universit y of kw azulu-na tal research repor t 2008/2009 - UKZN ...

LEAding RESEARCH CEntRESLEAding RESEARCH CEntRESThe Africa CentreThe African Centre for Crop ImprovementTThe Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies was establishedTin 1997 as an initiative of the former University of Natal and the SouthTAfrican Medical Research Council with funding from the WellcomeTrust, a United Kingdom-based medical charity.The Centre is based in Somkhele, in the south western part of Tthe Umkhanyakude district of northern KwaZulu-Natal, with accessResearch at the Centre is multi-disciplinary, using demography,epidemiology, social sciences, clinical, virological, immunological,bio-informatics and data base expertise to build a complex yetcomprehensive and truly exciting research portfolio aiming to furtherunderstanding the complex HIV dynamics in this rural population.TThe African Centre for Crop Improvement (ACCI) was established inT2001 to train African plant breeders, in Africa, on African food securityTcrops. It set out to train five cohorts of eight plant breeders, startingTwith the first cohort in 2002, with a vision of African scientists solvingTAfrica’s food problems. TThe ACCI was initially funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, butdisease and drought tolerance, and improved yields and quality, withthe aim of improving food security in 12 African countries, includingEthiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi. A key feature ofthe project is that AGRA has committed itself to ongoing funding ofACCI graduates who continue to breed their chosen food crop, aimingThe resources which sustain all ongoing research include: theto deliver registered cultivars to farmers.to laboratories and offices at the first floor of the Doris Duke MedicalAfrica Centre Demographic Information System (ACDIS) based on thein 2007, they were joined by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation inTwenty six ACCI students graduated by April 2010, with anotherResearch Institute building in Umbilo. The Centre is located within thesocio-demographic household and the HIV behavioural surveillance,a consortium known as the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa10 expected to graduate in 2011. And ACCI graduates have started toCollege of Health Sciences at the University.the Bio-informatics Unit, the Africa Centre virology laboratory at the(AGRA), which is funding a second round of five cohorts of 10 ACCIregister a range of new cop cultivars in their home countries.The key objectives of the Centre’s current research activities (2007-Nelson Mandela Medical School in Durban, and the Hlabisa HIVstudents. This will bring the number of PhDs in plant breeding that theThe ACCI is a unit within the Faculty of Science and Agriculture,2012) are:Treatment and Care Programme. The Social Science research aimsACCI aims to train to over 80 graduates.based in Pietermaritzburg. The Director of the Centre is Professor❉ To further improve understanding of HIV dynamics and the impactto fill the gaps in understanding behaviour relevant to acquiring orThe ACCI students undertake academic studies for two yearsMark Laing whose research interests include: plant breeding, biologicalof antiretroviral treatment (ART) roll-out at individual, household,transmitting HIV, and to inform the development, and participate in thein Pietermaritzburg, then return home to conduct three years ofcontrol agents and the use of silicon in agriculture. The staff of the ACCIclinic, community level;evaluation, of supportive interventions. The Clinical research takes fullfield research, breeding African food security crops, primarily usingeach have their own plant breeding projects, including mutagenesis❉ To identify approaches to, and target groups for, interventions;advantage of our presence in, and involvement with the HIV Treatmentconventional plant breeding methods, in the environments in which theof sorghum and wheat, development of low phytic acid maize using❉ To evaluate interventions at individual, household and communityand Care Programme delivery, while the Population research chartsnew crop cultivars will be grown by small scale farmers.molecular markers, breeding for high beta-carotene maize and thelevel;the changing HIV epidemic in this rural population, including the impactThe focus of the PhD theses is on the applied breeding of keydevelopment of biofuel crops.❉ To implement and further evaluate HIV treatment and preventionof the treatment programme.food crops such as sorghum, cassava and cowpeas, for increasedprogrammes.The Centre for Critical Research on Race and Identity (CCRRI)Health Economics and HIV/AIDS Research Division (HEARD)LThe Centre for Critical Research on Race and Identity (ccrri) initiatesLThe Centre for Critical Research on Race and Identity (ccrri) initiatesLprojects and facilitates the study of race thinking and changing identitiesLso as to improve understanding of, and stimulate public dialogue about,Lthe various bases for perceptions of fixed human difference, in order toLpromote fluid notions of diversity and an open and democratic society. LLed by the Director, Professor Gerhard Maré, such a Centre isways of being in the social world, such as was envisaged during thestruggle against apartheid and captured in the process and content ofthe Freedom Charter in 1955, and since 1996 in the society envisionedin the final Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.By leading a transdisciplinary research agenda and building durablescholarly capacity through facilitating and initiating collaborativeHHEARD conducts research, builds capacity and enables leadership toHroll back the HIV and AIDS pandemic in Africa.HLed by Professor Alan Whiteside, HEARD conducts applied researchHand runs development interventions aimed at mobilising evidenceHfor impact in health and HIV in the Southern African Development HCommunity (SADC) and East Africa region. HEARD has been situatedimpacts of HIV and AIDS through an applied research focus;❉ To promote multi-sectoral responses to the impact of HIV and AIDS;❉ To develop the practice of Health Economics throughout Africa anddeveloping countries;❉ To train business and community leaders, professionals, and governmentofficials in strategic planning for the management of HIV and AIDS.critical because of the persistence in both old and emerging guises ofand comparative, historically located research both nationallyat UKZN since 1998 and collaborates with a range of institutional andessentialised identities; this is one of the most complex and destructiveand internationally, the Centre develops public debate, stimulatesindividual partners spanning the globe.Its general principles include:phenomena of contemporary times. In a world that continues to beconstructive dialogue, and aims to guide policy formation. It hostsHEARD supports UNAIDS in Africa, the SADC Secretariat and❉ Creative interventions through sound socio-economic analysis andbeset by large-scale human rights abuses and conflicts driven byresearch scholars at its excellent premises, where regular seminarsParliamentary Forum and other African leadership in responding tointerdisciplinary research;racism, xenophobia, intolerance and bigotry, there is a clear need toare also held, and organises discussion series and symposia. Teachingissues of health and HIV.❉ The transfer of skills;rekindle the study of race thinking and its pervasive impact. At theand supervision are complementary activities.Its general objectives are:❉ The sharing of knowledge;same time, it is essential that such research should address alternative❉To improve private and public sector understanding of the socio-economic❉ Capacity building.30 UKZN Research Report // 2008/2009 UKZN Research Report // 2008/2009 31