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New AfriGen-D platform set to transform genomics research across Africa The University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Division of Computational Biology , in partnership with key stakeholders from the Institut Pasteur de Tunis and the University of Mauritius, will launch the groundbreaking AfriGen-D platform – a transformative initiative dedicated to advancing human genomics research, capacity building and data analysis across the African continent. 30 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT leads collaborative launch of music-based maternal mental health programme The Perinatal Mental Health Project at the University of Cape Town (UCT), in partnership with the Institute for Life Course Health Research at Stellenbosch University, will join the Khayelitsha community on World Maternal Mental Health Day to host the South African launch of Community Health Intervention through Music Engagement for Maternal Mental Health (CHIME). 30 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT launches pioneering liver centre to transform patient care in SA The University of Cape Town (UCT) has launched a first-of-its-kind, multidisciplinary liver centre set to reshape how liver disease is diagnosed and treated in South Africa. 28 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT researchers uncover molecular “switch” that fuels cancer progression Researchers from the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Scientific Computing Research Unit (SCRU) have uncovered a critical molecular "switch" that drives the formation of cancer-associated antigens. The study , published in Nature Communications , details how the spatial relocation of enzymes within a cell’s internal machinery leads to the aberrant "sugar coating" of proteins, a hallmark of cancer progression. 22 Apr 2026 Media release

Where to next? UCT professor to reflect on the future of Jewish life in South Africa Historians often hesitate to predict the future. Yet moments of profound change invite reflection on what lies ahead. Drawing on decades of data collected by the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies , Professor Adam Mendelsohn will, during his upcoming inaugural lecture, examine demographic, religious and political developments shaping Jewish life in South Africa today. 21 Apr 2026 Media release

Study points to music as support for maternal mental health Culturally grounded, community-based music-making can be adapted to support South African women struggling with mental health issues during pregnancy and after birth. This is according to a recent formative study co-authored by Associate Professor Simone Honikman , director of the Perinatal Mental Health Project (PMHP) at the University of Cape Town, together with local and international colleagues. 21 Apr 2026 Media release

More than 40% Capetonians face high air pollution risk – UCT study A study at the University of Cape Town (UCT) has produced the first high-resolution map of air pollution risk across the Cape Town metropolitan area, revealing that more than 40% of the city’s population is exposed to high or very high levels of air pollution. The findings are published in GeoHealth journal . 20 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT commemorates fifth anniversary of Jagger fire The University of Cape Town (UCT) will commemorate the fifth anniversary of a devastating fire that impacted the Jagger Libraries and several other campus buildings on 18 April 2021. 20 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT achieves 96% pass rate in accounting to secure top national rankings The University of Cape Town (UCT) has delivered a standout performance in the January 2026 Initial Assessment of Competence (IAC), with a 96% pass rate among first-time candidates and a strong showing on the national honours list. 20 Apr 2026 Media release

Healthcare practitioners must understand the needs of the people they serve – UCT lecture Amplifying the voices of people living on the margins of society is an ethical imperative for healthcare scholars. It helps them to understand the needs of the people they serve to improve their quality of life, said University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Professor Lionel Green-Thompson, dean of UCT’s Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) , during his recent inaugural lecture. 16 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT study reveals illicit cigarettes dominate South Africa’s market A study by researchers at the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Research Unit on the Economics of Excisable Products (REEP) has revealed that illicit cigarettes constitute more than half of the South African market. The research, published in Tobacco Control , warns that this crisis poses a severe threat to both public health and government tax revenue. 16 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT researchers part of major global effort to fight fungal infections Researchers at the University of Cape Town (UCT) are playing a key role in a major international collaboration that has been awarded £4.5 million (approximately R100 million) to advance understanding of fungal diseases that claim around 2.5 million lives each year. 09 Apr 2026 Media release

UCT professor calls for clearer legal principles to guide global tax reform In the face of uncertainty and rapid societal transformation driven by new technologies, University of Cape Town (UCT) Professor Johann Hattingh , in his recent inaugural lecture, called for clarity on guiding principles for law reform and for the development of legal theory to invigorate discussions on reforming the international tax regime. 31 Mar 2026 Media release

UCT co-led report paints a dull picture of stillbirths in Africa, calls for improvement Stillbirth is Africa’s silent epidemic and one of the clearest indicators of health system failure. Every 30 seconds, a baby is stillborn on the continent. 30 Mar 2026 Media response

Chronic pain linked to disability in South Africa – UCT study shows A study out of the University of Cape Town (UCT) has found that chronic pain is both common and closely linked to disability, highlighting an urgent public health issue that has long lacked local data. The study, published in PAIN Reports , analysed more than 10 000 adults and provides the clearest picture to date of how ongoing pain affects daily life and functioning in the country. 26 Mar 2026 Media release

UCT study challenges assumptions about Cape Town's iconic sites A University of Cape Town (UCT) study has found that local and international visitors have significantly different perceptions when visiting World Heritage Sites (WHS). 26 Mar 2026 Media release

UCT to confer honorary doctorates on Sooliman and Werner The University of Cape Town (UCT) will confer honorary doctorates on Dr Imtiaz Ismail Sooliman and Mr Cornelius George Werner at its upcoming autumn graduation ceremonies from 28 March to 2 April 2026. 26 Mar 2026 Media release

UCT to lead Africa's first higher education dedicated AI compute initiative The University of Cape Town’s African Compute Initiative (ACI) will establish Africa's largest graphics processing unit (GPU)-intensive compute cluster dedicated to Artificial Intelligence (AI) research in a higher education institution. The initiative is part of the AI for Development (AI4D) programme , a £58 million co-funded partnership between the United Kingdom (UK) government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC). It will give African researchers and innovators access to the computing infrastructure needed to develop, train and test AI systems locally – an area where the continent has faced persistent and growing constraints. 26 Mar 2026 Media release

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