Research 2003

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Faculty of Health Sciences

Prof TJ Mariba, Dean

Telephone number: 012 354 2386
Fax number: 012 329 1351
E-mail address: tjmariba@medic.up.ac.za

Preface by the Dean

South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) accreditation has been approved for all pathology departments that applied. This is no small accomplishment – only SANAS accreditation of competency is recognised by the South African government, and they are among the first academic pathology laboratories to receive accreditation.

Researchers in the Faculty recorded a number of significant research achievements, some of which are likely to shape future research initiatives. The following are among the most notable:

• A sustained and remarkable increase in research output from two research teams in the Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, focusing primarily on clinical anatomy and aspects of neuropathology/ neuropharmacology. Both of these research teams are led by young and highly productive researchers, which bodes well for the future of the Faculty.
• Identification of the genetic basis and laboratory detection of novel mechanisms of bacterial resistance to antibiotics by researchers in the Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine.
• The innovative strategies employed by researchers in the Department of Anaesthesiology, School of Medicine to identify interactions between factors such as choice of anaesthetic, patient characteristics, monitoring procedures and type of surgery. This approach may result in the more discerning use of anaesthetics, and may optimise outcome during surgical interventions.
• The pre-clinical evaluation of novel South African-developed anti-cancer chemical entities by members of the CANSA Consortium in the Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine.
• The identification of environmental toxins with endocrine disruptive potential. This study involves collaboration between researchers in the Department of Urology, School of Medicine and those in the School of Health Systems and Public Health.
• Researchers in the Department of Physiotherapy of the School of Health Care Sciences, conducting pioneering research into alternative approaches to the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, identified exercise as an effective, inexpensive strategy to lower blood sugar.
• Researchers in the Department of Community Dentistry, in association with the Department of Health, participated in a nationwide survey to establish the prevalence and severity of dental caries in South African children, while research conducted in the Centre for Stomatological Research focused on the design and development of biocompatible materials with emphasis on the selective recruitment of cells involved in tissue modelling and repair.

The year 2003 has also been characterised by the implementation of the new research management and promotion strategies in the various Schools, and in the Faculty as a whole, with the following priority activities:

• optimise and improve access to genomics and proteomics capabilities within the Faculty;
• coordinate and prioritise applications for funding of research, particularly in respect of equipment and posts;
• increased applications to international research funding agencies;
• implement pro-active mentorship programmes to enhance research capacity building and retention.

The new integrated Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Pretoria has the necessary facilities, capacity and strategies, not only to retain its current position, but to become the frontrunner in biomedical research in South Africa.

Inleiding deur die Dekaan

SANAS akkreditasie is toegestaan aan al die patologie departemente wat aansoek gedoen het. Dit is geen geringe prestasie nie – slegs SANAS akkreditasie word deur die Suid-Afrikaanse regering erken, en hulle is onder die eerste akademiese patologie laboratoria wat akkreditasie ontvang het. Navorsers in die Fakulteit het ‘n aantal betekenisvolle navorsingprestasies gedokumenteer, waarvan sommige waarskynlik die koers van toekomstige navorsingsinisiatiewe in die Fakulteit sal beïnvloed. Die volgende is van die belangrikste:

• ‘n Volgehoue en merkwaardige toename in navorsingsuitsette van twee navorsingspanne in die Departement Anatomie, Skool vir Geneeskunde, wat primêr fokus op kliniese anatomie en aspekte van neuropatologie/ neurofarmakologie. Albei hierdie navorsingspanne word gelei deur jong en hoogs produktiewe navorsers, wat 'n blink toekoms vir die Fakulteit voorspel.
• Identifisering van die genetiese basis en laboratoriumopsporing van nuwe meganismes van bakteriële weerstandigheid teen antibiotika deur navorsers in die Departement Geneeskundige Mikrobiologie, Skool vir Geneeskunde.
• Die nuwe strategieë gebruik deur navorsers in die Departement Anestesiologie, Skool vir Geneeskunde om interaksie tussen faktore soos die keuse van narkosemiddel, kenmerke van die pasiënt, moniteringsprosedures en tipe chirurgie, te identifiseer. Hierdie benadering mag lei tot die meer oordeelkundige gebruik van narkosemiddels en mag die resultaat van chirurgiese ingryping verbeter.
• Die pre-kliniese evaluering van nuwe Suid-Afrikaans-ontwikkelde anti-kanker chemiese middels deur lede van die CANSA konsortium in die Departement Farmakologie, Skool vir Geneeskunde.
• Die identifikasie van omgewingstoksiene met endokrien ontwrigtingspotensiaal. Hierdie studie word gesamentlik uitgevoer deur navorsers van die Departement Urologie, Skool vir Geneeskunde en dié van die Skool vir Gesondheidstelsels en Publieke Gesondheid.
• Navorsers in die Departement Fisioterapie, Skool vir Gesondheidsorg-wetenskappe, wat baanbrekersnavorsing doen oor alternatiewe benaderings tot die behandeling van pasiënte met tipe 2 diabetes mellitus, het oefening geïdentifiseer as ‘n effektiewe, goedkoop strategie om bloedsuiker te verlaag.
• Navorsers van die Departement Gemeenskapstandheelkunde, Skool vir Tandheelkunde in samewerking met die Departement van Gesondheid, het deelgeneem aan ‘n landswye opname om die voorkoms en ernstigheidsgraad van tandbederf in Suid-Afrikaanse kinders te bepaal. Navorsing in die Sentrum vir Stomatologiese Navorsing het gefokus op die ontwerp en ontwikkeling van bioverenigbare materiale met die klem op die selektiewe werwing van selle betrokke in weefsel modellering en herstel.

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