African populations.

The CTR's One Health approach focuses on
mycobacterial infections in rural HIV/TB-burdened
communities through surveillance in communal
livestock, humans, and in environmental samples, AMF Saldanha Bay Career expo 2024.
especially those bordering wildlife parks.

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