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Wamkelekile, Welkom
Wamkelekile, Welkom
Exotic plants fuel urban wildfire risk, UCT study warns
A new study has revealed that certain exotic plant species commonly found in Cape Town’s urban spaces may intensify wildfire risks. Conducted in the aftermath of the devastating April 2021 Table Mountain fire, the research highlights how plant leaf traits, particularly in ornamental exotic species, influence how quickly and intensely vegetation can burn.
28 Jul 2025
Media release
UCT lecture to offer practical insights into having difficult conversations
Associate Professor Loretta J Ross, a leading voice in human rights and social justice, will deliver the 59th TB Davie Memorial Lecture at the University of Cape Town (UCT) on Wednesday, 6 August 2025. This year’s lecture will be delivered online, with in-person screening in the New Lecture Theatre.
28 Jul 2025
Media release
Tiny drop, big hope: new blood test could make it easier to find TB in children
In an important breakthrough that could transform how childhood tuberculosis (TB) is diagnosed, scientists have identified a small set of blood proteins that accurately signal TB disease in children, even in the absence of reliable sputum samples. Published in Nature Communications , the research led by a global team of scientists, including experts from the University of Cape Town (UCT), paves the way for a fast, non-invasive test that could save thousands of young lives.
24 Jul 2025
Media release
‘Losing a child to cancer a cardinal sin’ – UCT professor highlights collaboration in childhood cancer fight
In his recent inaugural lecture, the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Professor Alan Davidson shared six principles that reflect what has made his collaborative work in paediatrics rewarding. The lecture focused on the topic “It Takes a Team: Advancing Paediatric Oncology Through Collaborative Care” .
23 Jul 2025
Media release
UCT academic’s stint as Health Systems Trust CEO bridges gap between theory and practice
Professor Salome Maswime, head of the Global Surgery Division at the University of Cape Town (UCT), was seconded for three months as the Chief Executive Officer of the Health Systems Trust (HST). The HST is a non-governmental organisation formed at the dawn of South Africa’s democracy to improve access to healthcare and health outcomes in South Africa and beyond. The secondment has been beneficial to HST, Maswime and UCT; and had a positive impact on Soth Africa and the continent at large.
23 Jul 2025
Media release
