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UCT’s Alan Pifer Award 2011 has been awarded
to Professor Kelly Chibale for his work on drug
discovery in Africa.
Professor Chibale is the director of UCT’s Drug Discovery
& Development Centre H3-D and his research focuses
on potential drugs for diseases such as malaria and
tuberculosis.
The award stipulates that the recipient must have
contributed to the advancement and welfare of the
disadvantaged.According to the adjudicators, Professor
Chibale’s research has more than fulfilled this criterion.
The H3-D is a project which assists African scientists
in gaining the skills and capacity to develop pre-clinical
drug candidates, with a focus on the diseases afflicting
sub-Saharan Africa. The H3-D’s new, unique model of
drug discovery also attracts scientists from the UK and
USA to work at UCT.
Professor Chibale is the 19th recipient of the
award, named after the late philanthropist, erstwhile
president of long-term UCT benefactor the Carnegie
Corporation of New York, and founding chairperson
of the UCT Fund.
Professor Chibale honoured
for
drug discovery and
development work
at H3-D
in any research-related degree, with the exception
of students whose studies are in the areas of politics
or religion.
The fellowships are granted on the basis
of academic merit and financial need, to students
proceeding to honours, master’s and doctoral degrees.
In 2011, 19 students received Harry Crossley Research
Fellowships (including continuing students), valued at
R1,349,000.
The Harry Crossley Foundation is one of UCT’s most
generous and long-standing donors. In addition to the
fellowship programme, the foundation provides support
to postgraduate students in the form of need-based
bursaries, a postdoctoral fellowship, funds for research in
health sciences, and an annual grant for the supply and
maintenance of equipment in the Postgraduate Centre.
The UCT/Woolworths Fellowship Programme
supports master’s and doctoral students whose research
is in the areas of environmental issues and probiotics. In
2011, seven students received renewal of their fellowships
for a further year, valued at R620,000. No new awards were
made in the interest of conserving the invested funds.
The AW Mellon Foundation
provides a wide range
of grants in support of research, teaching, and students
at UCT. In 2010, the AW Mellon Cross-faculty Fellowship
Programme was launched following a US$800,000 grant
from the foundation. These full-cost awards include
allowances for research running costs, conference travel,
and provide support to master’s and doctoral students
registered in specific areas of study in humanities, law and
commerce. In 2010, 21 awards were made to the value
of R2,100,000. In 2011, 20 awards (including renewals)
were made to doctoral students, and 11 awards (including
renewals) to master’s students, valued at R2,069,000. The
grant has accrued interest that will enable a third cohort of
students to be supported in 2012.
In 2011, the
Department of Higher Education and
Training
made National Student Financial Aid Scheme
(NSFAS) loans available to postgraduate students. Although
UCT was allocated R2,000,000, the late roll-out process
meant that UCT was only able to make use of a small
portion of these funds. Indications are that the balance of
funding will be rolled over for use in 2012. See
Table 2
,
where the NSFAS loans are recorded under State.
RESEARCH DASHBOARD