UCT – A global leader in HIV research

The global information analytics business, Elsevier, has released a report “based on global field-weighted citation impact” that has the University of Cape Town (UCT) coming out tops.

UCT has been named “the most influential research institution in the field, underlining the high priority of HIV/AIDS research in countries that are strongly affected by the disease” –
according to the Elsevier business site.

Collaboration has been recognised as crucial in the top 10 institutions producing research on HIV, especially in sub-Saharan African countries where the disease is endemic.

UCT was reported to be excelling globally in HIV research output for the period 2014-2018 in terms of field-weighted citation impact of papers published. Within the university, its Institute
of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM), based in the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS), is internationally renowned for its work on infectious diseases.

Linda-Gail Bekker, Professor of Medicine, Chief Operating Officer of the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation and member of the IDM was quoted in the report: “South Africa is a relatively small
country but has carried a massive HIV burden and punched well above its weight in research publishing.” 

HIV-related research in the IDM is wide-ranging. In addition to the internationally renowned research programs on the prevention and management of HIV/AIDS, and the evolution and
pathogenesis of HIV, IDM members also lead major research programs on the prevention and management of HIV-associated tuberculosis (TB) and TB-immune reconstitution inflammatory
syndrome (TB-IRIS), HIV-associated fungal opportunistic infections, mucosal immunity in the female and male reproductive tracts, and HIV vaccinology.

This accolade is ever more relevant with World Aids Day 2019 being commemorated next week.

Read the report here.