On the rolling hills of Limpopo, where knowledge meets community and science meets purpose. A new chapter in global health was written with the launch of the Institute for Pathogen and Global Health (IPGH) at the University of Venda in October 2025. The IPGH sprung primarily from the firm foundation laid through years of support from the Research Capacity Development Programme Initiative of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), the SAMRC-University of Venda Antimicrobial Resistance and Global Health Research Unit, supplemented by the Solidarity Fund-supported SARS-CoV-2 surveillance project, and MAL-ED. More than the unveiling of an academic entity, the moment marked a declaration of intent: that the communities of northern South Africa will not only respond to global health threats, but will help define how the world understands, anticipates, and confronts them.
Professor Bernard Nthambeleni: Vice Chancellor and Principal of UNIVEN addressing the university community and dignitaries at the launch of IPGH and other research centres.
In an era shaped by epidemics and pandemics, antimicrobial resistance, emerging and re-emerging pathogens, hydrometeorological changes, ethical dilemmas, and widening health inequities, the need for locally grounded yet globally connected research has never been clearer. The University of Venda—deeply rooted in one of South Africa’s most biologically rich and socially dynamic regions—stands uniquely positioned to be at the forefront of this charge.
At its core, IPGH is built on a simple but powerful belief: that solutions to global health challenges must emerge from the places where those challenges are mostly felt. From rural communities and cross-border ecosystems to rapidly changing climate and disease landscapes, the Institute recognizes that pathogens do not respect borders, and neither should knowledge.
Dr Refiloe Zwane: Senior Programme Manager: Vice President’s Office, SAMRC, conveying a message of support at the launch of IPGH.
The launch of IPGH signals a commitment to interdisciplinary excellence. IPGH brings together community leadership and experts in animal, environmental, social sciences, applied mathematics, computational sciences, epidemiology, health economics, microbiology, genomics, psychology, public health, and planetary health. The Institute is designed to break down silos that have long limited health research. Here, pathogens are not studied in isolation, but within the complex web of human behaviour, environmental change, and global mobility.
Also central to the mission of IPGH is capacity building. IPGH aims to nurture the next generation of African scientists—researchers who are not only technically skilled, but ethically grounded, globally competitive, and locally accountable. Through training and mentorship, the Institute seeks to ensure that scientists from the Global South are equipped to lead high-impact research on the national and world stage.
The Institute also embraces the philosophy of One Health, recognizing the inseparable connections between human, animal, and environmental health. Situated near major conservation areas and agricultural communities, the University of Venda provides an ideal living laboratory for studying pathogen emergence at the human–animal–environment interface. What is learned here has implications far beyond national borders.
Importantly, IPGH is not an ivory tower. Community engagement, involvement, and public impact are woven into its foundation. The Institute is committed to translating research into policy, practice, and prevention—working alongside health authorities and communities to ensure that scientific discoveries lead to tangible improvements in lives.
Professor Pascal Bessong, Director of the SAMRC Extramural Unit on Antimicrobial Resistance, and Founding Director of IPGH.
According to Professor Pascal O. Bessong, the Founding Director of IPGH: “The launch of the Institute represents confidence in African-led science. For too long, African rural settings have been viewed primarily as a site of data collection rather than a source of innovation. IPGH challenges this narrative by positioning the University of Venda as a hub for original biomedical research, thought leadership, and global partnership."
As the IPGH opens its doors, it does so with a clear sense of purpose and responsibility. The challenges ahead are complex, but so too is the collective resolve behind this initiative. In classrooms, laboratories, and communities, a new generation of ideas will take shape—ideas capable of strengthening health systems, informing national and global responses, and safeguarding the future.
The launch of IPGH is not an endpoint; it is a beginning. A beginning rooted in South Africa, connected to the world, and driven by the conviction that science, when guided by equity and collaboration, can change the course of global health.