Page 96 - SAMRC AnnualReport 2025-26

In parallel, the Unit maintains an active community
engagement platform that facilitates collaboration
between researchers, civil society, stakeholders,
and community leaders. This platform supports
participation, strengthens trust, and ensures that
research is responsive to community priorities. Unit
staff also undertake regular public engagement
activities through civil society forums, television,
print media, and social media platforms, providing
education, training, and advocacy support.
The Unit contributes to strengthening the national
health system through the development of the
Advanced Clinical Care curriculum and technical Dr Anushka Naidoo at the HIV pharmacology
tools that improve identification, referral, and meeting in 2025.
management of complex HIV-TB patients,
enhancing the delivery of integrated, patient-
centred care in high-burden settings.

AI in Medical and Health Research
The Unit is integrating data-driven methods and
emerging artificial intelligence (AI) applications to
strengthen research productivity, clinical decision-
making, and patient-centred TB care. Current work
includes the use of AI-assisted technologies to
improve TB detection through digitally enhanced
stethoscopes and digital chest radiography for
screening and diagnosis.

The Unit is also using AI tools to analyse large,
complex datasets from clinical trials, immunology
and microbiology research, and pharmacokinetic
studies. These methods aim to produce clinically Dr Thando Maseko at the SA HIV Clinicians
useful insights that support treatment optimisation Society Conference in 2025.
and risk stratification. In the long term, the Unit
plans to advance precision public health by using
large-scale data on drug response, resistance, and
toxicity to develop more effective and personalised
treatment strategies.

To support responsible innovation, the Unit is
building internal capacity in AI applications,
machine learning, and data governance.
Development of an internal policy on AI use in
research and academic advancement is currently
underway. In parallel, CAPRISA has established
an institutional AI policy to guide the ethical and
responsible use of AI within research and academic
activities. The policy prioritises research integrity,
robust data governance, participant confidentiality,
transparency in AI-assisted outputs, and mitigation
of bias, while providing guidance on oversight, Dr GL Dorce at the Conference on
accountability, and responsible integration of AI Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections.
into teaching, analysis, and scholarly dissemination.

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