Dr Tessa Kotze, Director:CUBIC PET-CT with Western Cape Minister of Health, Prof Nomafrench Mbombo next to the PET-CT scanner at CUBIC

The government of South Africa through Cape Universities Body Imaging Centre (CUBIC) has once again been in the global limelight as it has collaborated with Stellenbosch University, the South African Medical Research Council and Siemens to aid in establishing Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (PET-CT) Core Research Facility that will help diagnose, evaluate and treat a variety of diseases e.g. Tuberculosis, oncology, neurocognitive disorders, cardiovascular and other diseases.

According to UCT news, the new facility meets the fast-growing demand for PET-CT scans, particularly for clinical studies in TB – the leading cause of death in South Africa, and hence will allow researchers to monitor progression from infection to disease and provide an early indication of the efficacy of new drugs and combinations.

Speaking at the launch, UCT Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng said, “In many ways, this is a victory, not just locally or provincially, but I expect we’ll see the ripple effects of this new facility across our continent and our world.”

The centre is expected to boost capacity development, especially among high-end clinical and technical personnel and emerging researchers. It will also cement UCT’s role as a global player through collaborations with local and international partners and create historic possibilities for the faculty.

CUBIC, was established through collaboration between University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University, the South African Medical Research Council and Siemens, and aims at bolstering capacity in cutting-edge research on tuberculosis (TB), oncology, neurocognitive disorders, cardiovascular and other diseases.

Photo Courtesy of UCT Web Portal

Article by RB Reporter

Source;https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2019-11-14-pet-ct-scanner-heralds-new-era-in-tb-research