Page 4 – Introducing Sakhela Buhlungu, FEBRUARY 2014 new Dean of the Faculty of Humanities Monday Monthly Newspaper of the University of Cape Town To read our daily news coverage or see digital versions of these stories, please visit www.uct.ac.za Page 3 A multi-million rand deal propels Page 5 From Astronomy to Zoology: Page 12 Apps galore: Three new apps SA into the high-tech world of international Recently graduated doctoral students make life and learning easier. space technology. discuss their research fi ndings. Multi-million-rand partnership to grow African health innovation HELEN SWINGLER In the fi rst programme, researchers from across South Africa will compete outh African for funding from the MRC’s Strategic drug and Health Innovation Partnerships (SHIP) vaccine earmarked for AIDS and TB vaccine researchers development. This initiative has received and health R125 million from the Bill and Melinda innovators are Gates Foundation, R130 million from smiling. the DST, and R60 million from the UCT and Department of Health. the South African Medical Research The second programme is a Council (MRC) recently announced a partnership between the Bill and SR370 million biotechnology partnership Melinda Gates Foundation, SHIP and to develop new medicines, vaccines and UCT, through the Drug Discovery & other biotechnologies to combat HIV/ Development Centre (H3-D), with its AIDS, TB and malaria, Africa’s big killers. Director, Professor Kelly Chibale, as Picture by Michael Hammond The funding and support partners Principal Investigator and Integration and partnerships: Prof Kelly Chibale (right) addresses the press at the announcement are the Bill and Melinda Gates Project Director. of a R370 million partnership to develop new drugs and vaccines, a signifi cant boost to the local health Foundation and the Departments of H3-D is Africa’s fi rst integrated biotechnology sector. He is fl anked by UCT Deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof Thandabantu Nhlapo. Science and Technology (DST) and modern drug discovery and development Health. centre, the objective of which is to deliver MMV390048, will enter Phase 1 human scientists, backed by the DST and the Afropolitan niche. The announcement was made at drug candidates for clinical development. clinical trials at Groote Schuur Hospital Department of Health. “We believe our partnering with the the MRC’s Tygerberg offi ces, and the In addition to R50 million in funding this year. Funding from government and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the development will provide a signifi cant from SHIP and the Technology Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has MRC and government helps us develop fi llip to local health innovation and the Innovation Agency for this work, Capacity development been the partnership’s lifeblood. As the Africa-generated solutions to African bio-economy. H3-D will receive R55 million over fi ve While life-saving drug, vaccine and MRC noted, the South Africa medical problems. At the southern tip of Africa, years from the Bill and Melinda Gates technology discovery is at the heart of research sector is “severely under- UCT could be the gateway to this, a link Two programmes Foundation. the news, the partnerships will fulfi l a funded”. between the global North and South.” The partnership integrates existing H3-D has already delivered longer-term goal: to develop a critical He said that UCT’s Drug Discovery role players – government, academia, promising results in its short history. mass of top-fl ight South African African science solutions Centre (H3-D) showed that research not industry – into a co-ordinated system, In 2012 H3-D and the Medicines for scientists in the fi eld, able to compete at Speaking at the launch, Acting only created new knowledge but new jobs, each with specifi c roles in drug and Malaria Venture discovered a novel high international levels. Vice-Chancellor Professor Thandabantu career opportunities, and infrastructure – vaccine discovery. chemical compound with the potential The partnership also harnesses skills Nhlapo said the new partnerships and reversed the brain drain. It will support two distinct to impact both malaria control and and research networks in and outside refl ected UCT’s own vision of He added: “It’s exciting to come and programmes, one involving UCT directly. eradication. The clinical candidate, South Africa and will be led by local internationalisation through an work in Africa.” UCT launches Africa’s fi rst academic risk institute ast month saw UCT launch the African Institute of “AIFMRM’s establishment improves the prognosis in this area. Financial Markets and Risk Management (AIFMRM), We owe this new basis for optimism to the forward-looking and the fi rst of its kind on the continent. AIFMRM is an expansive vision of our sponsors from the sector who have risen to academic institute that conducts research and delivers the development challenge we face,” Ross added. education and training in fi nancial markets and risk Founding director Associate