Wits’ achievements in research

Wits has a proud history of research excellence dating back to its origins in 1922.

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/

Wits University has long been

Our networks and recognised as a global leader in partnerships include HIV research and has contributed the US, UK, Germany, a vast amount of knowledge in

Brazil, Russia, India, the fight against the Covid-19

China and the rest pandemic. of Africa where, together Covid-19 Vaccine Trials with the University of Cape Town, we The University lead two Covid-19 vaccine trials, which at the time have built the African were the only trials in South Africa

Research Universities and on the continent.

Alliance (ARUA). ARUA’s purpose is New injection to prevent HIV to build a Pan-African An HIV study showed that a newresearch platform ly discovered injection was more comprising sixteen effective than the current daily research universities in an equitable partnerHIV pill to prevent HIV in women. Wits University’s Early unblinding of the of long-acting cabotegravir ship with institutions (CAB LA) is a milestone for prearound the world to vention of HIV among women in research and address sub Saharan Africa. the challenges of our globe. 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.

Major African genome study

Wits geneticists have discovered more than three million 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 • an off-grid solution to electrify households in Africa and, • self-sanitising surfaces to prevent infections in hospitals.