Achievements in research Wits has a proud history of research excellence dating back to its origins in 1922. Our networks and partnerships include the US, UK, Germany, Brazil, Russia, India, China and the rest of Africa where, together with the University of Cape Town, we have built the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA). ARUA’s purpose is to build a Pan-African research platform comprising sixteen research universities in an equitable partnership with institutions around the world to research and address the challenges of our globe.
Wits University has long been recognised as a global leader in HIV research and has contributed a vast amount of knowledge in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 Vaccine Trials The University lead two Covid-19 vaccine trials, which at the time were the only trials in South Africa and on the continent. New injection to prevent HIV An HIV study showed that a newly discovered injection was more effective than the current daily HIV pill to prevent HIV in women. Wits University’s Early unblinding of the of long-acting cabotegravir (CAB LA) is a milestone for prevention of HIV among women in sub Saharan Africa. World’s first HIV transplant
In a world first, Wits doctors transplanted the liver from a mother living with HIV to her critically ill HIV negative child, who had end stage liver disease. Most influential research on fractal light The Optical Society of America named Wits’ research involving fractal light from lasers as the most influential in optics and photonics. Climate scientists are developing the first Earth System Model based in Africa which will contribute to the fight against the climate emergency.
new genetic and susceptibility variants which informs African population history, environmental adaptation and susceptibility to disease. Pelebox A Master’s student, based at the Tshimologon Digital Innovation Precinct created Pelebox, named one of TIME magazine’s Top 100 inventions of the year. Pelebox is a digital platform that manages various internet enabled smart lockers. Pelebox smart lockers enable patients to collect their repeat chronic medication in under two minutes instead of waiting hours queuing at public clinics. Quantum Computing IBM expands its quantum computing programme with Wits as its first partner in Africa. Wits scientists are investigating the use of quantum computing and machine learning in the fields of cosmology and molecular biology with a specific focus on HIV drug discovery and quantum teleportation. Academics and students also connected two computers through the human brain and successfully transmitted words like ‘hello’ and ‘apple’, without the user being aware that a message was present. Wits scientists have discovered: • a new species of dinosaur • the dung beetle wind compass • an asteroid that contributed to mass extinction and climate change • an ancient drop of water that rewrites the Earth’s history. Wits students have developed: • a new genetic mobile application
Major African genome study
• an off-grid solution to electrify households in Africa and,
Wits geneticists have discovered more than three million
• self-sanitising surfaces to prevent infections in hospitals.
Wits continues to generate high-quality, locally-relevant knowledge that matches and exceed global standards in research fields like Covid-19, HIV, genetics, quantum computing, energy, migration, diversity and inequality. www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/research-news/
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Research Entities
*6
DSI/NRF Centres of Excellence *Highest of all universities in SA
457
*NRF-rated Researchers *National Research Foundation
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A-RATED Researchers Recognised by peers and leaders in their fields globally
30 SARChI CHAIRS*
*The South African Research Chairs Initiative
Achievements in research
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