Professor David Taylor said: Lmanagement. “While our overall purpose is to increase the extent and depth of “No similar academic institute, aimed at creating a steady expertise and to address skills shortages, the institute is specifi cally and sustainable pipeline of African university graduates with focused on two key areas. One is transforming the profi le of sophisticated knowledge in banking, insurance, risk management quantitative fi nance, risk management, insurance and banking and quantitative fi nance, exists on the continent,” said Professor professionals. Don Ross, Dean of the Faculty of Commerce. “The other is ensuring that the next generation of academics is An African fi rst: Assoc Prof David Taylor (left), founding “In the 21st century, capacity for situation-specifi c innovation in place to safeguard the continuity of graduates in these areas.” director of the African Institute of Financial Markets and Risk in fi nancial markets and risk management will be among the core Founding sponsors of the institute are FirstRand Ltd, Barclays Management, and Prof Don Ross, Dean of the Faculty of determinants of which emerging markets graduate to mature Africa Group, Liberty Holdings Ltd, and the Western Cape Commerce. development, and which remain mired in middle-income traps. Government’s Department of Economic Development & Tourism. 2 Monday Monthly NEWS February 2014 1 2 3 5 4 NEWS IN PICTURES Goodall delivers Derby delight: Back to school: Runway to nowhere: Fresh start to 2014: fl agship lecture: Liam Slatem, captain of the Freshers’ parents listen This picture, from UCT’s campuses have 1 Just two months shy of her 2 FNB UCT rugby team, lines 345intently to SCR president Albanian artist Adrián been crawling with 80th birthday, chimpanzee up a box-kick under pressure Nommangaliso Gondwe’s Paci’s 2007 video Centro di fresh-faced first-years researcher and activist Dr Jane against Maties on 10 February. It was an address during the orientation Permanenza Temporanea, forms part of since 27 January, when the first Goodall visited UCT in February to historic day for the Ikeys at the Danie programme for out-of-town parents the When Oceans Meet exhibition at the Orientation programme for new deliver the first Vice-Chancellor’s Craven Stadium as they outclassed and guardians. This year UCT hosted Michaelis School of Fine Art, on view students kicked off. The blue t-shirts Open Lecture of the year, this to a arch-rivals Maties 33-16 in the 2014 3 200 parents, the largest number from 27 February to 5 April 2014. pictured are worn by enthusiastic packed Baxter Theatre Centre. These FNB Varsity Cup. Having last bested to date, at its two parent orientation Translated the title means “centre for orientation leaders from the Faculty lectures provide a vital interchange Maties in the inaugural tournament in sessions, which familiarise parents with temporary permanence”. It illustrates of Humanities, who welcomed the between the university and the 2008, UCT made their intentions known the UCT environment, and help them the reality and predicament of illegal greenhorns with song and dance on community; opportunities to hear early on with a powerful scrum that understand some of the academic and Latino workers seemingly waiting the Jameson Plaza. The colourful first-hand from renowned academics, had the hosts back-pedalling. Two tries social experiences their children may to be deported at a Los Angeles gear reflects the excitement the researchers and innovators. Prior from Ikey fl anker Jason Klaasen and encounter at UCT. The group of out- airport. The two-part exhibition orientation period brings, as to this, Goodall addressed the Cape one each from Lihleli Xoli and Slatem of-towners was so large that they had attempts to establish a wider dialogue students absorb an abundance media on campus, providing insights did most of the damage, while fl yhalf to be accommodated in two venues, around some of the issues that local of tips about how to negotiate a into her extraordinary life, centred Dean Grant – a former Matie – kept Jameson Hall and the Beattie lecture communities in Cape Town face. This potentially challenging university on her research among the chimps the scoreboard ticking over with three theatre. Vice-Chancellor Dr Max Price installation is loosely linked to Dr career. From campus and library at Gombe Stream National Park in conversions and two penalties. The emphasised parents’ special responsibility Siona O’Connell’s exhibition, Spring tours to curriculum advice and pep Tanzania. She now travels the globe, win leaves UCT in fi fth place going towards students and urged them to keep Queen – The staging of the glittering talks by Campus Security Services, working some 300 days a year, to into round three. The Ikeys take on the lines of communication open: “…so proletariat, which highlighted the plight the 4 735-strong class of 2014 was rally support and funding for her the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan that they can come to you when they are of Cape Town factory workers.