The Site
The ICGEB Cape Town Component (inaugurated in September 2007) is located within the campus of the University of Cape Town, and commenced operation within provisional laboratory space provided through the generosity of the South African Government. It is expected that within 3-4 years the final premises (around 4,000 square meters) will be available, with approximately 100 scientists on location. The final size of the Component will depend on the availability of adequate financial resources, to be identified through the promotion of specific research and training projects among the donor community.
Research
The Cape Town Component aims to develops research and training activities on subjects of major
impact for the African continent, focussing not only on infectious
diseases (HIV-AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and neglected infectious diseases), but also on
chronic (cardiovascular and cancer-related) and genetic diseases. Plant
biotechnology research aimed at improving the staple crops essential
for the African population will also be pursued.
The Component will operate within the same framework as those in Trieste and New Delhi: with research programmes at the forefront of scientific excellence, constituting the basis upon which the training programmes of the organisation are implemented.
It is expected that the focus of the research will take into account the key needs of the African population, such as infectious and chronic diseases and staple crop development, ensuring an open dialogue between the ICGEB researchers and the other stakeholders in the continent. Every activity will also contain a major training component aimed at tackling some of the key issues identified through the Millennium Development Goals.
It is also expected that the research projects implemented in the ICGEB laboratories will lead to some important breakthroughs in fields such as health, nutrition, agricultural improvement and environmental protection, that will be made available to African industrial partners for relevant development and eventual implementation.
