Page 91 - SAMRC AnnualReport 2025-26

P E R FOR M A NC E I N FOR M A T I ON

Building Capacity Through
Training, Mentorship, and Support

HIDRU continues to make a substantial contribution
to research capacity development by supporting
both staff and community stakeholders. During
2025/2026, staff members received support for
academic qualifications, including PhDs, master’s
degrees, and diplomas. A dedicated Unit team
oversees equitable allocation of support to promote
professional growth and career advancement.
The mentorship programme established in 2021
remains active and impactful, offering both short- SAMBULELO study team.
term mentorship for specific outputs, such as
conference presentations, and long-term mentorship
focused on career progression within the Unit. The
HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN), within DAIDS/
NIH, selected Dr Nivriti Hurbans (2025) and Dr
Nishanta Singh (2026) for its Scientific Leadership
Development Programme, which cultivates future
leaders in vaccine science. Dr Ramokolo was
selected for the prestigious 2026 WomenLift Health
Southern Africa Leadership Journey, while Dr Chetty
was named a finalist in the NSTF-South32 Awards.

HIDRU also promotes equity and dignity in health
research through strong community partnerships
facilitated by its Community Working Groups (CWGs).
These groups, comprising community volunteers,
provide input into research protocols and advocate
for health interventions. The Unit equips CWG
members with training in scientific communication
and biomedical intervention literacy. Three CWG
members were selected to serve on the HVTN
Global Community Advisory Board, with one further
representative appointed to HANC. Community Dr Nishanta Singh was selected by HVTN
for its Scientific Leadership Development
liaison officer Mduduzi Ngubane was recently Programme.
appointed by HVTN as the Global Africa Regional
Community Education Representative (Global
CER), recognising his expertise and leadership at
an international level. Together, these initiatives
demonstrate HIDRU’s sustained commitment to
strengthening research capacity, empowering staff,
and advancing meaningful community engagement.

AI in Medical and Health Research

HIDRU is increasingly integrating data-driven
technologies to strengthen clinical trial management
and operational efficiency. In collaboration
with Nuvoteq, a South African clinical research
technology company, the Unit is implementing a
cross-site scheduling system that provides real-time
visibility of clinic workloads and enables responsive SAMRC's Phoenix Clinical Research Site staff.
staff allocation across sites.

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