Africa Health Research Institute building in Somkhele, South Africa
Africa Health Research Institute building in Somkhele, South Africa Researchers at UCL and the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) at the forefront of HIV and TB research in South Africa have been granted more than £72m additional funding from Wellcome. The seven-year grant will support AHRI's pioneering scientific research, focusing on understanding and responding to diseases that are the major causes of illness and death in South Africa. These include: HIV; tuberculosis (TB); emerging infections such as Covid-19, and neglected infections such as hepatitis B; and adolescent mental health. Located in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal, AHRI's vision is the optimal health and wellbeing of under-resourced populations. As well as helping AHRI train the next generation of African scientists, the funding will enable the institute to expand its research to address key questions including: - How can HIV be prevented in rural communities? How can HIV be cured? How can TB spread be prevented in rural communities? Do new vaccines prevent TB disease? How can new infections such as Covid-19 be identified early and controlled? How can mental health disorders in rural adolescents best be treated? - AHRI Executive Director, Professor Willem Hanekom (UCL Infection & Immunity) said: "This grant is a vote of confidence in our ability to produce excellent scientific research, with demonstrable impact. We believe our broad research value chain, from population to basic sciences, and strong collaborations with communities and other research stakeholders place us in a unique position to address some of the most pressing health challenges facing under-resourced populations globally." UCL is a key academic partner for AHRI.
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